What is it about the upgrade bug?

[plastic penguin]

I've never understood why people get the urge, from a psychological point of view.

Is it because we frequent here too often or some other reason?

Personally I would have had my system even if I hadn't heard of WHFI. I've never had the urge to upgrade my amp in the 6 years of ownership. The speakers I thought were wrong for my room but I've not heard any speaker, after trying LS50s and Tannoy 6.1s, I would prefer.

Only the Electro was influenced in a minor way by some members on here. That was a faux pas on my part, hence why reverted back to the Arcam.

What's your excuse? *pardon*

 

[ID.]

More, better.

The nagging thought that something, even aspect one likes, could be improved on. More detail? More lifelike? More natural? Less bright? Less hash? More clarity? Blacker blacks and whiter whites? More bass? Tighter bass? More punch? More air?

You name it, there's always something.

I was always vaguely dissatisfied with my last setup. Very happy with my current one. Perfect balance in terms of sound and functions for me. Not to say I won't upgrade in the future, but I suspect it will just be to more expensive studio monitors.

 

[jjbomber]

What's your excuse? *pardon*

Human nature. bigger house, better job, better car, etc.

 

[GustavAP]

What's your excuse? *pardon*

The time of political depression forced me into renewed interest in concentrated music listening, which concequently brought me to places like this where I find a language that I previously was not in possesion of, which made me evalue what I have in terms of 'More detail? More lifelike? More natural? Less bright? Less hash? More clarity? Blacker blacks and whiter whites? More bass? Tighter bass? More punch? More air?'.

Still have'nt made my upgrade, maybe the bug (if I have one, or if it is just a reasonable and legitimate concern?) will pass and I will end up spend my money on beer and ice cream.

 

[nopiano]

When I used to upgrade things regularly, it was because I had the opportunity to hear lots of better gear, and had some disposable income. Later in life, other commitments meant opportunities were less frequent, or what cash I did have went on the wife's car, family holidays, etc.

Last big upgrade was a while back, aided by monies arising from theft of (some of) a previous system. Nowadays, I know I'd need north of ten grand to make a worthwhile change, and am still happy as long at nothing goes wrong!

 

[Blacksabbath25]

More, better.

The nagging thought that something, even aspect one likes, could be improved on. More detail? More lifelike? More natural? Less bright? Less hash? More clarity? Blacker blacks and whiter whites? More bass? Tighter bass? More punch? More air?

You name it, there's always something.

I was always vaguely dissatisfied with my last setup. Very happy with my current one. Perfect balance in terms of sound and functions for me. Not to say I won't upgrade in the future, but I suspect it will just be to more expensive studio monitors.

+1 i am now sorted out but its hard to get the chain right to make the sound you are after right i thought my issues ware the amp but it was not i tried the audio lab dac that costs £800 i had it on demo that did not work out and then i thought to myself i will try my old arcam ir dac what a shock *shok*my sound now sounds how i wanted it to sound more top end more detail on the top end do not ask me way the ir dac sounds better then the audio lab plus i am not sure on that but the ir dac is a lot better and what i do not understand is the ir dac sounds better then the onboard dac in the marantz 8005 cd player when the dac inside the marantz is meant to be better .

i guess if its your hobby thats were your money goes and yes it can be a hifi bug to get things right but its a good feeling when you do get your sound how you want it right *smile*

 

[davedotco]

I think I am realistic, I know that Spotify is not a 'hi-end' source by any stretch of the imagination, in fact by some standards it is not even hi-fi...!

But, you know what, it really doesn't matter to me at this time. My inexpensive active system (£750) plays with sufficient presence and clarity for better recordings to be totally engaging and I can explore the whole (well almost) world of music for less than £10 mth.

Upgrade, Why? I had a bit of fun at the weekend (with Mrs DDC away) setting up the system in a totally uncompromising manner, speakers way out into the room, angled acutely, a different listening position and, on some material, a 3 dimensional soundstage you could almost walk into.

Still, after the weekend, before Mrs DDC's return, everything was placed back in it's normal position, the soundstage collapsed to just plain 'stereo' but the clarity remained, as does a nice bit of 'punch' when I can turn it up, so I really don't care.

Pottering around this morning playing an album by Elle and Elles, curtesy of the 'Track of the day' thread, loved it. Only the one album so far so to continue in a similar direction, I'm loading up a bit of Jim Murple Memorial.

French reggae, whats not to like...?

 

[MajorFubar]

What's your excuse?

I used to read What HiFi? and other HiFi magazines too much, and I fell for the marketing concept that every new generation of products was an inherrent improvement on the last. We're all young and impressionable once. I'm not even nearly suggesting WHF or any other magazine lied, or was in any way corrupt, but I was without question influenced by a system that from manufacturer to retailer to reviewer has a vested interest in persuading us to buy new kit.

 

[Leeps]

What's your excuse? *pardon*

Human nature. bigger house, better job, better car, etc.

Agreed in many cases, but not always. Sometimes it's the "problem-solving" part of us that sees a particular deficiency (too shrill, too much bass boom for example) that needs solving. In my own case a lot of box-swapping was because I moved house and the new place's acoustics didn't work with the old system and it took a few attempts to get it right. Now it's balanced, the speakers at least will be staying put for many years to come.

But I did learn a lesson when I upgraded speakers a year or two ago. They were quite a step-up the ladder from the ones they replaced, but didn't sound as good. Generally more expensive does mean better, but there are some products that just sound "right" - and that can be in the budget/midrange in the food chain.

Manufacturers and magazine publishers also depend on us constantly buying new boxes, which is why they feel the need to innovate, develop and market new things we "must have", so it's really worth taking a step back from the latest new buzzwords in the industry and asking whether they're really worth all the extra "investment" (there's a misnomer if ever there was) they're demanding, or whether in fact we can be quite content just listening to lovely sounds on the set-up we already have.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I have had my home cinema system before I was a member on here and plan to keep it forever if I can. I am now content with the TV I have got, iPhone 4s I have had for over 3 years. iPad pro was a Xmas present so basically I don't upgrade!

 

[Gray]

Is to be content with what you've got (not just with hi-fi of course).

I don't like change and hate spending money, so contentment should come easy to me.

'Upgrade fever' is however very easy to explain. I owned a Fidelity music centre back in the 70s and I'm sure I thought it was good. At a party, while other blokes were probably getting off with birds (the name for females in the days of 'On The Buses') I was attracted to a separates hi-fi system that was providing the music - Typical 70s Pioneer / Trio type TT and amp it must have been. That and my Uncle's cast-off hi-fi mags, is what started me off.

Later, the original NAD 3020 amp was a revelation. Has there ever been a better budget buy than that?

Once you've heard a real upgrade, the sort where every positive aspect of the reproduction is massively improved, you're hooked. Of course you get disillusioned when upgrade differences are only subtle, but does that stop you? If it has you're lucky. You may well be in the minority here but enjoy your contentment.

 

[spiny norman]

so basically I don't upgrade!

Downgrading and sidegrading, however...

 

[matthewpiano]

Tough one. Partly for me it was the freedom of being able to have a proper hifi setup after coming out of a relationship in which it wasn't allowed financially and aesthetically.

Things spiral then and it's too easy to lurch from one extreme to another. I certainly did and I've been through a frankly shameful amount of kit. There have been a handful of systems I could have been happy with long term if only I hadn't been so restless. In particular:
Marantz CD6004 and PM6004 with Monitor Audio BX2.
Denon DCD1500ae and PMA1500AE with Monitor Audio BR2.
Cambridge Audio 740C And 740A with Mordaunt-Short Mezzo 2.
Denon DCD720AE and PMA720AE with Dali Zensor 3.
Marantz CD6004 and Onkyo TX8050 with Monitor Audio BR2.

Now? I'm slowly losing interest and I am hoping to go back to something neat and balanced to live with for a long time. Probably Denon or Marantz CD and amp with my RP3 and some Bronze 2s. Then I'm going to stop buying hifi mags and put the equipment out of mind to keep the focus on the music and other things.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

so basically I don't upgrade!

Downgrading and sidegrading, however...

Dont forget returning.

 

[lindsayt]

Kaizen.

Plus hi-fi is a mildly competitive activity. The aim (for me) being to get the best sounding system for the least amount of money. Where you can compete against other people or against your own system.

 

[Al ears]

Kaizen.

Plus hi-fi is a mildly competitive activity. The aim (for me) being to get the best sounding system for the least amount of money. Where you can compete against other people or against your own system.

For me it was the constant moving and room size change with the knowledge of what was currently available at the time of doing this and the money in the bank to allow me to do this. From teenager to poor student, to returning to family home with a tad more money and eventually good job with good income ( before wife came along) allowed frequent upgrade. Have now got to a point where I am stuck as subsequent upgrades are really going to be minor steps but possibly major steps financially.

Think I have got where I was going and now just happy with replacing the worn out bits.

 

[bigfish786]

My upgrade bug is mostly financially motivated. Right now, I have a brilliant setup. Very enjoyable, does everything I want it to. Sounds superb. But, if I get some spare cash, I'll try to move up the ladder a little further. As vinyl seems to be my format of choice lately, I think that's where I'd invest my next chunk of cash.

Every time I see an SME 309, I wonder if I could get it on my Marantz TT.

 

[lindsayt]

I used to think I had a brilliant set-up when my main system was Linn LP12 / Ittok / Troika into Isobariks.

I'd now rate that system as OK, but nothing special.

Kaizen.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well I keep taking the tablets but they do not seem to work because I keep going into Hifi shops , coming on here , looking at Hifi online , magazines . The other day I was in richer sounds and I joked and said I should get a job in here and the chap said we have 2 vacancies if you wanted a job . I was quick to say I better not as I would not bring a wage home it would be Hifi

 

[Infiniteloop]

IMO HiFi is a hobby.

If you stop investing in it, it just dies.

Part of the fun for me is in chasing the next upgrade. Reading the reviews, listening to stuff then working out how to sneak another bit past Mrs Loop (fortunately for me, she also has an expensive hobby, as in horses, so tends not to mind/notice).......

Above all that of course is the music, which is key to the entire pantomime.

 

[ID.]

I used to think I had a brilliant set-up when my main system was Linn LP12 / Ittok / Troika into Isobariks.

I'd now rate that system as OK, but nothing special.

Kaizen.

改善

 

[jmjones]

In a world where every field of human endeavour is driven to improve, should we be surprised by the drive to do so?

It's interesting that most people who are content (like me for instance) get to be so when they have been through the mill, gained enough money to do what they wish to do and have a decent system to listen to. We usually have something else in common - age.

Citius, Altius, Fortius my friends, Citius, Altius, Fortius.............*music2*

 

[TomSawyer]

I think a few people have hit the nail on the head - upgrading is for the young. It's very rare that a young person can afford a decent system and so once the finances are available, upgrading makes good sense and is relatively easy.

However, the law of diminishing returns kick in and once you get to what the magazines refer to as a mid-range system, it becomes very easy to spend a huge sum for a very small gain or worse still no gain or a downgrade. How many posts on forums and letters to magazines include the disappointment of spending a fortune not to get the perceived benefit?

Ugradeitis is a terrible disease. The sufferer convinces themself that this one last item is the one that will transform their experience and for a short time it's the best thing on the rack. But in time, it too will become the thing that's holding the system back. Instead of music being the complete pleasure it should be, listening is accompanied by the slight bitterness that there is detail being held back by the current weak link - detail which usually isn't in the original recording in my experience.

I've mentioned it before, so apologies for repeating myself but I think it's relevant here, the best system I've ever had was the one in my signature because the upgrade from no music to music cannot be surpassed.

 

[knaithrover]

What's your excuse? *pardon*

Human nature. bigger house, better job, better car, etc.

...nicer younger prettier wife!! Who wants to stand still especially as technology moves on. Newer isn't necessarily better but it can be.

 

[busb]

I go for 10 or so years then something breaks.. Can also afford to until I retire then I'll be eating candles.