Downsizing: does it mean downgrading?

Why anyone in his right mind, sitting on top of a HiFi Olympus, would ever consider downsizing? Can you imagine the US Navy announcing that they are about to downgrade their Tomahawk missiles and replace them with Ack-Ack anti-aircraft canons? Vladimir Putin would get a seizure from laughing so hard..

Now, I am not speaking about the sound which is way way overrated and completely unpredictable. The thing is liable to change on a dime whenever one moves a pillow or a plant in the room, not to mention abandoning the sweet spot.

I am talking about the severe emotional turmoil one has to go through while downsizing, loosing in the process the delicate balance and sensibility we worked so hard to achieve. Suddenly there are huge gaps where black boxes used to hum happily, the dwindled number of cables in the back is depressing, the painful realization that the fancy rack is costing now much more than the present meager electronics it supports, the shrunken electric bill suggesting that the most power hungry component in the house became her hair dryer, and worst of all, the smirk on the wife's face, like we completely lost our manhood.. Who needs all that?

My therapist strongly advised me against downsizing my Nait 3, warning that the treacherous process would be like a Villanelle of continueously peeling a red onion, in other words; endless tears shed.

To answer the question: Yes, downsizing is degrading. It degrades the soul, it degrades the spirit and it degrades one's self esteem.

Guys, just don't do it.

Ghettoyout posted:

Joerand, Are you able to tell us what this brand was?

Plinius Hautonga. I described my findings  here .

A brilliantly simple three box system to my tastes - the Hautonga, a Rega RP6, and a Naim CD5X.

TOBYJUG posted:

It is possible to downsize yet upgrade if you look in the right direction close enough. 

Wasn't there several 500 owners migrating to the Vitus SIA 025 integrated a few years back ? 

I'm hoping my downgrade from Hugo TT to Hugo 2 will be an upgrade 

Previous system 

Roksan TMS2  Naim82/hicap/135  Naim Dbl all on mana stands

current system

Thorens TD150  Naim Nait 3  One Thing Audio Quad ESL57 with Rupert stands  REL T1 Sub

After 30 years of hifi I finally have a system I'm happy with and have £10,000 in the bank after changing to the new setup. The sound Is actually better and I don't miss the more expensive system one bit. All the upgrading and servicing we're leading me down the wrong path. don't get me wrong I heard benefits but I realised it was just a money pit. I now know you don't need to spend a fortune to get a great sound and im so happy to be off the upgrade ladder. it is now a pleasure to put on a record and just enjoy.

gg

TOBYJUG posted:

It is possible to downsize yet upgrade if you look in the right direction close enough. 

Wasn't there several 500 owners migrating to the Vitus SIA 025 integrated a few years back ? 

That's a change I made a year ago. Went from 4 black boxes to 1.

Hi Graham, are your Avalons 88db/4Ohm? Is the SIA 025 able to drive them?

It's a big thumbs up from me regarding the Vitus sia-025 having come from a 300/252/sc set up. Vitus offers Simplicity, amazing build quality, more current to drive more challenging speakers (shahinian obelisks mark 2) & the sound is simply in another league in every measure I could list.

Id certainly consider trying one if you become tired of constantly yearning the next model up black box, power supply, etc. 

Halloween Man posted:

I'm hoping my downgrade from Hugo TT to Hugo 2 will be an upgrade 

HM, do you intend on implementing some form of galvanic isolation if moving to Hugo 2?

for the best part of 50 years ive had quad ELS SPEAKERS AND NEVER WANTED TO CHANGE/UPGRADE    had few boxes at the same time but soon changed back.   this collecting boxes is naim and others is a dealers paradise.    addition psu should be needed if the correct one was put in to start with.

if they sort out the problems with the new uniti range the one box solution will sell buckets

DrPo posted:

Hi Graham, are your Avalons 88db/4Ohm? Is the SIA 025 able to drive them?

I don't know what the specs of the Avalons are but the Vitus drives them really well. There seems to be a great synergy between Vitus and Avalon.

I've been told that the SIA 025 is able to drive really hard speakers that other "bigger" amps struggle with.

Mayor West posted:

Halloween Man posted:

I'm hoping my downgrade from Hugo TT to Hugo 2 will be an upgrade 

HM, do you intend on implementing some form of galvanic isolation if moving to Hugo 2?

Hi Mayor, no, hopefully not required in my setup as Hugo 2 has more effective noise filtering than original Hugo and noise injected by my battery powered MacBook will be negligible (on a par with iPhone or iPad) with no possibility of ground loops. Rob Watts kindly did a listening test using battery powered laptop connected via optical and usb and could not tell them apart. He did say, however, your milage may vary.

If I were to introduce galvanic isolation of usb I would try Intona high speed USB isolator or just go optical.

Yes, downsizing absolutely as well as literally means you are downgrading.  If it wasn't so there would be no reason to spend more to get something more in the first place.

One could also say that not upgrading is a willingness to be satisfied with less [sound quality]?

It is much harder psychologically to go through the first scenario as it must feel like a loss rather than to remain at a basic level and enjoy what you have perpetually not knowing or expecting more? 

since Dec 16 ive been listening ATC SCM40A fed by a N272 & 555PSU ..... two black boxes , two speakers two cables.

Huge improvement in musical enjoyment, cleaner space, higher WAF  

two other rooms have MUSO QB , and MUSO OB(long)

Fraim is next and of course its so much less expensive with so few black boxes to home

Halloween Man posted:

Mayor West posted:

Halloween Man posted:

I'm hoping my downgrade from Hugo TT to Hugo 2 will be an upgrade 

HM, do you intend on implementing some form of galvanic isolation if moving to Hugo 2?

Hi Mayor, no, hopefully not required in my setup as Hugo 2 has more effective noise filtering than original Hugo and noise injected by my battery powered MacBook will be negligible (on a par with iPhone or iPad) with no possibility of ground loops. Rob Watts kindly did a listening test using battery powered laptop connected via optical and usb and could not tell them apart. He did say, however, your milage may vary.

If I were to introduce galvanic isolation of usb I would try Intona high speed USB isolator or just go optical.

Sounds good, HM. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Halloween Man posted:

Mayor West posted:

Halloween Man posted:

I'm hoping my downgrade from Hugo TT to Hugo 2 will be an upgrade 

HM, do you intend on implementing some form of galvanic isolation if moving to Hugo 2?

Hi Mayor, no, hopefully not required in my setup as Hugo 2 has more effective noise filtering than original Hugo and noise injected by my battery powered MacBook will be negligible (on a par with iPhone or iPad) with no possibility of ground loops. Rob Watts kindly did a listening test using battery powered laptop connected via optical and usb and could not tell them apart. He did say, however, your milage may vary.

If I were to introduce galvanic isolation of usb I would try Intona high speed USB isolator or just go optical.

On Mac Mini I found the output sounded better on a dedicated USB bus, (but suitebly isolated to remove the RF before Hugo 1 though that was unnecessary into TT), bypassing the Mac's own soundcard, compared to its own optical output direct to the Hugo. 

It will be very interesting to see how you find H2 both direct and isolated if necessary, compared to TT - it will kill sales of TT if H2 proves to sound as good, which I am sure Chord won't have intended!

Parlee-king posted:

since Dec 16 ive been listening ATC SCM40A fed by a N272 & 555PSU ..... two black boxes , two speakers two cables.

Fraim is next and of course its so much less expensive with so few black boxes to home

That is indeed a super sexy low box system.

Mayor West posted:

Sounds good, HM. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

I'll post my thoughts. Could be a long wait as I've read pre-orders and demand are high.

Innocent Bystander posted:

It will be very interesting to see how you find H2 both direct and isolated if necessary, compared to TT - it will kill sales of TT if H2 proves to sound as good, which I am sure Chord won't have intended!

It does seem Hugo 2 might well make the current TT redundant. It might even harm sales of Dave 

Halloween Man posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

It will be very interesting to see how you find H2 both direct and isolated if necessary, compared to TT - it will kill sales of TT if H2 proves to sound as good, which I am sure Chord won't have intended!

It does seem Hugo 2 might well make the current TT redundant. It might even harm sales of Dave 

On what do you base that assessment (I haven't been reading any reviews or other forums discussing it, so may have missed things. 

I would be rather surprised if they supplanted even TT with Hugo2, let alone Dave, but of course progress happens. I will be annoyed if it is as good as Dave, having bought D last year - however I made my choice and have never regreted it so won't whatever, though I may regret my timing!

On the Head Fi Hugo 2 forum a few listeners at various trade shows have commented that Hugo 2 gets close to Dave, not saying better. Of course, technology like this moves forward very quickly so from one to the next there are going to be improvements and lessons learned. It will be interesting to hear Hugo 2 as I'm familiar also with Dave, having had two home demo's of it.