Over what period have you built up your system to where you are now?

Straight in at the full monty, but only after selling all my Aunts, Unckles, Cousins, Grannies and my own left legs.

Relatively painless for me. 2010 a Uniti into B&W XS2s. Moved to a SuperUniti with a pair of Neat Iota's in 2015. I now have a 272/555dr/250dr combination feeding ATC SCM11s, with a full SL loom.

I still have the Uniti/B&Ws in the lounge and, as I bought a demo unit SuperUniti I got 90% back in trade in for my 272/555.

Slow and steady since 1985...

From nait xs with Hugo dac with mac mini in 2012, into 300/252/Hugo & Microrendu & mac mini in 2017. Currently contemplating what to do next... dr on the 300 or upgrade my speakers.

Started in 1983 with a NAC42 and NAP110 changing to a 82,Supercap,250 and CD! in the early nineties I added an NDX to the Olive system three and a half years ago.

Decided to go all streaming so I upgraded the Olive system for a 252,Supercap dr,250dr and added a  XPSdr to the NDX a couple of years ago. Changed the 250dr for a 300dr added a full S/L Loom and Quadrasphire SVT Bamboo rack in the last year.

It's been a very very long journey but a very enjoyable one and in the last couple of years a bloody expensive one.

Popeye

To answer your question I sold my kidneys to get to a Supernait2 and CDX2.2 which I think are brilliant.
For too many years I tried to pursue the sound I wanted with Arcam gear - a doomed mission from the word go I now realise.  I'd love to improve on the PMC GB1i's but I've run out of kidneys.

Are you sticking or twisting with your Kev R500s? ie have you 'arrived'?

1GiantLeap posted:

Popeye

To answer your question I sold my kidneys to get to a Supernait2 and CDX2.2 which I think are brilliant.
For too many years I tried to pursue the sound I wanted with Arcam gear - a doomed mission from the word go I now realise.  I'd love to improve on the PMC GB1i's but I've run out of kidneys.

Are you sticking or twisting with your Kev R500s? ie have you 'arrived'?

Having just stepped up to the NDX/Supernait2 it’s going to be a relaxed journey from hear on in, otherwise I won’t have a house to play the system in! ????

1979 I started on this lark I think. 

G

IIRC started around 1976. 

Willy. 

Started off with a CD5 and Nait 5 about ten years ago. Went up the ladder a bit with a Nait XS as a first step on the way.

Now back with my second Nait XS in an XS system with NAT03 and Stageline. We don't hear much about the original Nait XS now but to me it's a wonderful piece of kit, fast but with weight. The whole XS range is just voiced so right together that I really have no ambitions to take it any further.

As my profile says, started in 1985 with a Nait, upgraded regularly, stabilised in 1993 with olives, then in the last few years added an NDX and QBs (via HDX).

Started in 1980 with Technics SU V3 amp and DD turntable, and my brother’s disco speakers!  Sennheiser HD414 h/p.  Change to some Wharfdale speakers in 1981. Changed to a quartz-lock Technics t/t in 1982.

1983 brought Ariston RD40 (still in use), Mission 774lc arm and Shure cartridge plus Heybrook HB1 speakers.  

1986 Philips CD player then Mission Cyrus One (still occasional use).

Marantz CD63SE at some point, Systemdek floorstanders.  Insurance claim led to some KEF Q5s.  A brief spell with an Audiolab 8000A, then Arcam  Alpha 9.  

RD40 retired somewhere in the middle of this period but stored in three lofts for the next 18 years.

Matching Arcam CD player and power amp (for bi-amping) and Sony tuner followed, but eventually AV integration meant too many boxes.  Moved to Arcam AVR 250.  En route changed CD for various Arcam universal DVD/CD players, and upgrade to KEF Q5SE.  AVR250 changed for AVR400.  

Decided Arcam players not good for CD and added Cyrus CD8SE, and later it’s power supply.  However the Cyrus proved too unreliable so changed to Naim CD5 XS in 2014  and that prompted switch back to two-channel Hifi.  So swapped out Arcam for Nait XS2, speakers for Neat Motive SX2, then added Flatcap 2 XS.  AV integration now with Marantz NR1604 and U7007.  

RD40 brought back into service in 2015. A new arm, three new cartridges and Trichord Dino2 plus Dino+ later and I’m back buying records...

Cambridge Audio CXN and Synology NAS added last yr for streaming duties.  CD now no longer in use.

Currently borrowing a mate’s LP12..,and recently auditioned N-272/NAP250DR and ND5 XS ( with my XS2).  The former is too expensive, but I liked the ND5XS, so following potential change to that - but also dreaming of my own LP12 too (I know that could be nearly the cost of the 272/250 in the end, but the LP12 is modular and the cost and pleasure can be spread over a longer time period).

Along the way quite a lot of inter-connects, speaker cables, power leads and distribution blocks bought, changed and upgraded and still are.

Started in 1998 (very generous 21st birthday present from my parents) with Marantz CD75SE, Rega Planar 3, Cambridge P40 and Tannoy Mercury S loudspeakers (added  a Denon cassette deck and Rotel tuner shortly afterwards).

Next system was Arcam Delta 170 with Audio Alchemy DAC (excellent source), Audiolab 8000A (good amp) let down a little by Ruark speakers (can't recall model name).

First Naim equpment was 1994 with NAC82 and NAP180 with Linn Karik/Numerik and Linn Kayleigh loudspeakers.  I regret the Linn equipment to this day.  Replaced in early noughties with CDX2 with XPS2 and Sonus Faber Grand Pianos at which point I thought i had a really good system for the first time.

Have evolved since then to CD555, NAC552, NAP300 (all DR, inbetween models bypassed) and Sonus Faber Tradition Gusrneris.  Chord Music full loom.  Still have the RP3.  Atom and Totems as 2nd system.  Mu-so Qb in the bedroom.

TOBYJUG posted:

Straight in at the full monty, but only after selling all my Aunts, Unckles, Cousins, Grannies and my own left legs.

Lucky for you, you had two left legs. Hopefully you still have two right legs and can walk round in endless circles between your speakers enjoying the stereophonic presentation 

GraemeH posted:

1979 I started on this lark I think. 

G

Wow I was 13

Willy posted:

IIRC started around 1976. 

Willy. 

Wow I was 10 then!!! 

Difficult to say. In my youth I listened to lps on my parents ancient radiogram and cassettes on cheap tape players.

I have always loved music but spent most of my money in my youth on guitars etc. A Christmas present in the early nineties (a Kenwood stack) initially sparked my interest and later I dabbled in 5.1 systems only to realise how inferior they are to proper two channel Hifi. I then purchased a Denon micro system and progressed to cd5i Nait5i, moved progressively to xs seperates including ndac and currently 272/250dr.  Speakers have remained the same (just like the song) neat motive 2.  It has been a fascinating journey. Great fun and progressively more insightful.

Thank you naim 

This May, it will have been 30 years since I walked through the doors of the Sound Organisation in Southwark. My expectation was that the system I was contemplating, being an order of magnitude better than anything I had heard before, would be the only hi-fi I would ever need or want.

How wrong I was. Still on the upgrade path, although the end is in sight, whether I like it or not.

Really, I’d probably say 1993 when I was 17 and won a crossword competition. I bought a system costing about £300 then wanted to upgrade the amp and cassette deck (remember Dolby S?!), until I bought a Micromega Stage 1 CD player and Technics amp and speakers. Then I saved and bought a Naim head line and headphones costing about £140. I was an avid hifi magazine reader and in later life (at 28) sold a flat making a big profit so chose to spend a chunk on Naim hifi. Ever since then, I’ve upgraded up the Naim ladder: now at 552, 500, HDX, nDAC, 555PS, Monitor Audio Pl200, nVi, nSYSTEM (at 42)....

stuart posted:

Willy posted:

IIRC started around 1976. 

Willy. 

Wow I was 10 then!!! 

I was born!

Got interested in music when I was about 12 ( 1970 )

Had a feriograph R to R lent to me by a kind ( rich) neighbour 

During the early 70's I built up a small system of amstrad 7070  tuneramp / strathearn stm4 record deck with ortofon cartridge and (my dad's ) wharfedale speakers

By about 1977 I had a nice sansui amp and tuner ..my own wharfedale speakers (Glendale's) and a sharp cassette deck

Bought my own house in the early 80's and splashed out on a new Nait 1 !!  A new rega planar 3 ...and new mission 70S speakers ...all on proper racks with naim cables. I had the best sounding hifi of all my mates ...

Skip forward 30 odd years and a lot of happy times ...

I now have 272/xpsdr into 250dr / Russell K 100's and a nice spec LP 12 / aro etc

I still have the best sounding hifi of my friend's...but that isn't hard to say these days sadly ..as they waste their money on other things!

Corry posted:

This May, it will have been 30 years since I walked through the doors of the Sound Organisation in Southwark. My expectation was that the system I was contemplating, being an order of magnitude better than anything I had heard before, would be the only hi-fi I would ever need or want.

How wrong I was. Still on the upgrade path, although the end is in sight, whether I like it or not.

Derek and Dave were the gateway for many of us, 32 years for me since I bought my Nait from them.

Started in 1980, long periods of stasis interspersed by occational small steps up until 10 years ago then an  increased rate which increased again 2 years ago thanks to a small inheritance but about done now and I’ll go into stasis again at 500 series level once the new streamer/DAC is released.

my HIFI system started in 1982 when my part time job purchased first embrio of system - my journey started in 2003 when a good friend of mine told me about NAIM - first purchase then was CD5 & 200, number of changes over the years and In's and Out's,  really delighted with current system, 300 goes back next week for DR

NDX,282,300,HCDR, NPSCC, SL, Fraim - non Naim Cord Oysidessy speaker cable & LP12

its a journey!

I started in 1974 when I left school and before going on to College I worked in a Bakery to earn some money.  With some of my earnings I bought a Sansui AU101 Amp, an Akai 4000DS R to R and a pair of Celestian Hadleigh speakers.  In 1977 when I left College I bought a Pioneer record Deck.  This set up lasted until 1990 when I bought a Naim 140/72 combination from Basically Sound, an Arcam Alpha CD player and a pair of Dave Berriman designed loudspeakers which I made. 

I enjoyed this set up for a couple of years before being burgled!  With the insurance money I went back to Basically Sound and bought a 180/72/Hicap and a CD3 system and then built a pair of floorstanding speakers again designed by Dave Berriman.

In 2007 I upgraded again to my current set up which is a Naim 250/52 Supercap with a CDS3 and XPS2 and another pair of loudspeakers that I built myself.  Unless I won the lottery I will not be upgrading in the near or distant future.  I am very happy with the sound that I have.  I know it could be better but priorities change over time.