Are we ever really happy with our gear?

[Bourbon]

First, I'm new to vintage audio, and am a devout browser of the AK site. I've noticed that a LOT of folks here are constantly buying, selling, and collecting audio gear. It's not that I think that to be a bad thing (as I've been doing it a bit myself), but I just wonder: is there anyone out there who is truly happy with their current setup and has no intention of upgrading? I just ask because I think I'm happy with my current setup.

 

[Wigwam Jones]

Yes, I am thrilled with my stuff. I have no intention of upgrading. What I buy at thrift stores or build myself, I do to experiment and play and have fun. I have no desire for anything 'better' than what I have; I'm easily pleased, I guess.

 

[mkane]

Lot's cheaper than collecting motorcycles.

 

[Terry F.]

I am very, very pleased and have no upgrade plans. Happy, happy.

T

 

[Masterdraco]

Well bourbon i'm getting closer to being happy with my gear after switching to tubes. but there seems to be no cure for upgraditus either. Seem to always be chasing the dragon sort to speak. sources, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, speakers, cables,turntables,cartridges,dacs it never really ends. you can always find something to be unhappy about. Let alone room treatments. Really goes on and on. But i'm too poor to afford the very best gear out there so i try to be happy with what i have.

 

[Stegor]

I'm happy with what I've got. I'm looking for a new CD player, because the old one has pretty much had it. I like to read about equipment and follow many of the discussions on the forum, but am not yet in a position to get more than I have. It's not so much the money, although that's always a factor. I just don't have the interest or an adequate understanding of the technical side of things to really go further than I am at this time. At the same time, I admire people who develop their interest at their knowledge about this hobby. I think we all do what suits us, and that's fine. The best thing about this forum, and I'm pretty new here, is that people seem more than willing to share their knowledge and opinions with anyone who asks. That's pretty good from where I sit. Happy listening!

 

[wingman0121]

Yes and no, because everything's got a finite life. When you fall in love with a piece of gear you'll use it to compare to everything else, even if you run into something that obviously outperforms or looks better you'll still go back and feel at home. However, electronics age and fail overtime, and sometimes a repair shop is hard to find or it is prohibitively expensive to repair it, so the relationship will end at some point.

It's like a family dog, it may not be as good-looking as that other dog and it may goof off every now and then but you'll go crazy if someone tries to take it away from you. When it dies it doesn't really die, it lives on in your memory and you'll always be fond of it.

 

[PeerlessK]

Sansui eight in man cave

Marantz model 19 needing capping

Marantz 2325 living room

Marantz 2220b bedroom

I'm happy, content

 

[Masterdraco]

I'll define the happiness my current setup gives me when I put on a favorite record and dim the lights watch the warm glow of the tubes crack open a cold one kick my feet up in my favorite chair and just drift away in sonic bliss all worries pain fears just melt away. I'm closer to truly being happy with my system.

 

[Glass Prison]

I'm happy with what I got but I made a wholesale of everything this past year. I adding a little bit but not everything. I don't see the preamp, amp, CD player and speakers changing for a long time.

 

[Bourbon]

Well bourbon i'm getting closer to being happy with my gear after switching to tubes. but there seems to be no cure for upgraditus either. Seem to always be chasing the dragon sort to speak. sources, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, speakers, cables,turntables,cartridges,dacs it never really ends. you can always find something to be unhappy about. Let alone room treatments. Really goes on and on. But i'm too poor to afford the very best gear out there so i try to be happy with what i have.

I'll define the happiness my current setup gives me when I put on a favorite record and dim the lights watch the warm glow of the tubes crack open a cold one kick my feet up in my favorite chair and just drift away in sonic bliss all worries pain fears just melt away. I'm closer to truly being happy with my system.

Fortunately, I'm blissfully ignorant of any of the tube gear - and plan to stay that way. But when I get home after a particularly bad day at work (public education), I put on my old ratty sweats and a t-shirt, pour myself a glass of wine, drop some Billie Holiday on the platter, and my problems seem to evaporate....until the next morning.

 

[BenWaB3]

You're happy with your current setup?!?!?!?!? What the hell's wrong wit choo, man???

 

[Masterdraco]

If i can just get my hands on that one turntable i always wanted i think that would do it. cost has been prohibitive though some day. I won't have to worry about things like shelf life because my system is nearly all diy The preamp and mono blocks and speakers. If they die i can easily rebuild them. So yep i'm looking for a turntable that was built to withstand the apocalypse with all spare parts available.

 

[chef free]

I'm feeling pretty satisfied with my system right now. It's full range, with a great sound stage and good imaging. The room seems to need some upgrading though, I have a resonance at about 700Hz and 80hz. (HOWEVER I might add a hi-fi DVD player and jump into the DVDa 5.1 frenzy someday.)

 

[TEA FOR ONE]

Yes,I am currently happy with my gear...........but tomorrow is a new day.:scratch2:

 

[Masterdraco]

Bourbon at the cost of tubes and certain components there are times i wish i was ignorant of tube gear lol. but then again i woudn't have grown in the diy field and would be missing out on what music can really sound like. There is no going back for me. all is well untill i reach the hour limit on my tubes and then will probably have to sell one of my kidneys to replace them. well maybe an arm/leg halve of my liver an ear and a eye.

 

[Condorsat]

I'm happy with my rigs ... but I've always got upgrade plans that I keep on file. Sometimes I'll take as much as three years before I make a purchase. Don't swap out gear all that much ... but as I'm getting older ... I'm shortening the time table ... no illusions of immortality.

 

[jcamero]

I am totally happy with my set up until I want something different. Right now, I just need another 20watts rms on each side.

 

[Catcher10]

I am very happy and satisfied with my gear, especially my analog rig. Sure I could not be if I really thought I was gonna get one of those $25K analog setups, but I never will spend that kind of dough.
Once I upgrade the phono stage it will only get better, but I am pretty happy now

 

[trhee]

Being happy with your system and feeling the need to upgrade doesn't always go hand in hand.

During the 80's and 90's, I went thru gear faster than I went thru women. Not because, I wasn't happy with my gear but rather it became quite an addiction of sampling new gear. It wasn't uncommon back then for my system to be completely unrecognizable from the previous system within the same year. This included gear from B&K, Naim, Rega, Spica, Celestion, NHT, Adcom, Acurus, Magnepan, Nakamichi, Yamaha, Boston Acoustics, ADS, NAD, Marantz, Magnavox, Philips, Cal Audio, Denon, B&W, Sequerra, Aiwa, Yamaha, Kenwood, Harman Kardon, Carver, Infinity, Sonographe, as well as a bunch of brands I can't even think of at the moment.

In the past 10 years, I've settled down with smarter buying choices and less impulse purchases. I rarely purchase any items these days which are "sideways" upgrades which was what I was doing many years ago. For me, part of the fun in this hobby is the journey of getting to a destination but that destination is never the final resting place because once you've gone from A to B, there's always C.

With that said, I'm happy with my system but it's been awhile and I'm feeling the itch to revamp my system.

is there anyone out there who is truly happy with their current setup and has no intention of upgrading?