What was your best Hi Fi purchase this year?

My LP12 & Ittok3. I paid £560 for it and it's wonderfull. Iv'e waited 15 years for a Sondek and i'm chuffed to bits with it.

Paul.

I've been thinking -

The one and only bit of Hi-Fi purchased this year was a Flashback DIN-bnc cable.

No boxes.

I did buy a few records and CDs though.

DS

OTD - Christian Smith & John Selway - Move (Adam Beyer remix)

My ATC SCM7's were the best purchase this year I think.......love those speakers James

Paul.

Model change bargain - a brand new pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MkII's in lovely cherry to go on the end of my CD5/FC2/112/150. A major step up from the Audience 50's I had previously for £500 cash outlay.

NAP 200 on the shopping list for 2004!

Olly

My Naim amps - why oh why did it take me so long to discover Naim? Now that I am here I can say that I am really enjoying my music. So much so that I watch very little tv these days. I think that says something about the Naim approach/philosphy.

Cheers

Mike

This year I gotten myself Hutter racks, Dynavector P-75 phono amp and 250 recap.

All bring significant contribution to increased level of music enjoyment. Most satisfied purchase would have to be the P-75 phono amp. Didn't expect to get so much music out of that little cute box.

This year, I made my entrance to the naim game with 82/hi/250. No regrets whatsoever.

This year's Best Additions to the Linn system
Dynavector DV17-D Karat MK11, Lingo MK1.. oh and that new Ekos.......stunning!.
Merry Christmas to all you Naimies out there and a very GUID NEW YEAR too.

dennis

CDX2 and XPS2 of course.

Only digital front end that is worth putting up with a multiple box clutter. ( which is the first in 5 years )

I started the year with: P9/VDH MC10/stageline K,CDS2/XPS, 52/SC,135's and Dynaudio 80's. I am finishing the year with: Orbe/SME V/Lyra Helikon SL/The Groove, Valhalla IC, CDS2/XPS2, 52/SC, Nap 500 and Quad 988's!! It's been a busy year, but well worth it.
Of all these changes, the biggest improvement came with the Nap 500, which added so much depth and grip to the music. The Vahalla interconnects and the XPS2 had similar effects on their respective units, more open and cohesive music.
I am inching toward my goal of the CDS3 and 552 next year.
Enjoy the holidays!

Anthony

In order - 2 concrete paving slabs, two sets of Ganymede VCS, Dynaudio Contour 1.8IIs. Interesting how the improvements were inversely proportional to the $ costs.

Have sorted out room/floor/vibration gremlins now so next year it is into new boxes with HICAP in January and CDX2 (probably, but could be Meridian 588) by year end.

Steve

It has to be the CDS3!

Merry Christmas everyone

NB

My one and only Hi Fi purchase this year - a very old Creek 3040 tuner (£40 through ebay) - sounds very good even with the TV aerial!

Crikey! I bought my CDX and 250 this year. I also bought an Arcam DVD player which i rather like.
Not a bad year kit-wise...

Paul Rowlands

Last xmas i added an Aro and a Hi-cap, so this year i had to be good and spend money on the house instead.
This years budget purchases are
2 x paving slabs to go under my Kef Cantata's (Focus 99p each)
2 x replacement B110b midrange drivers to go in the Kef's (Ebay £50) and what a difference they made!!
1 x Audio Cambridge T500 tuner (Richer Sounds £99)

Merry Xmas

Andy

The one and only NAC252.

Expensive but great!


Reto

and worth every penny.....


Reto

After the best part of 10 years free from upgradeitis (cartridge replacements excepted), 2003 saw the arrival of a Hi-cap, two mana racks and a NAT03. All have brought big improvements, though if I could only have bought one item, it would have to be the NAT. And hopefully early 2004 will see a service for the amps and one of Mr Ron Smith's finest being strapped to the roof

FWIW, system is now:
LP12 Lingo Aro DV20
NAT03
Mimik
Nakamichi CR3
Rega Ela
62-140-Hi cap
All sitting on Mana (sound table for the LP12, 6-tier for the electronics)

Happy Christmas,

Steve.

It's a grand old team to play for...

I meant to say Cambridge Audio T500 (£99) not Audio Cambridge.

Andy (Currently powered by Guinness and Pringles)
Merry Xmas

Reto

quote:

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and worth every penny.....

---

It's just the pounds I have difficulty with!

Paul Rowlands

Well, as many have guessed from my posts and questions, I am new to Hi-Fi. For years I thought the Kenwood system was fine. Did I need or would I appreciate anything else? However, after discussing audio with a friend (who is into Naim) and listening to my friends system, I thought "what the hell is wrong with me."

The search was on. I decided, based on the recommendation of my friend, to pursue an older Naim gear. Hence, I found a 32.5 (with 72 boards), 140 (which I can recapped), a HICAP (that was recapped earlier this year),a Rega Planet 2000 (I want a CDi5), B & W CDM 7NT's, Naim Naca 5 speaker cable, and Black SNAIC.

This was quite an expensive adventure. The sound quality is fantastic. It is like attending a concert! The first night the system was setup my wife and daughter (age three) were on the sofa listening to Mozart. Our daughter asked her mum if she could sleep on the sofa and listen to music all night long. Priceless!

But we are not done yet. I'm hooked. I have since purchased two more 32.5s, two 110s, one SNAPS, a Sony SCD XE670 (which I plan to have modded), Paradigm Monitor 3s, and PSB Image 1B's. The idea is to setup two more systems: one for my study, one for my wife's study.

At the present time we are all enjoying music and find that we are watching a lot less television! Also our dogs have become accustomed to having the system left on all day with a soothing classical CD providing them with comfort music.

Happy Holidays,

Seamus

I really spent a lot this year.
From 92/90 to 202/200/napsc
Got myself a hicap
From ES14 to SBL
A mana reference table
P25 to LP12/ittok/armageddon.

But I have to say, without a shadow of doubt, the best purchase was the......

*SBL*

Having my early nait refurbished.

Roy

I bought a s/h 82 with two Hicaps to replace a 92R. Wow wonderful upgrade. Next probably a CDX2 to replace the CD5 FC2. I'll be debating that for a long time tho.

glenn

Life is analogue

I upgraded from a 112 to a 282/hicap. I was totally unprepared for the improvement in the PRAT and dynamics. I have now had a taste of what Naim gear can really sound like.....and I want more.
The plan for 2004 is to change the 150 for a 250/2.
Happy listening,

Phil