Where do you stop?

[jdandy]

No one here needs to be schooled on how immersed we can become building our audio system(s). It is remarkably easy to be driven by impulses, curiosity, lust, ego, and a never ending desire for pleasure that we easily allow ourselves to burrow deep into discretionary income and savings to build the audio systems of our dreams. Even when we have achieved a high degree of satisfaction with our sound systems we continue to look at bigger and more expensive components, speakers, accessories, and rooms to create the ultimate sound system in. It can seem like a curse in disguise, one where we manage to wear blinders in order to justify every change we make, every dollar spent, even when we are not certain of the end results, or even worse, unsure of where we actually want to go. It can become a never ending merry-go-round that mercilessly siphons income and savings in our unending quest for audio perfection.

I'll be the first to admit that I have spent a boat load of money this past decade before finally settling down enough to be satisfied with the sound systems I have assembled. Ten years ago if you had said I would spend $200K or more in the next decade on audio and home entertainment equipment I would have said you were insane. Well, guess who's the crazy one.

I have managed to put the brakes on my wild and loose spending and the revolving door of audio gear coming and going on a whim. Sure, I still made some audio purchases this past year but they were peanuts compared to previous years. I now think I have reached a plateau where I am comfortable and happy, and more importantly where I have regained control of my spending habits with respect to audio. We know all too well there will always be better gear available no matter where we have settled. We also know the idea of absolute best is an illusion. So, when is good enough really good enough? Hence the question, where do you stop?

[audioguy3107]

I think it's pretty hard to put this into specifics, especially considering everyone has different goals and ideas of what is possible with their systems and their rooms, and as we all know, for a lot of us here on A.A., the law of diminishing returns really kicks in when you reach certain price points in the various categories of gear. I guess theoretically, one wouldn't stop until they achieve the piece that really captures their imagination, whether it's an AMG turntable, a certain Boulder amplifier or a pair of MBL Extremes. The question then arises, if you have that certain piece of gear, does it really let you enjoy the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street that much more than what you had before? That's really what it's all about IMO. To use my own experience, when I paired the D'agostino equipment with the Isis and played one of my favorite songs off of Sticky Fingers, I was transported into the studio like never before and I can assure you my system sounded excellent before the change. I've heard Mick Jagger's voice a million times but never with that amount of realism. That's one of the things that captivated us (Mark, Steve etc and the RMAF crew) about the Tidal Vimberg loudspeakers was how lifelike everything sounded on those........yeah you may get better bass with brand x, or you may have a slightly wider stage with brand y, but those things sounded so REAL it was hard to stop listening.

I guess what I'm looking for before stopping is how lifelike the recording sounds....when your system tricks your mind and transports you in front of the artist, maybe you have arrived where you need to be?

- Buck

[doggiehowser]

I have always told everyone that this is a journey and we live and we learn. from mistakes and experiences.

Years ago, I discovered HT bypass and thought it seemed the right solution to mix my HT and my stereo system. I spent loads on the front monos and got pretty good monos and surround power amplifiers for my other speakers. And for the most part it worked fine.

Then a few months ago, I tested an Anthem AVR and it flipped my frame of reference upside down. Despite having better amps (than what's in most AVRs) for my surround and Atmos speakers (I used BEL Canto REF1000M then 500M monos for surround), I never quite achieved the wall of sound on the sides of my surround system. My front monos just outclassed them (Electrocompaniet Nemos then PS Audio BHK 300s)

With the Anthem MRX720, having good identical 5 main amps to drive the primary 5 channels meant I was getting a wall of sound to the right and left of my listening position. The first time I heard it, I was honestly flabbergasted.

In hindsight, it shouldn't have been. After all we are used to how a pair of speakers in front can create a wall of sound between them. Scratch that - I meant a stage of sound - because the sound is 3 dimensional.

So there is no reason why the same can't occur on the sides of the theatre room.

So this doesn't mean I will spend less but my next HT system will be considerably simpler than my current one.

Something like an Anthem MRX1120 with 7 identical KEF LS50s (which I already have), partnered with KEF Q50a Atmos speakers (or in-ceiling Ci200) and a JL Audio subwoofer.

And go for a dedicated 2 channel system. One big benefit would be not needing to replace the tubes in my Audio Research Reference 6 so often

[2fastdriving]

Honestly, I think where most of us stop is where our wallets give out

Most of us don't have unlimited funds, and even if we are doing well compared to the average incomes, we can only go so far, because the "next tier" becomes simply unattainable.

I'm mostly in that situation now, but I'm also pretty happy with what I have. Yes, I still wish I had certain things. They are just out of reach at this time, and that's OK.

Now, if I hit the lottery, maybe I'll change my tune .

[For The Love of Music]

It’s desire, impulse, want, addiction but never a need - you hopefully stop when your done, it’s not easy!

It’s only Rock and Roll, but I Like it, I Like it...Yes I Do, I Like it!

[gadawg]

Honestly for me it’s probably when something else finally wins in the annual budget battle I go through ... New Car? Pool? Vacation? New Audio? Audio has been winning a lot for me lately but I think I’m getting close to settling down for a while as its almost time for a new car. My wife is really wanting a nice pool and I do too ... I just want XLFs more. If I know what’s good for me I’ll put the pool in first.

George

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by gadawg

Honestly for me it’s probably when something else finally wins in the annual budget battle I go through ... New Car? Pool? Vacation? New Audio? Audio has been winning a lot for me lately but I think I’m getting close to settling down for a while as its almost time for a new car. My wife is really wanting a nice pool and I do too ... I just want XLFs more. If I know what’s good for me I’ll put the pool in first.

George

I know something else that’s coming before the pool.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by jdandy

We also know the idea of absolute best is an illusion. So, when is good enough really good enough? Hence the question, where do you stop?

Like most other hobbies, good enough is never good enough until you have tried to outdo what you have already achieved time and time again. At some point most folks simply get burned out from the endless pursuit that is fueled by "obsession" often masked by the thought it is "passion".

Doesn't mean you have to quit the hobby, just have to get to that point where good enough stays good enough and one enjoys what has been achieved. Easier said than done.

[LarsT]

The Wallet. The Wife. and Woeful Decisions

I believe I have spent way more than I needed to over time because I didn't realize or expect that good enough wouldn't be good enough. I remember, not too long ago, when I considered it outrageous when a dealer suggested a certain brand of interconnect cables that cost $350 for a pair. Then it was suggested that I should spend $2500 on an amplifier. Again, such a ridiculous suggestion. Let some other fool spend that much. Well guess who is the fool now. They say hindsight is 20/20. Well, it certainly is with hobby..well maybe 20/40. I believe it was Serge who said just spend the "big bucks" up front because that's where you are going to end up anyway. Yes, that is a relative term, but oh so true. It would have saved me a lot of money. But I imagine that at least some of us thought that good enough would have been good enough at multiple points along the way. But then something else comes along and we stretch the budget just a bit more. And then we realize that the latest greatest component has outclassed the other component. So, of course, we have to upgrade those. But even though I would need forensic accounting to create a list of all the changes, I will keep "upgrading" until I can no longer get a "WOW!" out of a change. I can safely say I have not reached that point.

Now the wife has been somewhat tolerant of my "obsession" and/or "disease." She doesn't seem to grasp the word "hobby." I keep telling her that if she gave me a dedicated room, I would consolidate the systems into one and be done with it. But I don't even believe that myself anymore. I consolidated and downsized a few months ago. That lasted 53 days. I know the time because I bought a pair KEF wireless speakers for the bedroom to replace my system there. And they had a 60 day return policy. Well that downsizing is now a Simaudio 600i v2, Simaudio 380D DSD (soon to be (780), Canton Reference 9K and Aurender N100H. I still need a sub though. So much for downsizing. But back to the wife: the changes have come so often that she can no longer keep up...except for speakers or a Mac amp. So the moral of this portion of the story is keep the changes coming with shock and awe. You can outlast her!

Aside from the budget, some woeful decisions (at least for my preferences) have slowed me down. I can attribute a lot of those decisions to not taking the long view on things and looking for instant gratification. While it's not too hard to do, I have outsmarted myself on numerous occasions. Some brands or configurations just haven't worked for me. And then you end up selling a certain piece and say "well that was an expensive mistake." Then I back off for a while.....until the next great thing comes along. And, so far at least, it always pulls me back in.
The journey will continue even though the destination may be a bridge too far.

[Macuser]

"Where do you stop?" I've been thinking about this for a few years now but more along the lines of how good does it really need to be. It's been 10 months now since I've bought any new gear and I believe I'm at where I want to be. But I'll also have to revisit this thread in a year to see if there's been a relapse or perhaps a new beginning