Anyone else ever think about this............?

[icehockeyboy]

Flogging your expensive kit and getting something rather more basic, mebbe the current Rotel or Marantz low priced stuff, and promising yourself no more upgrades?

 

[The Swedish Chef]

yes quite often, but normally when i'm not actually listening to my system,once i do then those thoughts are banished

 

[mrwippy]

icehockeyboy wrote:

Flogging your expensive kit and getting something rather more basic, mebbe the current Rotel or Marantz low priced stuff, and promising yourself no more upgrades?

With the exception of my turntable I've been buying lower cost stuff (if DIY counts) as I've completely lost interest in most 'commercially manufactured products'. Ten years ago I had and Audio Research Pre-amp, EAR 509 power amps Acoustat panel Hybrids. I've replaced these with a valve integrated (the delicious CR Developments Romulus - review here ). But I did feel I could do with a better pre section so bought the MiniMax - this combination sounds better than the ARC/EAR one, in most areas. The speakers were replaced with the and Revolver R33's (now sold) now just using itty bitty Videotone Minimax speakers. Going down the DIY route, with the Bottleheads (Seduction, Foreplay and Paramours DIY build blog) has delivered a lower cost much more musical experience. So much so that I think the MiniMax Pre and Romulus will soon be in the classifieds as I've not missed either at all.

As to buying a basic Marantz, Rotel,....no probably not, I want more than that.

 

[Borats Baby]

icehockeyboy wrote:

Flogging your expensive kit and getting something rather more basic, mebbe the current Rotel or Marantz low priced stuff, and promising yourself no more upgrades?

I dont have any expensive kit to flog.

(Apart from my WDKEL84 which was £400) and is NOT being flogged.

 

[icehockeyboy]

I suppose you get to a stage where you begin to question how much is being spent on your kit, if anyone had said to me a year or so back that one ic i use would have a price tag on it of £600, id have said they're mad, and that if i spent around £300 on a tweak to my speakers, my thoughts back then would be to spend that amount on a cdp or something else.

 

[Testure]

Your missing the good old days ice

 

[Emma Royd]

I've often said thats it,but it never is,but a good 75% of my stuff is ex dem,nos,2nd hand,b stock.

 

[earl of sodbury]

Testure wrote:

Your missing the good old days ice

I bet he's justitching for a sidegrade... :lmao:

 

[Davewhityetagain]

icehockeyboy wrote:

Flogging your expensive kit and getting something rather more basic, mebbe the current Rotel or Marantz low priced stuff, and promising yourself no more upgrades?

I am working on that my system is changing from 23k to 12k by the end of July

 

[icehockeyboy]

earl of sodbury wrote:

Testure wrote:

Your missing the good old days ice

I bet he's justitching for a sidegrade... :lmao:

 

[Defiant]

I'm a budget wonder/tweaker anyway, I get much more of a buzz out of getting the best from cheaper components than I do from more expensive kit (though I love the looks/sound of it). It's not that I can't afford a £5k system, it's that I choose not to - I've always been the same really

 

[johnnyesox]

Yip,been there and done that to!From Cyrus gear to Linn,now using a very modest CA640 amp & cdp,with a Planar3 T/T/Dino+,all well set up on good supports and good cables,truth be told this system is a very good, involving listen,my Cyrus,Primare,Linn owning pals all love this wee system.....another fairly modest system I am REALLY enjoying is my mates Apollo/Mira3/R3 spks,cracking system,really gets to the heart of the music,stunning!

 

[Jezzer]

Been there. Done that. Happy with the results (to an extent because you do lose a fair amount of transparency when downgrading to cheaper components).

 

[thommo]

Never thought that because I've never had expensive kit in the first place.

Never felt the need, tbh. I've got to my plateau of competence, and it's good enough for me.

 

[jon]

icehockeyboy wrote:

I suppose you get to a stage where you begin to question how much is being spent on your kit, if anyone had said to me a year or so back that one ic i use would have a price tag on it of £600, id have said they're mad, and that if i spent around £300 on a tweak to my speakers, my thoughts back then would be to spend that amount on a cdp or something else.

I've got 3 systems which, combined, cost well under £600 - and no, I wouldn't trade them for a cable

 

[Davewhityetagain]

jon wrote:

icehockeyboy wrote:

I suppose you get to a stage where you begin to question how much is being spent on your kit, if anyone had said to me a year or so back that one ic i use would have a price tag on it of £600, id have said they're mad, and that if i spent around £300 on a tweak to my speakers, my thoughts back then would be to spend that amount on a cdp or something else.

I've got 3 systems which, combined, cost well under £600 - and no, I wouldn't trade them for a cable

£600 two thirds of an Indigo

 

[Guest]

yep done that many many times. had pretty high end gear and ended up selling it all.

a lot of the time budget gear is better anyway.

i find i enjoy the music more through cheap gear as you don't sit there critisizing the system .

 

[rabski]

Yup.

I know I've just upgraded the CDP, but from now on, it's tweaking and swapping only.

The second system is a pair of oldB&W standmounts without stands, an Audiolab amp and a Pioneer CD bought for about a tenner at a car boot sale. And you know what? There's no way the percentage cost difference between that and the 'proper' system is reflected by the percentage betterment in sound.

Bastard, innit.

 

[lower bullens]

I've spent a lot and promised myself no more upgrades (after I've found my new speakers).