How do you know when you are done?

[puroagave]

This is a great place to be. On top of the mountain. Achieving the elexir. Satisfaction is a virtue. Sometimes people tend to make sideways moves. Enjoy your system.

Sunil, if many of your customers didnt make sideway moves you'd have a greatly diminished base to sell to...I'm also the 'spice is the variety of life' kinda guy, i include myself in that camp. Good luck with ASR, i'll have to come by the store to hear it with Rockport.

 

[thedudeabides]

I decided then I didn't want to spend the rest of my life just playing golf as my primary past time.

For some, including myself, it's about spending time outdoors enjoying the natural environment, camraderie, stress reduction, relaxation and exercise regardless of your playing abilities. Ever since having serious health issues, I don't play well and am not embarrassed by it. Now that you're retired from golf, can you sell me your handicap? Hope you enjoy your audio.

 

[Sunny]

Sunil, if many of your customers didnt make sideway moves you'd have a greatly diminished base to sell to...I'm also the 'spice is the variety of life' kinda guy, i include myself in that camp. Good luck with ASR, i'll have to come by the store to hear it with Rockport.

Customers make changes. These changes are done purely because of reasons like budgets, sometimes looks or in some customers cases just a situation that they are not comfortable with. The context on this remarkis partially justified because our friends room is well designed, his front end is by far the worlds top 2 or 3 DAC/Streamer combination. With that resolution, everything downstream would perform very well in my opinion. Satisfaction is a great virtue. It's also noble and generous to express without guilt or fear. I LOVE this. We all seek this in our lives.

 

[Iamrael]

I like the concept of curiosity as basis for ongoing exploration but how does one account for the in home trials that are offered by most/all manufacturers/ dealers and taken up by we the people, only to eventually be replaced by yet another trial/purchase.

 

[Iamrael]

I’d like to add that imo one can get more variation/flavors in freq.response, soundstage, whatever your fix is by changing up room treatments types/location once equipment is at decent level.

 

[PeterA]

I’d like to add that imo one can get more variation/flavors in freq.response, soundstage, whatever your fix is by changing up room treatments types/location once equipment is at decent level.

And/or cartridges if into vinyl. I can even adjust the angles of the wooden slats on the blinds covering two of the windows in the room to change the tonal balance of the presentation. Mostly though, I just leave it all alone now that things are where I like them.

 

[dbeau]

I’d like to add that imo one can get more variation/flavors in freq.response, soundstage, whatever your fix is by changing up room treatments types/location once equipment is at decent level.

Sound as if you are done

 

[dbeau]

And/or cartridges if into vinyl. I can even adjust the angles of the wooden slats on the blinds covering two of the windows in the room to change the tonal balance of the presentation. Mostly though, I just leave it all alone now that things are where I like them.

Then 'you are done'

 

[Iamrael]

Not until the euphoria ends. Like a drug that wears off…need more, better. that’s when I’m done.
All these dealers are, dealers.
Just like in High School, scoring “a lid”.

 

[joey_v]

Very good thread Mike.

I know you have some lifestyle changes coming up and I wish you the best. Getting on a zoom with you was a memorable time.

With regards to the question on hand - I have sensed that I don’t feel an impetus to upgrade. It all honestly started when I got the room the way I wanted it and pretty much hit steady state.

That said, what really pushed me to stop and just enjoy - my Sennheiser HE1. Absolutely I can stop here and turn off the forums.

 

[Pokey77]

The above statement rings true for me.

I consider myself a music lover first and foremost and an audiophile (my idea of someone who has a fascination about acquiring audio gear) secondary, although admitting they both can kind of go hand in hand to an extent.

I have always tried to build my audio system/s to be able to reproduce the sound of my recordings to the best that I could achieve within the outlay of money that I felt comfortable with at any given time.

I would do as much research that I could about any and all options that would catch my interest. Back in the day (decades ago) that meant reading all the various rags.... Absolute Sound, Stereophile, Positive Feedback, along with a handful of others. Then when the internet came along, reading the various forums, etc. When I found items of interest and after I did my research, I would plan weekend trips to the big cities and audition in the brick and mortar stores. If I liked what I heard, I would arrange in home auditions and if the piece of gear proved to be a great match and upgrade for my system, I would buy it from that dealer.

I was never on a merry-go-round. Because of the lengthy time of my research, it would take me quite some time to decide on what I wanted to purchase, but I always had the cash saved up for the next purchase so that when I felt the item was right for me, I could pull the trigger. This lengthy process has always worked out for me as I have kept my gear for decades.

So, even though I might go 10/15/20 years or more before buying any new piece of gear.... I have never once pumped the brakes on getting more vinyl or cd's. I guess that's why I say I feel I am a music lover first.

In the beginning I focused on optimizing my vinyl side of the system. Now recently I just finished optimizing the digital side of my system. Am I done? I would say that I am done with buying more gear, for at least another 10 years.( Which might be forever for me as with my current health issues I'd be lucky to live another 10 years ). But, I can honestly say that I will never be done buying music!

I love participating on the forums because I love being involved with people that have similar interests as I do. I love the social aspect of it all. It's fun living vicariously through the other forum members whose disposable income seems to be endless and can afford to purchase gear that I only can experience from attending the high end audio shows. That doesn't make me want to cash in my investments and go out and buy any of it though.

My system is very modest in the WBF regards, but I am so amazingly content with it. It makes me smile every time I listen to it and that's all I could ever ask of it.

Best wishes,
Don

Lovely post, Don.

Thanks for starting this thread Mike.

 

[microstrip]

This is a great place to be. On top of the mountain. Achieving the elexir. Satisfaction is a virtue. Sometimes people tend to make sideways moves. Enjoy your system.

Sideway or simply side moves are a curious expression. IMO once we understand stereo physical limitations and perception we accept side moves are a legitim and honorable part of this hobby. Changing preferences can cause a side move to please some particular preferences.

 

[jazdoc]

The above statement rings true for me.

I consider myself a music lover first and foremost and an audiophile (my idea of someone who has a fascination about acquiring audio gear) secondary, although admitting they both can kind of go hand in hand to an extent.

I have always tried to build my audio system/s to be able to reproduce the sound of my recordings to the best that I could achieve within the outlay of money that I felt comfortable with at any given time.

I would do as much research that I could about any and all options that would catch my interest. Back in the day (decades ago) that meant reading all the various rags.... Absolute Sound, Stereophile, Positive Feedback, along with a handful of others. Then when the internet came along, reading the various forums, etc. When I found items of interest and after I did my research, I would plan weekend trips to the big cities and audition in the brick and mortar stores. If I liked what I heard, I would arrange in home auditions and if the piece of gear proved to be a great match and upgrade for my system, I would buy it from that dealer.

I was never on a merry-go-round. Because of the lengthy time of my research, it would take me quite some time to decide on what I wanted to purchase, but I always had the cash saved up for the next purchase so that when I felt the item was right for me, I could pull the trigger. This lengthy process has always worked out for me as I have kept my gear for decades.

So, even though I might go 10/15/20 years or more before buying any new piece of gear.... I have never once pumped the brakes on getting more vinyl or cd's. I guess that's why I say I feel I am a music lover first.

In the beginning I focused on optimizing my vinyl side of the system. Now recently I just finished optimizing the digital side of my system. Am I done? I would say that I am done with buying more gear, for at least another 10 years.( Which might be forever for me as with my current health issues I'd be lucky to live another 10 years ). But, I can honestly say that I will never be done buying music!

I love participating on the forums because I love being involved with people that have similar interests as I do. I love the social aspect of it all. It's fun living vicariously through the other forum members whose disposable income seems to be endless and can afford to purchase gear that I only can experience from attending the high end audio shows. That doesn't make me want to cash in my investments and go out and buy any of it though.

My system is very modest in the WBF regards, but I am so amazingly content with it. It makes me smile every time I listen to it and that's all I could ever ask of it.

Best wishes,
Don

This post belongs in the WBF Hall of Fame. Gratitude is a rare commodity in high end audio. Thank you for sharing.

 

[microstrip]

(...) I can't quantify where that point is. If I had to guess I would say subjectively something like if I get to around 75% or 80% of the best system I've ever heard, given room limitations, that sounds about right to me. (...)

I am confused. Although I do not know what were the best systems you heard, do you expect to get 80% of their performance in your system with the gear you are referring?

 

[Robh3606]

I’d like to add that imo one can get more variation/flavors in freq.response, soundstage, whatever your fix is by changing up room treatments types/location once equipment is at decent level.

Or have more than one system or multiple speaker systems you can rotate through your set-up.

Rob

 

[JackD201]

I have made very few changes in my main system over the last few years, that being the addition of a couple of carts, an arm and (Finally!) the C10 DAC. My room after it sprung a leak will soon go for an interior decor refresh based on the flooring I will ultimately select. As I am getting older, I want a brighter space. Fortunately this will cover mostly lighting and color and will not impact the already dialed in acoustics, electricals and mechanicals.

I love putting systems together. Every use case is a fun puzzle to solve. Aside from Hi-Fi, I've recently set up our family home's garden/pool system with mounted Void Acoustics Cyclone 8s, Void Sub, Wharfdale Pro electronics and a BT receiver mounted like a light switch. It looks and sounds like you're in a high class Beach Club in Ibiza. Fun for all and all for the price of a few or even one cable in this warped world of ours LOL!

Another side project resulted from my being forced to DJ at my own party. I fell in love with the new Pioneer 3000 decks and got them, mixer made the bundle very attractive. Looks like I'll be designing a table for these for hobby room use and will begin a search for practice monitors. I'm thinking Unifield 2s because they can be mounted horizontally and I'm looking for an amp that is compact and beefy. The Java Double Shot is a strong candidate. Lots of power, runs cool and the LDR will surely salve the Pioneer Pro top end sting. For parties I have a powered Turbosound Set for outdoors and some LD Systems Mauis for indoors.

As Hi-End system building goes, thankfully as a part of the industry, I get to do this a lot albeit for others. There is immense satisfaction from helping in getting it right for our clients and even friends that need a few changes here and there just from some set up adjustments.

I don't think that for as long as I am physically able that I will stop trying to make sound better in some way or form. It's just too much fun making music more fun.

 

[TonyW]

In the mid 80s I was visiting my parents one weekend. They had purchased a Panasonic Receiver and a basic pair of floor standing speakers. The speakers were placed like soldiers against the wall. I told them speaker placement is everything and I moved the speakers out from the wall. They oohed and awed at the spacious sound. It was satisfying to see them better enjoy their stereo.

Next time I visited them the speakers were up against the wall.

 

[Tangram]

It’s not lost on me that those who are “done” don’t peruse the forums. As it stands, we’re all just hanging around the crack den chatting between hits.

 

[TonyW]

It’s not lost on me that those who are “done” don’t hang around the forums. As it stands, we’re all just hanging around the crack den chatting between hits.

Pass the silver bnc, will you.

 

[Hilroy48]

I am done!! It took 6 years to put 2 great systems together, my main listening room, and my basement second system for working on my model railroad layout. All the gear I couldn't sell or didn't want to give away to grinders, is now a 3rd system in my garage/ cigar lounge. The last bit of money I spent was on nice Maple furniture stands for my main system. At 62 yrs old, I am very satisfied with what I am hearing from all 3 systems. The music makes me feel and makes me feel in the same room as the musicians. I don't think I can achieve more than that.