Islander Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 (edited) I think it's safe to say that nearly anyone who has been involved in a passion/hobby/interest for some time comes to this point, often more than once. There are a few factors at work: the prospect of better performance (which should provide more owner satisfaction), the sense of progress (getting closer to the probably unattainable ideal that may or may not exist in reality), the thrill of the new (opening boxes of cool stuff that's new to you always feels like Christmas morning), and sometimes the pride of knowing what you have is better than what most people have. Balancing these factors is your experience that sometimes more money spent turns out to be less satisfaction delivered, and not to be progress in the right direction. Getting new stuff is fun, but enjoying familiar stuff is fun, too, and the familiar stuff has history and connections with you. Finally, bragging rights don't trump the real enjoyment of using what you have. For me, I have a system that's beyond what I would have dreamed of years ago, so I'm pretty happy with how it sounds and looks. As well, at this point even an incremental upgrade in sound would be fairly costly, so I'm not highly motivated to shell out for an item or items that would probably not provide a big or even very noticeable upgrade in my satisfaction with the system. Since I got the La Scala IIs a couple of years ago and did the JubScala conversion to them (during the setup, since it's plug and play to go from 1st-gen JubScala to JubScala II), I've spent next to nothing on the system. At this point, I'm more interested in finding new recordings to listen to. I did buy a Chromecast unit a few months ago. It turns out to be a big help there, since it makes it easier to watch YouTube on the TV, and I find lots of music that's new to me. I may look into high-res downloads someday, but for now I'm liking what I'm hearing. To directly answer the OP's question ("How do some of you pick a point that is far enough and then just be happy with what you have ??"), I take a break and think about what I have and how it makes me feel. If it's making me happy, that's good. If I have to spend $500 to be $50 happier, I'll just smile and realize that there's no need to get up and do any research about what to get next, because there isn't any need right now, and for a while to come. Feeling/knowing that your system is at a point that's a sweet spot for you lets you relax and may make it possible for you to pat yourself on the back for getting it to this point, and consider kicking yourself for taking so long to realize you've arrived. You can shut down the merry-go-round and just chill out, maybe for a few months, maybe for a few years. The equipment is very cool, but it's a means to an end. Let it serve you and your music. In a year or two, you may feel different, but for now, enjoy the now. Edited July 21, 2015 by Islander 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I know this feeling only too well. Michael, what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 some good points here I appreciate the feedback, I feel like I want to be done with the exception of a dac with higher resolution capabilities while remaining NOS (non over sampling) Give me a G! Give me a U! Give me a N! Give me a G! Give me a N! GIve me an I! Give me an R! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 no Schiit for me on this one , I am lusting the Metrum Octave 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I posted this for someone here many moons ago when he was going through seemingly endless "keeping up with the Joneses" self-flagellation trials with all the stuff that he "must own/must be able to say that he's owned and experienced", sort of like a "king of the hill" addict: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=46881 Being a "maximizer" means that you'll be unhappy, too. I think that Tom's prescription above is the right one. Chris Sorry I don't have permission to view that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Joe, I think we all hit the law of diminishing returns, when we got our first Marantz Receiver and Pioneer Speakers back in the 70s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I posted this for someone here many moons ago when he was going through seemingly endless "keeping up with the Joneses" self-flagellation trials with all the stuff that he "must own/must be able to say that he's owned and experienced", sort of like a "king of the hill" addict: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=46881 Being a "maximizer" means that you'll be unhappy, too. I think that Tom's prescription above is the right one. Chris Sorry I don't have permission to view that? Try this: http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bschwar1/Sci.Amer.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hilarious. I get page unavailable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Scroll down - the first page is blank in this version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 No page unavailable this time. Got it. Thanks. I remember satisficing behavior from business school. There is a lot of truth in the article. What fascinates me is that the same behavior leads to different psychological outcomes in different people. I see it between my wife and myself. We will come to a decision together, researching the subject, and afterwards I still have to remind her why we made the choice and why it was the best choice for us at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) I enjoy my system but, unlike many on the forum I never really got into critically listening even a little until 2011. If it made noise and got loud I was happy. So, the journey has consisted of trying different speakers, amp, ect. How else would I have learned what is important to me. Now my attention has shifted from buying more and more gear to a few mods and a major emphasis on proper setup, claibration and a few tasteful room treatments. I see a lot of systems with more boutique equipment costing way more than my modest setup but, I know the return on the investment will not be there for me. So, in the end, I am at a pretty comfortable spot and very happy with what I have and don't really care what others have. I do enjoying hear different systems and many of the systems on this forum would be a real treat to hear but, I have no interesting in owning any of them . Edited June 16, 2015 by derrickdj1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Now my attention has shifted from buying more and more gear to a few mods and a major emphasis on proper setup, claibration and a few tasteful room treatments. just tonight I decided to flip my DBB cabinets on their side so the squawker/tweeter would be precisely at ear height when resting on top. the aesthetics suck, but now I don't feel like I'm staring up at the concert stage from row 1. sometimes it's the free stuff you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) Chris, thanks for the link. A good read. Story time... I heard a local rock concert in the early 80's when I was a kid, and I never forgot how the sound could physically throttle the body. I never forgot the vision of those horn subs (CV B36's or the like) with their gaping mouths, heavy cross bracing, and how once they got the air moving, everyone had no choice but to start dancing. Thanks to my (now) brother-in-law, I lived with the La Scala design since I was 14. Acquired my first pair when I was 25, and finally acquired the very same pair I listened to when I was 14, just over a year ago. Still own them. That ownership is not by chance, and those who have met me personally know it is also not because I have a stone ear. It has taken a lot of listening and research, but only about three equipment iterations to zero in on the target sound. A recent addition to the capability of the system, phase-alignment (MCACC Pro on the SC-87), has sealed it's fate. This system will see me to the end. Personally owned only three types of main speakers: 1. solid maple Sansui SP-V70 knock-offs I made in high school wood shop. (sold) 2. pair of Yamaha NS-A2837 (sold) 3. pair of 1990 La Scala Four receivers: 1. JVC VR-5XXX (inherited from my grandfather) (sold) 2. Yamaha RX-V595 (sold) 3. Panasonic SA-XR57 / SA-XR700 (sold) 4. Pioneer SC-87 Three subwoofers: 1. Yamaha YST-SW150 (sold) 2. Volvotreter 20Hz tapped horn (sold) 3. Bill Fitzmaurice THT Notably, I've never owned an iPod until I met the other half....for which I quickly gave her crap for. Edited June 16, 2015 by Quiet_Hollow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stump Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 As a life long guitar player, I am all too familiar with attaining the "last 5%", which for many people keeps occurring. In my early days, due to lack of funds, I would get the best gear that I could afford and just use it to the best of its capabilities. This forced me to wring out every last drop of tone and brought me great satisfaction when others, with "better" gear, would complement my sound. Fast forward twenty years and much more money. I was now able to afford just about any piece of equipment I wanted in my quest for the ultimate guitar tone and have amassed a collection of about 15 amplifiers, 6 speaker cabinets, 14 guitars and about 50 different effects pedals, as well as cables, tuners and other accessories. Despite a diverse, high quality collection of some of the greatest gear ever made, I was still "missing" that last 5%, so I set out to find exactly what that was. I concluded that nothing was missing, nor would anything bring me to the end of the search, the problem was me, more specifically, G.A.S., aka Gear Aquisition Syndrome. Rather than enjoying what I already had, like a junkie, I was looking for my next "fix". I was addicted to the excitement of getting something new, something different, something that would satisfy my craving to be able to finally say "I'm done, my tone is the best I've ever had." That day finally came when I was doing some recording with a friend and we used 5 or 6 different amp, guitar and pedal combinations. After all tracks were recorded, we were listening back doing a rough mix and I realized that I sound pretty much the same, no matter which rig I played through, though there were subtle differences due to the variation in equipment, the core of each sound was the same, it was me. At that point I knew the search was over, I started to feel satisfied with my gear, my playing and my music. My only regret was that I spent way too much time and money chasing the unobtainable when I could have been playing and making sweet, wonderful music. I guess this scenario applies to home audio too, chasing that last 5%, somehow thinking that "If I just had/did this or that, the sound would be absolutely glorious." Until about a year ago, I've been using a Technics system that I bought new in 1986. It satisfied my needs perfectly fine for over 25 years, though I now prefer my Klipsch Heresy's with it. There are obvious differences in speakers, amps, preamps and such, but once you get to certain level of equipment the differences are much smaller, subtle differences. The whole thing is subjective and there is no best or better, per se, but just opinion and choice. It can be relative to personal experience or inexperience. Only YOU can decide where the line of diminishing returns is. Research and opinions of others can help. There comes a point where you just have to sit back and listen, enjoying what you have. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 A recent addition to the capability of the system, phase-alignment (MCACC Pro on the SC-87), has sealed it's fate. This system will see me to the end. You have a nice set of gear and I am glad you like it. I remember we you said you wanted the Pioneer avr. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 It's been a good 5-year wait for the Pioneer, but worth every penny. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RT FAN Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 This thread caused me to reflect on my audio habit & it occurred to me that I have spent roughly $6000 or so over the last 10 years on audio equipment. While not a lot by some standards, it is not an inconsiderable sum. I have more gear than I need, but not so much as to be a hoarder by any means. Having spent a long time here and on AudioKarma, I am an odd-lotter in comparison to some of you knuckleheads. The equipment I own is more than good enough for me and certainly better than almost everyone I know. I have been able to gift some equipment to others in need of gear & that has made me feel good. What I realize is that I have what I need and don't feel the need to chase any more stuff. Even my cd collecting has slowed down this year. The pursuit of the elusive 5-10% improvement is an esoteric exercise, doomed to failure. I think we would be better off, putting your feet up, pouring yourself a drink & enjoying what you have while you listen to whatever style of music makes you happy. Revel in the things that matter, your family & your friendships. Hold those things close. for that is what matters in the end. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 The perfect balance between maximizer and satisficer is a worthy goal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) I think we need a Monetized equipment thread to REALLY put in perspective the effects of diminishing returns. I just put together a list, in my head, based on the post above of what everything cost in my current set up and it's not even close to a sub $10k system... and I DON'T have anything extraneous or own any equipment currently that is merely sitting around doing nothing. On top of it all... I buy used so things would have probably cost nearly double of what I have invested. Edited June 16, 2015 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 my 2-channel system would cost about $5k if I paid retail or street prices for everything, including the plywood/labor put into my free DBB's. That ticks the "I can feel better about myself because it's not a cheap system" box for my ego, but I can smile contently knowing I didn't pay that much. to that point, how do you guys manage this stuff against your home owner's insurance? Absolutely none of my gear was purchased from a brick and mortar, most of it is used, and half of it was through trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.