How long does it take for an upgrade to stop sounding like an upgrade?

[wilsmusic]

Hi there

Yesterday I picked up an Alpha 10, an upgrade from my Alpha 8. 'Wow' I thought when I got it running, how much 'fuller' does this sound, how much more 'detail' I can hear, how much 'clarity' can I sense between insturments and so on and so forth!

....And yet by the end of the evening it just sounded 'normal', the benefits had already faded, my memory of what my 8 sounded like had already faded. This was just my system and that was all.

Is this normal? Do I suffer from short/quick term memory of sound loss? Is this the thing that drives me to continually scour ebay for my next upwards hi-fi step? How quickly do your upgrades just sound 'normal'

 

[RobinKidderminster]

When its right. You know it

 

[CnoEvil]

This can be quite normal. There is such a thing as "hifi neurosis," where doubt and possibly guilt, set in. There could also be an element of expectation bias, where you wanted to hear a difference, so you did.

On balance, I think your first impression is probably nearer the truth, and you are now suffering paralysis by (over) analysis. Leave it on for a day or two, but don't listen until you are feeling relaxed. Pour a drink, put your feet up, put on your favorite albums, and like as not, the sound you first heard will have returned.

If I sound patronizing, I apologize, as I don't mean to.......but I've been there.

 

[wilsmusic]

Hi-fi neurosis!

I will have to inform the wife of this affliction - she will then forgive me for spending my hard earned on hi-fi and not the house!

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi-fi neurosis!

I will have to inform the wife of this affliction - she will then forgive me for spending my hard earned on hi-fi and not the house!

....doesn't work I'm afraid!

Oh, by the way, the more you spend, the worse the neurosis (Valium helps)! :shifty:

 

[chebby]

Just think, if you changed back it would only take a very short time until it sounded normal (and you'd have money again).

 

[Anonymous]

The upgrade has never faded for me. I have had my Yamaha speakers for 1 month and they always sound as good as the first day I bought them.

The more I listen to them the more I like them. I keep saying to myself just 1 more song then I will go to bed only to find that I am still listening to them 3 albums later and its 2am in the morning.