When "good enough" is good enough

[puroagave]

What's your threshold on how far to take upgrades and/or system swaps? financial reasons are an obvious one, but when do you call it quits and leave well enough alone or is that even possible. I think i'm close, I've got a few speakers to audition that will replace what i've now got, then some room re-arranging and i'll be done (for a while).

 

[bzr]

Rob, I know exactly where you're coming from. Unfortunately when I have the same thoughts I usually go through a complete system change. :snicker:

 

[Myles B. Astor]

Funny, I was thinking along the same lines today when listening to some raw, uncut recordings such as Neil Young at the Cellar Door, Elvis '57 or Stephen Stills Just Roll Tape. But more so, how much closer do you think your system is to the sound of live music than say a couple of years ago?

 

[audioarcher]

What's your threshold on how far to take upgrades and/or system swaps? financial reasons are an obvious one, but when do you call it quits and leave well enough alone or is that even possible. I think i'm close, I've got a few speakers to audition that will replace what i've now got, then some room re-arranging and i'll be done (for a while).

Hi Rob, I think when you make a major change such as getting new speakers, you are far from done. A speaker change usually means you will need to at least fine tune with cables and at most need to change amps to fit the needs of the new speakers.

 

[BlueFox]

For my personal satisfaction I can stay with both my current two channel and HT system. Of course, there are areas that can be tweaked, and I just might, but it will be more from just trying something new versus something necessary.

 

[puroagave]

Hi Rob, I think when you make a major change such as getting new speakers, you are far from done. A speaker change usually means you will need to at least fine tune with cables and at most need to change amps to fit the needs of the new speakers.

Sean, good to see you here. big picture: switching speakers is perhaps the biggest change, my short list of speakers will work well with my amps/room. Myles went from one extreme to another (ML to Magico) and it appears his system survived just fine. Small picture: room positioning/treatments/cables etc are ongoing and never seem to have a definitive ending.

 

[Enoch Root]

That's a good question.

I'd like to think that one of these temporary plateaus of satisfaction will last but 30+ years of audio experience tells me otherwise.

There are worse addictions. "Hello, my name is Enoch and I'm an audiophile."

 

[MDP]

I'll let you know in a week or so, but I hope I'm close.

I'm tired of chasing the Dragon's tail :bonkers:

 

[audioarcher]

big picture: switching speakers is perhaps the biggest change, my short list of speakers will work well with my amps/room. Myles went from one extreme to another (ML to Magico) and it appears his system survived just fine. Small picture: room positioning/treatments/cables etc are ongoing and never seem to have a definitive ending.

That's true. I think Myles lucked out synergy wise. He was able to hear them in his room for an extended time because he was doing a review. Obviously he liked what he heard enough to buy them. Most people will not be so lucky.

On the topic of when is it good enough, I have thought I was there several times but always ended up trying something new to get that last ounce of performance. I think there will always be room for improvement if you search for it. That's what makes this hobby fun. It's not really necessary but it's a nice challenge.

 

[Julot]

I don't want to brag, but our clients, in their majority, don't gear swap or chase the update and optimization. To me that's what good enough is: when you put down the magazine and stop wondering what's wrong and how it would be better. When you start looking more for new music and less for new gear. In fact, I haven't changed my preference (or my reference) in 20 years.

 

[Zero]

Either when you're finally satisfied, or when you've had enough and want to jump outta the game.

 

[Ritmo]

Good question. Several elements I believe would finally drive one to get to this point: (NOT all inclusive)

- Financial - most of us have limited resources and priorities for those resources
- Point of diminishing return - some here have systems valued in the six figures - to Myles point earlier in the thread...how much more is really needed to enjoy the art of music!
- Get a little older and loose interest - my father was an audiophile for many decades but during his last 5 years, listening to music did not involve going into his dedicated music room. Getting his music fix was ok with his mid-fi system in the family room and, guess what, he was pretty happy with that (Some day I'll share a very memorable story about him listening to music 60 days or so before he passed - it's still me be even after 10 yrs of the event)

Or better yet, reached nirvana with the current system. No need to keep with the industry and the latest components because it doesn't matter since one would be totally satisfied with the music being delivered.

 

[mulveling]

When I started in audio (just head-fi for a while) in the early 2000's, I remember reading about all the hot gear at that tine. Everything was so new and foreign, which was also exciting (tubes were really foreign and exciting!). But all the midrange to top stuff also seemed ridiculously expensive to me, the recently initiated. At this time especially, forums/reviews were all I had to go on since my experience was non-existent. I remember thinking (honestly) how the top stuff was just for the few with "special" ears, and that I'd certainly be more than satisfied with lower-rung to midrange gear. Wrong! I wasn't at all satisfied with the lower level stuff.

Over the years I learned that unfortunately I need to go much further than I'd ever initially imagined, cost-wise, in order to achieve my "it" system(s). And also I learned that you can't build a good-sounding system just by picking $$$$ boxes that look nice together (duh, right?). Wasted a good deal of time & money in my education here, but that's life.

And today I find myself approaching this question again with my main system's phono cartridge, after 4 years of loving and enjoying Koetsu:The Koetsu is still wonderful, but definitely on the warm side for my current speakers -- so off to Ortofon I go! Now I have a Cadenza Bronze which has the perfect tonal balance in my system. But it's not quite up to the level of refinement and resolution I'm used to, and I want that back too! So do I go forward with a Black or even a Windfeld, knowing that they're both more resolving but less warm than the Bronze, and hoping that I can adjust things back towards my desired balance? And will the Cadenza Back be enough, or should I just go right to Windfeld (which I've owned before, though with a lesser system -- but I know it definitely is very resolving)? Honestly the Anna would probably be perfect sonically, but it's too steep a price; well beyond my comfort zone right now. Even the Windfeld is really at the limit of what I want to spend here.

Dammit, I think everything else is pretty much locked down now besides the phono cartridge, so afterwards maybe this can all stop? Pretty please?

 

[Mike]

Rob - great topic, thanks for starting it.

Law of diminishing returns for me. Is the DCS Vivaldi stack the ultimate digital? Maybe....but I don't feel it's $90,000 better than my Lumin. When I went for my Kronos, I went for the Sparta instead of the Pro. I just didn't want to spend the extra $20,000 or so for those last few percentages. I spend where I feel things are most important: speakers, amp/preamp, sources, room treatments. I'm not a cable/tweak nut. I just refuse to spend $10,000 on a 1 meter pair of IC's.

 

[Dpod4]

Smart

 

[o0OBillO0o]

Threshold? When I own a component for more than 2 years.

 

[socfan12]

What's your threshold on how far to take upgrades and/or system swaps? financial reasons are an obvious one, but when do you call it quits and leave well enough alone or is that even possible. I think i'm close, I've got a few speakers to audition that will replace what i've now got, then some room re-arranging and i'll be done (for a while).

Rob, think we're in a similar situation. With the purchase of the S5s and the recent TT, I feel I'm quite close to being done. I'm quite happy with the sound I am getting now.

Having said that, I am interested in the Kaiser speakers that Bob and Marcus (PefectSense) have been talking about recently. But the speaker would need to be a significant game changer for me to make any move.

 

[still-one]

I don't want to brag, but our clients, in their majority, don't gear swap or chase the update and optimization. To me that's what good enough is: when you put down the magazine and stop wondering what's wrong and how it would be better. When you start looking more for new music and less for new gear. In fact, I haven't changed my preference (or my reference) in 20 years.

I hope I am reading your post correctly. I have no issues with anyone who is happy with their system just as it is. There have been many points along my audio journey where I was very happy with the sound quality and felt I had no need to upgrade/swap gear. Unfortunately (for me) the occasion would come present itself where I had the opportunity to audition different gear in my set-up. Audio is no different from any other technology, it does not stand still in a time warp. So if you are indicating that for 20 years you have been satisfied with your set-up and have no need to change, I take no issue with that. If you are stating that your reference system of 20 years has not been surpassed by more current products then I find that difficult to comprehend.

 

[Alpinist]

Rob - great topic, thanks for starting it.

Law of diminishing returns for me. Is the DCS Vivaldi stack the ultimate digital? Maybe....but I don't feel it's $90,000 better than my Lumin. When I went for my Kronos, I went for the Sparta instead of the Pro. I just didn't want to spend the extra $20,000 or so for those last few percentages. I spend where I feel things are most important: speakers, amp/preamp, sources, room treatments. I'm not a cable/tweak nut. I just refuse to spend $10,000 on a 1 meter pair of IC's.

Mike,

I couldn't have said it better. I would like to be in the upper echelon but definitely not at the very top. Those last few percentage points of performance cost an absolute fortune. For example, the K-01 gets me in the ballpark of the P-02/D-02 and Grandioso P-01/D-01 but for a ton less money. There is definitely a sweet spot on price vs. performance, although most everyone's is different for various reasons. I especially agree with you about the cables. I want excellent performing cables but they come in fifth after speakers, source, amp and preamp, and they will not cost more than any of these components.

Best,
Ken

 

[FlexibleAudio]

Wait a minute.....this is a trick question, right? Finally satisfied??? Enough?? For many of us it goes against the concept of being an audio lover. We can't help ourselves. If I am not obsessing about audio I will just find another, probably less wholesome, occupant for my spare time.
(Good thing you can't snort gear.):crackedout::crackedout: