Component(s) of your audio system that are "end game" and you don't have the urge to upgrade?

'Hybrid 8/10' is the best way I could describe it because of the shape. It's mostly aftermarket parts built around an Audiomods V arm & a few RP6 components.

 

My speakers and my pre-amp (both Audio Note) wont be improved on unless I suddenly come into a lot of money.

Otherwise my phonostage is definitely going to be changed this year. I want to keep my VPI turntable but as a second table running a mono cartridge (with a new table for stereo - havent decided which yet). My power amps I will keep but would love to have 300B mono blocks as well for when the mood takes me to change. Thats the plan anyway for the next 5 years or so - maybe that will be it then

 

I, too, will caveat this with “unless I suddently come into a lot of money”...

I think I am all set with speakers (Wharfedale Reva-4) and subwooker (Hsu ULS-15 mk 2), unless I ever find I have space (not likely in our current home) and budget to add a second ULS-15 mk 2. The combo sounds great together, looks great together, and I think I’d need to make a huge dollar upgrade to better them noticeably.

I also am hoping my incoming SL-1210GR is a turntable I will be happy using indefinitely (of course cartridges may come and go).

 

The "10" sticker?

 

Probably with Reel decks, I have a JCorder, Doshi Tape Pre, custom Revox PR99, Revox B77 and Teac X-2000M.
Unless a Studer 820 in Mint condition came my way......

 

Precisely!

 

Inclined to agree on the SME V arm. While not the most neutral, they are a breeze to setup and hold their settings. After fighting with unipivot arms, they are nearly perfect although I’d love to hear the SAT arm but way out of my price range.

 

Unfortunately, nothing in my system is end game.

 

LOL --- you win the prize for the most honest post in this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My tube amp, tube phono preamp, and Tannoys are end game. Same with my Tchernov cabling.
Always consider upgrading my power conditioner and cartridge.

 

KEF Reference 1

 

Pass 160.8 monoblocks.

 

My Universal Stereo only player. Ayre C-5XE (in my stereo setup)
(I have an OPPO UDP-205 for multichannel in my main home theater )

 

Recent upgrades that will not be leaving:
Ayre VX5 Twenty amp
VAC Renaissance 5 preamp
Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC
Spendor D9
Ortofon Windfeld Ti
Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum

 

My Merlin VSM's, Aronov amps, VPI-HW19, Cal Alpha Dac, Musical Design SP-1 preamp.
I would keep these even if I won the lottery. I also have a bit of other gear that I can swap out if I get an itch.
Pre-amps: Audio Research LS-22, Aronov LS-9000 Kenegetics KPA-1
Amps: Musical Design D-140, Dyna MK-3's, Adcom 545
Dac: Musical Design Dac-1
Tables: Linn Lp-12, Denon DP 59-L, Denon DP 75
Plus a lot of other stuff. So overall I can stand pat.

 

DSC_3564 by fiddlefye, on Flickr
The rest of the system could for the most part be endgame as I've got exactly the sound I was looking for. Carts will come and go and if I ever got really wealthy I could see changing the Audiocraft for something like a Kuzma 4 Point, but not too likely to happen!

 

Now that my faithful Linn LP12/Ittok has been Keeled, Cirkused, T-cabled and Krystalised, I reckon that's it: years of musical enjoyment ahead provided I don't break it, or unexpectedly fall off the perch! Much as I look in almost awe at some of the top end turntables, thick-plattered monolithic gorgeous brutes that they are, I have absolutely no desire to own one.

Now....to just listen to music.


........Until I start thinking about some speaker cabling

 

Probably all of them,. Don't really have the money for playing the upgrade game anymore.

But I probably would replace something that became irretrievably faulty.

 

Same here. I'm new here, still really learning after being out of hifi for probably 15+ years. Previously (and to some extent still am), I was an electric guitar gear head. It has been a fun ride. But after buying many different guitars, and amps and MANY different guitar pedals, I came to realize, in the end I still pretty much sounded the same. And I realized a few more things, which is applicable in a way, to this hobby. With guitar, most people think, you gotta have tube amps (and many of them, for different applications). I've discovered you don't. Depends on the application (and the amp, obviously). I've discovered you can get caught up in the latest and greatest, but oftentimes what you have is already great. When I have focused less on gear, I play more, and enjoy it more. Not that I won't upgrade some of my guitar gear in the future, but I'm much more satisfied than I have been lately. I went over to visit a friend of a friend who was also a guitar buff. Stuck in the 80's maybe, but he had a collection of 58 guitars, all EVH inspired, or similar guitarists from the 80's. Wonderful collection. But few that I wanted. And when played through his EVH 5150 amp, everything sounded like, well EVH. Cool I guess. But I'm much more comfortable with my own meager collection of 6 guitars (but I have much cooler pedals, lol).

So I'm approaching my new interest in hifi in much the same way. I'm in the early process of buying a few new things, and might upgrade probably everything, once or twice. But then I expect to be content for longer periods of time. Currently have:

Dynaudio Excite 14 (just got these last month)
Musical Fidelity M2Si integrated amp (less than a year old)
U-Turn Orbit w/acrylic platter, Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge (aim to keep it about 2 years before upgrading)
Cambridge Audio Solo phono preamp
Yamaha SACD player w/Musical Fidelity V90 DAC
Dayton Audio 15"Sub

Room is small. Eventually I might move the gear from a basement room, to the mail living room area. So most things will change because of this. A few years away.

Eventually I'd like to try some higher end gear. Maybe a higher end Rega or Pro-Ject TT with a better cartridge, and maybe a tube phono preamp? And perhaps separate power amp/preamp. I have some time before this will happen.

Mostly, right now I'm enjoying buying a new record every week, and enjoying the music.

 

Done upgrading my TT (MoFi Ultradeck) and my Integrated Amp (Luxman L550AXii).

At some point I will upgrade my speakers (Heresy III's) up the Klipsch line. My room size holds me back for now.

 

I've learned to never say never. But, the way things stand now...the ModWright LS-100 Linestage, ModWright PH 9.0 Phono Preamp, VPI Classic Signature SE, VAS Audio Citation II Tube Monoblocks, MIT & Audio Sensibility Cables/Wires, are all keepers.

I will find some different Speakers one day and maybe a ModWright KWA 100SE Amplifier...and a better Digital front end.

We are planning on moving to a different home (smaller) in four years, at that time I will downsize to a nice Tube Integrated and some killer Stand Mounts, and probably a Digital/Streaming source.

 

Would you keep the PH 9.0 with this move?

 

Well I lied...the Ref 75 has been replaced with a Ref 75 SE. I was not expecting the upgrade from the Ref 75 with KT 150’s to be so dramatic...but am so glad I did it!

 

The only thing I'm done upgrading is me