How often do people change or upgrade their equipment?

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Anonymous

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I salvaged my first hifi from my gran's cupboard when I was 17. It was second hand, old and wonderful (and heated my room when in use). My second system was from ebay about 6 years later: an Arcam Alpha 8, 8p and Marantz CD67SE CDP. All good so far. A year later I bought some MA Silver 4i speakers from the Web for next to nothing. Hated them so ended up selling up and replacing with what I have about a year or so later. Two years on I'm sniffing out a new amp.

To answer your question, I upgrade whenever I let a weakness really annoy me for about 12-18 months. I've bought second hand and listened before buying, but have sometimes wondered whether the items sounded as they should or not (a vicious train of thought to start in the mind of a hifi fan). I'll never regret buying new for the security and for the higher residuals.

I find an interconnect or packet of white-tack and squash balls a great remedy for Upgraditis. Oh, and the occasional calculation of how money I will lose upgrading for the sake of it...
 

Thaiman

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[quote user="Rock Man"]The title say's it all really, also do most of you buy second-hand or new?[/quote]

Far too often for my wife liking.... I just got another cd player!
 
A

Anonymous

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I'm a bit crazy so at least 5 big items a year, and this year has been my biggest. Increasingly second hand. This year i've bought in order: ipod nano g2 (new), benchmark dac-1 (new), primare a30.2 (ex-dem), sony hdd dvd recorder (new), Shure se530 headphones (new), isotek sigmas (2nd hand), sugden masterclass power amp (2nd hand), grado gs1000 (2nd hand), trends audio ud-10 usb dac (new), earmax pro headphone amp (new), ipod touch (new). Think i'm going to slow down now tho, must save some money in 2008!
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="Rock Man"]The title say's it all really, also do most of you buy second-hand or new?[/quote] Far too often for my wife liking.... I just got another cd player![/quote]

I noticed your sig had changed!!!!!!
Do you buy new or second hand
If second-hand, where do i go, Ebay has not much on at the mo'?
 

Thaiman

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[quote user="Rock Man"]If second-hand, where do i go, [/quote]

The power of internet! You can just hunt for an ex demo examples at around half price. 2nd hand gears can be risky so stick with a good trader when you find one.

Nick at http://www.emporiumhifi.com/index.html is a good start and Simon at http://www.2ndhandhifi.co.uk/ also a real nice guy.
 

Gwyndy

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[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="Rock Man"]If second-hand, where do i go, [/quote] The power of internet! You can just hunt for an ex demo examples at around half price. 2nd hand gears can be risky so stick with a good trader when you find one.

Nick at http://www.emporiumhifi.com/index.html is a good start and Simon at http://www.2ndhandhifi.co.uk/ also a real nice guy.
[/quote]

I've used ShadowAudio and AudioProjects in Leeds as well, what do you do with your previous kit Thaiman, do you have a private warehouse full of pre-owned hi-fi?
 

Thaiman

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[quote user="Gwyndy"] I've used ShadowAudio and AudioProjects in Leeds as well, what do you do with
your previous kit Thaiman, do you have a private warehouse full of pre-owned
hi-fi?[/quote]

Shadow is very good also but scotland is a bit out of my way if demo were needed. I am trying to downgrade but each time I end up spending more....need a new hobby I think!
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
I've changed far too much over the last couple of years and have made so many mistakes buying 2nd hand gear. I reached a nice sweet point about 12 months ago with Rega Apollo/Naim Nait 3/MS902i and then went and started changing it all again for the sake of it.
Upgrading and/or changing can be great fun but you can reach the point where you end up thinking more about the hi-fi than the music. My aim now is to gradually put together a system that I won't want to change for many many years. The Michell TecnoDec/RB250/Sumiko Evo III BPS combo will be a vital piece of that jigsaw and the NAD gear is more than good enough to entertain me while I save for the rest. I'm thinking of Sugden, MF, Naim, or Quad for amplification and CD duties. I have come to the conclusion that the best thing is to buy the best you can so that it will satisfy for so much longer.
 
A

Anonymous

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I brought my hifi early last year and upgraded the cable and cd player only about 6 months later. I'm thinking about a speaker upgrade but I will probably wait a long time. The main reason is the upgrade will cost £200 but I think it would be better to spend that sort of money on CD's.
 

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