Who Has Stopped?

Pcd posted:

Wenger, you haven't mentioned shoes or are they part of the back up plan?

Always good to have a plan B....

pete T15 posted:

I had stopped until I started reading this Forum ) ... No way is that a bad thing ! I've loved the last 5 or so years of reading everyones experiences , upwardly tweaking and experimenting myself . I had a CD3.5/HiCap/Nait2/Dynaudio Audience 50 set up for about 10 years and loved it . It was the the release and subsequent purchase of the ND5XS which really wet my appetite , It opened up a whole new musical world not to mention great TV sound thrown in as a bonus .

Where am I now ? My aim is the ultimate 3 box system , I have the power amp I wanted (250DR) and it really seems I've found the perfect speakers for my home environment  (ATC19s) . There's nothing in the current range that jumps out at me at the moment (272 a sideways move I feel ) and yes I could go for a 252 etc but I feel somewhere in next year or so we'll see something closer to my wishes . So I've stopped until then even though I bought a new power cable today .....

Hi Pete, I have the 19s powered by NAP250 .. and I can say the 252DR is a match made in heaven... infact I was just enjoying listening right before I read your post and typed this  and I was genuinely thinking how incredibly jaw dropping good and natural  it was sounding.. I have the log burner on, and the room is very warm and I am sure that really loosens the suspensions of the ATCs to sound their best.. so before you stop you might want to just consider that NAC 

Seeing at the start of this year I had no Naim equipment and now have two truly superb systems, I think I've done quite well and I can't see me upgrading major system components any more.

When I bought my N272 I wanted it to be powered by an external power supply to maximise it's potential, but I gave it six months to get used to my new system. Hence my recent purchase of a secondhand 555PS DR, which I thought would complete my system but unfortunately showed that my 30+year old "souped-up" Manticore Mantra wasn't quite good enough to be my main source. So it has just been replaced by a secondhand LP12 (which I'm having problems with at the moment).

I won't say "never", though, as there is scope for upgrading various parts of my LP12. As well as power, interconnect and speaker cables....

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

I agree, when you find the system/combination of 'boxes' that is right for you and most importantly sounds right the appetite for change diminishes if not vanishes... this happened for me when I got to owning a 252DR/250/ATC speakers with a CDX2, NAT05 and Hugo/NDX... it is just right and I am comfortable with it. Prior to this  point though I would be box swapping somewhere every 6 months or so trying to 'perfect' the sound...

So how about those new speakers then, Simon? :-)

Massimo Bertola posted:

The only open point is speakers, because much as I like the n-Sats I can hear how inadequate they are now – having owned five pairs, I can say say that no pair sounded the same as the previous or next one, and the last two pairs were similar: lean, nasal, flat and slightly shrieking at higher volumes.  

I am sorry I wrote this. This morning I re-assembled the speakers after a listening session with my b-i-l's Harbeths, now the Sats are 26.5 cm from the wall, 203 cm apart, speakers and stands are perfectly level, spikes tight, no toe in and no floor protectors (spikes direct on a 10mm wooden floor glued to existing tiles) I sit at 3,20 mt and they sound very good. Sats.5 are going nowhere.

I've stopped as far as hardware goes my main system that has been for focus of my attention for the past 5 years or so.... might play around with tweaks a little. And am considering an Atom and some Neat Iota Alpha's for our living room. 

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

pete T15 posted:

I had stopped until I started reading this Forum ) ... No way is that a bad thing ! I've loved the last 5 or so years of reading everyones experiences , upwardly tweaking and experimenting myself . I had a CD3.5/HiCap/Nait2/Dynaudio Audience 50 set up for about 10 years and loved it . It was the the release and subsequent purchase of the ND5XS which really wet my appetite , It opened up a whole new musical world not to mention great TV sound thrown in as a bonus .

Where am I now ? My aim is the ultimate 3 box system , I have the power amp I wanted (250DR) and it really seems I've found the perfect speakers for my home environment  (ATC19s) . There's nothing in the current range that jumps out at me at the moment (272 a sideways move I feel ) and yes I could go for a 252 etc but I feel somewhere in next year or so we'll see something closer to my wishes . So I've stopped until then even though I bought a new power cable today .....

Hi Pete, I have the 19s powered by NAP250 .. and I can say the 252DR is a match made in heaven... infact I was just enjoying listening right before I read your post and typed this  and I was genuinely thinking how incredibly jaw dropping good and natural  it was sounding.. I have the log burner on, and the room is very warm and I am sure that really loosens the suspensions of the ATCs to sound their best.. so before you stop you might want to just consider that NAC 

I've heard that ATCs like the warmth  , maybe thats why I like them ! I'm sure the addition of the 252DR would be amazing but I'm going to enjoy the ATCs breaking in for a while then have about 3-4 months of building work here from february  after which may be the time to seek a new NAC . I added a Studio Connections  Carbon power cable to my 250 tonight and the benefits were immediately shown by the 19s , very impressive . 

Just think how your system would sound if your 250 was DR'd ? It may end your speaker search  .

I've been a Naim owner since 1990, having owned amps to 252/300 and speakers to SL2. Also owned CDS2/3. I have no desire whatsoever to move from my current 52/135s. My tt and speakers work superbly with the Naim amplification. Very happy just listening to music.

Solid Air posted:

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

I agree, when you find the system/combination of 'boxes' that is right for you and most importantly sounds right the appetite for change diminishes if not vanishes... this happened for me when I got to owning a 252DR/250/ATC speakers with a CDX2, NAT05 and Hugo/NDX... it is just right and I am comfortable with it. Prior to this  point though I would be box swapping somewhere every 6 months or so trying to 'perfect' the sound...

So how about those new speakers then, Simon? :-)

Hi - no I was simply getting curious - I am back with my ATCs - cleaned the connections - reset and positioned the stands - and boy its magic - yes if I was being critical bass falls off quickly below 50 Hz - but all sounds natural and dynamic - I am looking at the possibility of a subwoofer for that octave between 20 and 40 - just don't want to excite room resonances - and I have a slight one about 52Hz - which i hear in certain listening positions 

pete T15 posted:

Just think how your system would sound if your 250 was DR'd ? It may end your speaker search  .

Its funny you should say that - I was playing some test tones later this evening just looking to identify any room resonances with regard to me exploring this subwoofer - apart from driving my family mad when I wound the volume up - I noticed a slight distortion on left channel on the 250 with around 50Hz and 60Hz sine waves when I pushed the volume that was not there on the right channel. Now playing sine waves at that frequency is not normal - but even so i feel that is not right. I am at the factory next week and I might have a word

TOBYJUG posted:

Perhaps after stopping we actually start owning the Hi-Fi , before this situation the Hi-Fi owns us.

After a little time spent thinking about this..  thank you GRAEMEH.. I've decided that with Hi-Fi - what originally got me interested was the versimilitude of it . That something can appear to resemble the truth.  And of course truth is such an ephemeral thing, especially when it comes to clandestine activity that is listening to music.

Rather like dead butterflies pinned in a box, it tell us about how they have physical form that's of interest to those who academically want to know about it, but doesn't tell us about the fleeting fluster of life they have flapping about in beautiful butterflyness.

Maybe people should concentrate on how good their stereo sounds instead of worrying about how much better it could be.

It's pretty funny to read some of these posts where a member states that prior to buying this piece of equipment, or that interconnect, that their fifty thousand dollar stereo was unlistenable, sounded shut in, bass was loose, no boogie factor, it's so ridiculous.

If your system sounded broke before these so called upgrades, maybe the system isn't really worth the investment in the first place!

GraemeH posted:

The 'What do you want for Christmas?' thread caused me to reflect... that I don't want/need any new hi-fi. I have genuinely stopped.

NDX/Hugo TT/250DR/S400 is as good as I've ever heard and I shudder to think of the cost for what are comparatively tiny incremental improvements (based on the full monty 500 series I've heard at various times).

Anyone else convinced they are on the last rung of the ladder?

G

I was once, about five years ago, but I got over it quite quickly 

badlands posted:

Maybe people should concentrate on how good their stereo sounds instead of worrying about how much better it could be.

It's pretty funny to read some of these posts where a member states that prior to buying this piece of equipment, or that interconnect, that their fifty thousand dollar stereo was unlistenable, sounded shut in, bass was loose, no boogie factor, it's so ridiculous.

If your system sounded broke before these so called upgrades, maybe the system isn't really worth the investment in the first place!

I guess folks are trying to obtain the best sound they can get from their systems, no harm in that. They can spend their money as they see fit. What surprises me more is how often overlooked are the fundamentals of room treatment and proper racking. No system will sound its best without these factors addressed, Plus any further system upgrades will carry-over beneficially with racking and treatment in check.

Beyond those, effective speaker/room matching seems next most basic to me. The thing is, any of these fundamentals can require a lot of homework, legwork, and at-home demoing on the user's part. Some are content to otherwise throw money at a box or cable upgrade and cross their fingers that something clicks. Meanwhile the underlying system basics have never been attended to.

I say these things because I'm guilty, having gone for box upgrades only to later realize that room treatment, racking, and matching speakers to the room were more critical.

I cannot stop now with a dead NS01 unless the repair cost is too high. Otherwise small tweaks outside of Naim, until we see preamps based on the new streaming platform.

I might have to stop when that happens.

Talking of the end did anyone see a 16 page Mu-so pullout from a newspaper? I can't say which one as I found it on the sofa in a pile of them. Reminded me of the Bose advertising a few years ago.

I've mostly stopped as my desire for upgrades is less than the desire to avoid the hassle of upgrading. For instance upgrading my LP12 means not having it to listen to while new bits are installed. Unacceptable!

Even though I can clearly hear where my system can be improved, it works really well so I'd rather not change it.

I'm feeling that I am eventually getting towards a good place. I love the sound emanating form my rather unfashionable speakers and music is so easy on the ear, no listening fatigue, just an urge to play the next choon, not to mention the odd tingle down the spine and the occasional tear in the eye. That has to be good, right?

My worry is that I still feel the need to use the rather cumbersome phrase '…getting towards a good place.' I still can't bring myself to say '...I have arrived and have stopped.'

Dammit!

I do not know how to stop, still looking for an illusive sound of LP12/Ittok+Troika -> NAC 32.5 -> 6 pack NAP 135s -> Isobarik.

I have had enough of stopping doing things that a bad for my health and or bank balance so HiFi upgrades, holidays and alcohol are not stopping anytime soon. I enjoy them too much.

Pending acoustic room treatment, my hifi journey has come to a halt, probably for some considerable time, reinforced by my recent Chord Dave audition. I have reached my audio nirvana.

I would have stopped, but my CD player is starting to skip, and, as spares are no longer available for a repair, I suppose I will have to reluctantly start looking for a replacement. I would sooner not have to buy new equipment as I am satisfied with the performance of my system when it works, I would have to spend a ton of money to get the same level of performance, and any replacement will not be a visual match for my all-olive system.

Sigh. And a plague on the House of Philips. And on the throwaway world we live in today.

Paul Davies posted:

I would have stopped, but my CD player is starting to skip, and, as spares are no longer available for a repair, ........

Which player?

Chris

ı stopped, i bought a EAT Sharp turn table with Ortofon Blue cartridge and done! 

Or maybe i get a hicap for my stage line instead of flatcap2, maybe a superline later.... how about their cables? 

it never stops! need a hifi shrink but i am sure he/she will charge 10 times of the regular price because it is " audiophile " grade session! 

Christopher_M posted:

Paul Davies posted:

I would have stopped, but my CD player is starting to skip, and, as spares are no longer available for a repair, ........

Which player?

Chris

Naim CDS II