Why do we insist on upgrading?

madmax
madmax Posts: 12,434
edited June 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
OK, so I have no cash but all of a sudden want to upgrade my preamp. While I'm looking at things I could sell it hits me, I don't even have my present preamp hooked up. I'm going directly from the phono pre to the amps and have been very happy with that. Should I want to put my AI preamp in line I could have done it months ago free of charge, and it is quite a nice quality piece anyway.

So why this silly urge to go out and buy something I have no real need for?? Do others have this problem or am I some kind of a loon...

madmax
Vinyl, the final frontier...

Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
Post edited by madmax on

Comments

  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited June 2007
    Nah, you're just mental....
  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited June 2007
    You answered your own question, you freakin' loon! :)

    Lemme get this straight -- you have a great pre that ain't even hooked up, but want another pre? Sounds like you have a very severe case of upgraditis. The best cure in this instance is to look at the one component you've love to upgrade, but never had the money. (Make sure it's something you're actually using!) Sell the pre and whatever else you can, then buy something else other than a pre.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited June 2007
    Nope, I don't have the upgrade bug. Must be you :)

    I tend to upgrade only when something goes dead in my system. Like when my receiver got hit by a power surge.
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    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    In my defense it is a sexy one. I can only dream about this one...
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • sabotg
    sabotg Posts: 126
    edited June 2007
    You're not alone madmax. I find myself sitting on the earthquake amp website at work drooling half the day.
  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited June 2007
    madmax wrote: »
    In my defense it is a sexy one. I can only dream about this one...

    Oh, why didn't you say so in your first post? Buy it.

    I don't know what it sounds like, but it looks cool.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    I'm afraid its a little out of my league. Just got a case of the wants...
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited June 2007
    The grass is always greener...

    When I started male exotic dancing to feed my audio habit I knew it had gone too far. Every woman's hand down my pants was just another interconnect in my system, I kept telling myself that. Gotta go, it is sailer night tonight and I can't find my hat.
    V
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    Hmmm... Exotic dancer huh? I wonder if I would be any good at that...
    madmax

    Edit: I do have a soft spot for burlesque music, that should help. :)
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited June 2007
    I spent some decent money on a tuner/pre and amp this week. I'm driving them with $100 speakers till I can afford some nice ones. :rolleyes:
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited June 2007
    Because you are an idiot MAN!:rolleyes:

    Unfortunately you have plenty of company! You spend endless amounts of money even when you already have outstanding equipment in house!:eek:

    Then you have the nerve to *itch & complain about WAF!:mad:

    IDIOTS!!!:p ;) :eek: :D
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • W WALDECKER
    W WALDECKER Posts: 900
    edited June 2007
    Because we can! yesterday i was looking at posts on the Audiocircles and i came across a SAS Audiolabs 10A tube preamplifier in the market place and the guy had just lowered the price as low as he said he would go and that little voice in my head said to buy it! this is the 9th preamplifier and is the 4th tube preamp that i have bought in the last three years.i guess that i have a thing for preamplifiers :eek: thanks....WCW III
    Rogue Audio stereo 100 tube amplifier - Lector Zoe preamplifier with 6H30 pi's
    .Audience AU24SE speaker and ic cables- Chord Qutest DAC - Black Cat Silverstar II 75ohm digital cable-Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature system with large bass cabinets to accommodate 10" Seas magnesium woofers.2xhmpsuownoj.jpg
  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited June 2007
    Its simply about sex. So your going sleep around on the Steelhead, interesting.

    Really though its about sex.

    RT1
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited June 2007
    I've never seen 300B's in a preamp before. Sick. I assume it's actually designed around a small single ended amplifier.

    Again, sick. Do it.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
  • fatchowmein
    fatchowmein Posts: 2,637
    edited June 2007
    Probably the same urge that got Hue Grant out of the house with Elizabeth Hurley to look for...

    Wait, that's going backwards. NM.
  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited June 2007
    Same here. I just bought another pre- when I'm fairly happy with the one I have. My SS pre- was nearing 10 years old so I'm curious to see if there will be any difference.
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    Its simply about sex. So your going sleep around on the Steelhead, interesting.

    Really though its about sex.

    RT1

    No, not sleeping around. The Steelhead is really just a phono pre with a big honkin' line stage knob. I could still use a second stage and a means to hook the CD player and other sources back into the system.

    I could see the WAF problem on this piece. I mean, as you finish up the wife would always be wondering if you had been thinking about her or the equipment the whole time... :D

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • bikezappa
    bikezappa Posts: 2,463
    edited June 2007
    madmax wrote: »

    So why this silly urge to go out and buy something I have no real need for?? Do others have this problem or am I some kind of a loon...

    madmax

    Why don't you buy more music? That's the reason for all this stuff. Correct?
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    bikezappa wrote: »
    Why don't you buy more music? That's the reason for all this stuff. Correct?

    I have hundreds of LP's I've never played yet. At 50 cents a pop (not to mention boxes of them for free) I've been accumulating them way faster than I can listen to them.

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited June 2007
    Seriously, I think it's just some need we have to see if we can get a little more performance or quality from our systems. I haven't had the "problem" for a while, because I have some more pressing priorities at present. But it's still there, and I have to fight the urge still.
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited June 2007
    Face wrote: »
    I spent some decent money on a tuner/pre and amp this week. I'm driving them with $100 speakers till I can afford some nice ones. :rolleyes:


    I started out with a cheap CD player and mid-fi amp with no speakers for the longest time until I could save up for them. :D
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    edited June 2007
    I'm out of money so there's no need for me to fend off the upgrade bug. I'm also very happy with my current set up so I guess that's a coincidence that's in my favor. Oh ya, the reason I'm out of money is because of the last piece I placed in the rig. ;):D
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
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  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited June 2007
    Because it's fun. It's exciting to play with new toys and see how they sound. If you did not enjoy experimenting you would just be another guy with a stereo. To us, it's a hobby. It's just a crazy expensive one.
    Sharp Elite 70
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited June 2007
    Well, imagine driving the same car for 15 years? BOOOORING. Some times we just need to "hear" what's out there.

    For me, the next step will be speakers--it's the weakest link in my system, and changing speakers is always an exciting experience as they make the most significant change in your system.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2