Melon cauli

No regrets here - but then, I didn't buy a 272/250 

And there was me thinking this was a misspelt thread about Smashing Pumpkins. Only buy something else if you are convinced it's the right thing to do. It's a shame you are in Yorkshire, otherwise a few hours here would convince you either way. 

ChrisSU posted:

No regrets here - but then, I didn't buy a 272/250 

I have listened to a 282/200dr at my dealers but not at home. It's a very close call between the two. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

And there was me thinking this was a misspelt thread about Smashing Pumpkins. Only buy something else if you are convinced it's the right thing to do. It's a shame you are in Yorkshire, otherwise a few hours here would convince you either way. 

Thanks HH, I have had the 272/250 on home demo for a couple of weeks so I know what it can do. I guess it took me so long and so much saving to achieve my current system I thought this would be an end point. Just seems a bit strange to see it go. Onward and upward as they say. 

...from another fellow 272/250 owner; no complaints here whatsoever! Next upgrade will be to add an xps...fantastic combination as it bloody well should be given the cost...

Stuart, just remember that upgrading is entirely optional. If you feel less anticipation for the new boxes than regret over losing the current ones, just go nothing. As you and The Dude say, it's an awful lot of money. Some can afford speaker leads that cost more than your target system, but in the real world spending nearly £8,000 for two black boxes is something that needs a lot of thought. 

That said, the 272/250 is really brilliant. I've had mine over two years now, having bought some of the first to be made and I've been delighted with it. I've had bigger setups with 552s and so on in the past and the current setup, albeit tricked out with all the wires and a power supply, runs it awfully close. You get an awful lot of performance for your money. 

Remember that you could upgrade in stages: the 272 would work very nicely with your 155. Good luck - I'm sure you will make the right decision; one that you are happy with. 

The only hifi regret I have is selling the CD5x and flatcap2x when I got a CDX2, I had a use for them a year after. Later retired components including that CDX2 now provide a most satisfactory system in our second home and if I ever feel the need to downgrade it's already sitting there.

Indeed, when you get to the sweet spot the urge to upgrade just evaporates... it's quite strange if you have been used to years and years of slight disappointments and feelings of what ifs.

Agree about being careful what you sell on... I am so glad I didn't sell my CDX2 several years back... when I later upgraded my NAC it seemed to have new life and came into its own again... and I have noted the CD clutter has crept  back into the listening room....

Hi Stuart,

A few months back, I posted on here that I was having doubts about my system, (details in my profile), based on the notion of "do I really need all these boxes to enjoy music at home?"

I got hold of a 272, which was powered by my existing 300 DR, and the gap between it and my existing kit was far smaller than it had any right to be, given the price difference.

Admittedly, it was benefitting from a full Superlumina cable loom, and subsequent addition of a 555 PS, and in the end, though I decided to retain my existing setup, I felt that the 272 was able to punch well above it's weight.

Melancholy?  Well, I "know" I made the right decision to stick with my original setup ............ but still ...........

Is the feeling of missing the old system simply through affection for it bacause it has been good and served you well, or is it a manifestation a worry that you might end up feeling the new system wasn't worth the investment when the old one was very satisfying (a kind of pre-purchase guilt)?

If the former, then that is not an unreasonable feeling to have, but things move on in life.

If the latter - and it is something I always feel before spending significant money on something - then go listen again before committing. Buying a better system will not make you happier, nor, in my experience, will it give you more enjoyment listening to music if you listen for the music, however it may give other benefits such as greater insight into the music, or satisfaction that you are hearing it with greater realism or whatever, or fewer boxes : whatever the attraction that is what you must weigh up in terms of decision, maybe balanced against what else you might do with the money - but whichever way you decide, move forward and enjoy and don't dwell on whether it was the right decision.

I really struggled with myself when I bought Dave, being the most I have spent on a piece of hifi kit, and by a very large margin. I had to listen and re listen, going round and round (until my wife said "for goodness sake, that is the better one, just buy it!"). If the money had not been from an inheritance and making changes to my system that every time I put it on would remind of the departed person who introduced me to music I would never have auditioned it. Did I regret it after getting it? Absolutely not, although I know I would have been quite happy keeping Hugo - I love it and appreciate it every time I play music. 

Thanks for the replies, I ended up being a bit busier than intended yesterday so just caught up. I think overall it is probably sentimentality tinged with a slight trepidation with the thought of commencing streaming and spending (for me) a large sum of money. My current system also sounds very very good with only a few aspects I would like to improve. Therefore some guilt at spending said monies on such things. 

 It will, however allow me to move forward with two other components. First a proper rack to replace my diy effort. I have been reluctant to buy 5 levels for my existing kit with the thought that I might only need two. (maybe three in a few years). Secondly speakers, potentially more options and more accurate evaluation when demoing with better electronics. 

I will miss my cd player but have got to the point where I have so many cds out of site that I am missing a lot of music. I am hoping that streaming will make this more accessible and am keeping my fingers crossed I end up with a stable and reliable streaming platform. My other half will enjoy the streaming experience being able to make playlists and control playback from her phone etc. 

There....... I feel a tab more blithesome now. 

FWIW, I have had no cause to want to look back since my shift to streaming, everything to like - no worse and can be better sound quality than CD, negligible storage space, easy browsing/selectionfrom your chair, lends itself to keeping a backup copy of your entire collection even off site for disaster recovery, and the only negative is tha absence of physical album notes - but for me CD booklets never had any particular hold, apart from opera libretti, unlike LP album sleeves that did have a certain something.

Stuart,

You're the second member who admits to be happy with his 'entry level', one of the very few to refuses to spend money for the itch and sake of it, and most of all the very first not to buy a 272/250DR in spite of the forum's sirens song.

I think you deserve triple applause, and I am not being ironic. Naim will get along without your £8000, sleep serenely and enjoy a nice summer and good music.

Best

Max