I now have access to the money!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by hi fi fo fum:
Hey if "GOD" did not want him to buy HI-Fi he would not of received the card..... the Audio "GOD" is telling you to rack it up... make you way down to your dealer.

If you are trying to be funny don't give up the day job.
If not what does your God teach you about how to treat your fellow man Steve?

quote:

Just tell your partner you found the boxes of Naim sitting in an alley.

Would any members want to do business with a dealer who is deceitful?

quote:

but then again are any of us really sensible 100% of the time?

True Tony,
but shouldn't we also ask ourselves with hindsight if we regret taking that 'great risk'?

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Tony,
Fast cars to Caravans.
How you have mellowed
Munch

It's a very fast caravan?

quote:

...but shouldn't we also ask ourselves if we regret taking that great risk with hindsight?

Only if it goes wrong 555. So far I've gotten away with the risks I've taken (although there was that girl in Bangkok. Well, I though it was a girl...)

quote:

I can afford the things I want

I only want the things I can afford

Tonym

A fair point. I have some sympathy with the 'seize the day' idea. However it needs to be without harming others. Live fast, die young (and let others pay your bills when you've gone) is not quite as appealing is it?

Bruce

quote:

I'm a bit torn here. I agree it's not sensible to get lumbered with a big credit card loan, but then again are any of us really sensible 100% of the time?

In my earlier days I loved fast cars and used to take out crippling loans to fund my obsession. All a great risk but I was fortunate and managed to get away with it. Age brought a more sensible approach, but then due to good fortune (and a fair bit of risk as well) in my working life I can afford the things I want.

A couple of months ago my best mate died of lung cancer. He was a very sensible chap,(apart from having a smoking habit) and very successful. Although he enjoyed music, he refused to spend money on a decent system. Similarly, he loved movies but wouldn't invest in a halfway decent TV set to enjoy them on. Being his executor I'm staggered by the size of his estate. Would spending money on things he enjoyed when he was still here have brought him extra happiness? I don't really know. But I'm now more inclined to say, sod it, if there's something I genuinely want I'll get it because who knows what tomorrow will bring? I suspect that now I,too, would be prepared to go into debt to pay for something I really wanted.

Anyway Jon, at least talk the girlfriend out of children; convince her to get a dog or cat - they don't keep asking for money, they're much cheaper to feed, and if they get pregnant you can sell their children for more Hi-Fi money.

I like your post Tony, and I have to say I also value all comments given. One thing I didnt expect is for this thread to be transported into the padded cell and I genuinely starting it off because I sort advice on how to upgrade!

Getting further into debt is the only way I will be able to upgrade further, but I am planning on using the 0% APR and doing what I can to clear it within the year. I may work as an examiner as well, which is surplus money I may earn to pay off the credit card.

The card is arriving on Monday and I will take it to my local dealer on Wednesday to do some auditioning...

Throughout these many posts, I picked out that I should address the preamp as well as the speakers, so I am probably going to audition the SC2 on my 282, along with various speaker configurations.

The final system I have in my sight is:

CDS3+555PS
NAC282+SC2
NAP300
B&W 804s or 803S or 803D speakers

Obviously the NAC552 is an aspiration, but as I said in a post elsewhere, I will need house profit for that.

Thats how I started my Naim journey back in 2005 anyway!)

I know suggestions are made for the the Allaes, but what price do these come in at, and are there any others I should arrange auditions for (around the 3000 mark)?

The B&Ws do have a gorgeous look and are affordable high end speakers.

Thanks again for the financial concerns, but as the saying goes, we're dead a long time and Im really noticing time passing quickly.

Kind regards,

Jon

OK Jon, enough with the financial advice.
Remember to take your time before you decide, & no CC required for auditioning.
I would also wait until Powerline is available;
with your CDP based system it may well deliver biggest bang for £.

I'm not familiar with your support,
so see if you can home demo two Fraim stacks for your system.
I was amazed with the uplift in performance when I did this to my system.

I also think you should tell SHMTSIBO what you're doing,
better to talk than be caught!

quote:

(although there was that girl in Bangkok. Well, I though it was a girl...)

I had a simialr experiance in Amsterdam Tony.
'She' turned out to be my father, which was a much bigger shock.

Jon,

If you do insist on going through with it, against most of the very sensible (and well meaning) advice given to you, then well, you're a big boy now so I guess that's your business. I second 555's recommendation to audition some Fraim. I know it's not as exciting as buying black boxes, but it will make a huge and fundamental improvement. With a system at your level Fraim, in my opinion, is a must or you simply won't be getting anywhere near the performance possible from your equipment. (I had overlooked this in my original post - more concerned with the money side I suppose!). I think you are right to address the pre-amp. This really is a weak link feeding the 300. I found that a change from hi-cap to supercap on my 82 was better but not a huge improvement. You may be far better off getting the 252/supercap and leaving the speakers alone. Have a listen and see what you think. Some people do prefer the 282 to the 252 - they do have very different presentations, the 252 being less forward and more natural sounding compared to the more up-front 282. Good luck.

Peter

Thanks again for the advice guys.

It is all taken to mean well, and I am conscious of the pitfall awaiting me if I don't have some financial security, but the niggling devil on my shoulder will nag me until I submit. I like to follow the saying "its better to regret something you have done than something you haven't".

The Fraim is beautiful - I can see that - although my Audiophile Base support that Im currently using was recommended by my dealer and Ive read reviews praising it.

I'll have a chat with my dealer and arrange some good auditions. I'll feed back, but hopefuly Adam will let me post it in the main hifi forum!!

Regards,

Jon

Please don't be in a rush to spend the money.
BTW I noticed Tom Tom have a 2nd hand Fraim in stock. If you like what Fraim does you can get a trade-in on your Audiophile Base frame & get more HiFi for your £ too!

By my calculations that would leave you more than enough money for a full set of Powerlines.
I think you will really regret spending all your HiFi money now, because of what they promise to do for a CDP based Naim system.
The HL should be available in a couple of weeks, a handy calming amount of time.

didnt we already talk you down from going for a 552 on the credit card, or was that someone else? you have a great system just enjoy it. sit down with your partner and explain what you are contemplating and how much you are into it already. i think the system will be staying where it is. set a yearly budget for your hifi upgrades. when you have the money spend it how you wish but don't become a slave to your hifi.


best regards

chris

555PSU.
Supercap.
Allaes.
NACA5.

Currently: CDS3+XPS; Hiline; NAC282+Hicap2+NAPSC; NAP300; B&W805S; Audiophile Base frame; Grahams Hydra power lead.

That is one very nice set! Seriously such a nice set that it would be pleasing enough for anyone really!

Not everyone goes for B&W speakers, but I waas very surprised recently to have the chance to listen to a pair of them in a Naim set, and wondered what was not to like. If you like them and they match with your room, keep them, IMO.

You have what I find is my favourite CD player. Keep it, IMO.

You have my favopurite Naim power amp. No need to spend more. Keep it, IMO.

So I have not mentioned the pre-amp. The 282 is a very fine pre-amp, but I think you might find some gain with a 252, but only subject to audition. If you prefer the 252 to the 282, then start saving now, IMO.

I have never borrowed for an luxury item, and in the current economic position in the UK, I would not suggest that now is exactly the right time to be diving in to debt. Fair enough as a teacher you are not going to be out of a job if you are competent, but interest rates can yet go up a long way. The whole inflation thing is related to costs, and two primary costs are oil, and food commodities ...

If inflation gets out of hand interest rates will rise to choke off the tendency of it to rise through inflation breaking wages. In practice, as a teacher, your wages are very likely to fall behind inflation if they are State based, as the Government leads private capital by example.

Joe Taxpayer Public is going to be content that public servants suffer as much as they themselves, in many cases will, and in some cases already are suffering.

Imagine you repayment plan, and save that much. If this never allows the purchase of the 252, you cannot afford it and should not attempt to bu it, IMO.

Good luck with your decision, George

PS: Nothing spoils the pleasure in a thing so much as the feeling that it has put you into financial difficulties to get it. Thus if things go wrong economically for you, then spending borrowed money will actually spoil your potential enjoymentof the music. Not a good plan, IMO

I thought of this thread while listening to Darling's statements today on the radio - what was it - worst for 60 years...

quote:

Imagine your repayment plan, and save that much.

Exactly... if you saved your monthly minimum payment for 4 years. You would have your $11,000 free and clear.

Of course, if you pay the minimum and have a reasonable interest rate of 10%, it would take OVER THIRTY ONE YEARS to pay this back.

And in that time you would pay almost almosst 82% of the value of the loan in interest... almost $9000 in interest alone.

Plus over the next 30 years you would be unable to service your gear or make ANY other moves.

In the end you would have paid $20,000 for $11,000 worth of kit and it would be most likely broken down.

I put $3000 on a credit card for some Naim gear, but is on a card with no interest for a year and it will surely be paid off by then... easily.

DONT DO IT!

Do you know what? Ive been thinking about all the posts people have offered to me, and at first must admit that I brought it on myself by explaining how Im funding my upgrades.

However, I know the forum is a community where I often see users spending others' money in suggestions but I can also see that the majority of members have warm hearts and advise that getting drastically into debt isnt worth the reward.

Many thanks for putting it on the line for me; my consciousness has been raised by this advice, so my conscience tells me that I have to taper down my enthusiasm. As I said in one of my above posts, the card is due on Monday and I've Wednesday PM set aside for auditioning.

Now if I manage my finances carefully, I could use the card up to the amount for an ex-dem SC2. Ive been itching for this for a while as I know my NAP300 has so much more in it, and I cannot afford the 252.

With the credit card available and other income I should accrue this year, I could ustilise the 0% for 10 months and have a SC2. I'll then save for the speakers including the gear I'll subsequently sell (Naim gear that is !!!).

So in short, this forum has ironically diluted my impulsive urge.

Many thanks and keep enjoying your music!

Jon

Jon! Keep on having fun with it! George.

Here's my prediction for Nigel's next post ...

"I don't understand! Why does everyone think I'm so churlish?"

Thanks for the spurring on, Nigel, but I have to say that the majority of posts on this thread have urged caution in spending.

I am using the card, but I'm taking heed and only making one upgrade for which I can almost fully manage in a year.

AFter this yeat, I may do the same again and possible target the speakers, but then again my loan for my NAP300 has another 2.5 years, so I might wait for my speaker stage when Im nearing completion in paying off the NAP300.

This week I'll hopefully get a Supercap2.

Regards,

Jon