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Therapy thread for those looking to upgrade for no logical reason

CapMan

CapMan

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Post here if you are getting the (seemingly) inevitable urge to upgrade something that you are happy with for no logical reason. You’ve got a bee in your bonnet and started googling and checking prices, posting questions on forums - you know the drill right ?!!

Please limit this to just single component - an amplifier , a speaker , a cable … it’s not a what should my first HiFi be thread!

As an example - for no apparent reason today I got it into my head I should get an external power amp for my Denon X4800. I have no issues with how it sounds …I know a change will not be audible and I don’t need more power … but the monkey on my shoulder has started to speak to me :)

State the component you have, your reason for changing, the item you wish to change to and why it will better in your mind…

The job of the rest of us on this thread is to talk you back down to a place of rational thought and to exorcise your upgrade demon.

Repeat after me - “my name is (insert name) and I am an upgrade o holic …”
 
Just replaced my subs for no real reason and very little change/improvement. Now I too am looking to add an external power amp to my avr and have the exact same thoughts as the op ie. 'I have no issues with how it sounds …I know a change will not be audible and I don’t need more power … '.
It's in the cart as I type this....:facepalm:
 
Heh.. I have a lot of logical upgrades for the three speaker systems in the house. The only illogical thing is upgrading them when I could be upgrading the house itself...or taking the missus on that vacation she's always talking about...

Curse this small budget ;)
 
It's small-fry, but I find that having wasted £120 on a dragonfly red, I contemplate a "proper" headphone dac+amp despite low impedance headphones and nowhere to plug in an additional wall-wart.
 
nerdstrike said:
It's small-fry, but I find that having wasted £120 on a dragonfly red, I contemplate a "proper" headphone dac+amp despite low impedance headphones and nowhere to plug in an additional wall-wart.
Click to expand...
Why don’t you think the Dragonfly is a proper Dac and amp - is it because of the pocket size ??
 
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CapMan said:
Welcome to the couch ;) Tell us how you think they will be better ?
Click to expand...

Wharfedale Linton 85th vs. current Triangle Borea Bro3. I do like the air movement, expanded stage, better integrated bass that seems to come with the bigger speakers, I just don't need it really in my 12x9 office.
 
jooc said:
I just don't need it really in my 12x9 office.
Click to expand...
:eek: I saw a pair in the shop window of my local audio/TV shop this week. The are definitely chunky looking boxes!
 
Bought a new PC audio card because I wanted to have optical input. Old one had output only and about same analog output performance with better headphone amplifier. Not complaining really but rarely watch TV to use optical input anyway.
 
I think my 2.1 system with Lyngdorf RoomPerfect sounds absolutely amazing, BUT ... my main speakers are GoldenEar Triton Seven's. These have gotten great subjective reviews over the years, but the available measurements (no full spins) are kinda meh.

So I think I really should go spend $5K or so on some Philharmonic BMR HT's or Ascend ELX's or Revel F226Be's, none of which I have actually heard ...
 
LOL great idea that I can dig, just doubt it will be utilized well....
 
Honestly there is nothing left to upgrade in my system. That doesn't stop me from looking.

Will probably break down at some point when someone comes out with a preamp with balanced inputs and AES out but, again, I don't really need it.
 
Not sure if it's the unnecessary 'upgrade' step that is the problem for many of the ASR audio hobbyists.

It's more the sideways steps they take with yet another cheap Asian trinket-box DAC, mini amplifier or headphone amp, etc. I was guilty of that back in the day too, using 'logic' like "it's way less than half price or 50% less than dealer cost" or "I know it's not going to be better- I just feel like a new amp in my collection" or "I've always liked that series and I want the whole set". Some decisions stood the test of time, others not so much.

Based on the comments in review threads, there's a growing FOMO and jumping-to-buy based on perceived group hype. It feeds off itself. Be careful.
 
Want to even out frequency response to 20Hz in my apartment with a subwoofer swarm…
 
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