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Have you ever downgraded deliberately?

At the start of my Audiophile journey i had a Marantz PM8004 with a Proton D1200. Klipsch RF-82 Speakers and Marantz CD player. I had entry lv Cardas speaker wire. The system sounded very good and very musical.

If i’m honest i still miss that pre amp - amp combo. At the moment i have 2 Higher Fidelity 138 monoblocks and a black Threshold fet 10HE modded. Wadia 9 classic dac and Wadia transport. Soundwise it’s much better than before. But still i think about that suberb Proton and Marantz. Maybe i’m becoming a bit jaded with the hobby..... I sold Both components with a heavy heart. And wonder what would happen if i downgrade to a similar system (better speakers ofcourse).

I want to hear some downgrade stories of fellow Audiophiles. Why they did it, where they came from system wise. And if they are more happy with a lesser system.

PS
A couple of months ago i heard some Apogees "Duetta sigs" It rocked my world. Because most speakers are ugly, and sound mediocre. This was totally different from a design and sound point of view. It was perfect in my book. Never had that before. I'm trying very hard to scrounge up the $ to obtain it.

My gf also liked the Proton D1200 looks. What if i sell most of my stuff downgrade and Buy that Apogee with the Proton amp and a cool looking CD player? Looks are very important in my living room i guess. Maybe more than audio nirvana


128x128jouri_knegt
wspohn's avatar
wspohn
608 posts
 
Although I don't regard it as downgrading, I do maintain a couple of systems made up of components that I have had for many years as well as some old gear I acquired more recently.

I have one system with Martin Logan CLS (original version c. 1986, driven by period amplification.

And I would happily have a system using original Quad speakers driven by period Quad amplification. There is a magic there that is hard to emulate with more modern gear.
sfcfran
105 posts
 
Once...this year actually.  I was running Silnote Audio Morpheus II Series II XLR Interconnects, from my source Oppo 205, direct to my Parasound JC-1s.   The detail was amazing compared to my prior MITs, yet still smooth, with a rare sense of etch (mostly source recording issues IMO).  I decided to step up in the Silnote line.  The Poseidon II XLR interconnects, at 2x the cost.  The Poseidons are of the same materials, just more of it, with a slightly different design weave within the cable  They are touted as being a "luxurious" sounding cable with great reveal.  I quickly realized "luxurious" meant more lush, and more smooth, yet at the expense of the nuanced detail.  It moved the sound in a pleasant direction in some regards, but overall it was not as "live" as being in front of an instrument/band.  The Morpheus II Ser II just pounces everything in this regard.  I could see using the Poseidons in a more digital sounding amp, but the JC-1s are naturally smooth and unetched in their own regard, and didn't need that assistance...so...to get the best realism & detail in a still smooth sound, I moved back down to the Silnote Morpheus.  I have since moved to Tube Amps, and found the benefit of the less expensive, "step down" Morpheus XLR interconnects, to be even further pronounced over the Poseidons, in the tube application.
speakerbox's avatar
speakerbox
14 posts
 
My journey began in the early seventies with a Harman kardon 340A receiver, dual turntable, and audio analyst speakers.  From there I graduated up the ranks with magnaplanar Spears and electronics from SAE, Amber, Proceed, and Jeff Rowland.  Then one day I stumbled upon a mint Pioneer SX 1250 which I completely restored.  To my now old ears it beats all of those.  The Pioneer remains and the rest are gone.  I also have a vintage Fisher 400 receiver which drives a pair of LS3/5A clones.  Sublime!  I also have purchased and restored an original Harman kardon 330A which acts as my headphones amp on the night stand.  Will never part with any of these old pieces of gear.  
speakerbox's avatar
speakerbox
14 posts
 
330A, not 340A.  Typo!
sj00884's avatar
sj00884
80 posts
 
While I have not deliberately downgraded, I have stopped upgrading as my ears can no longer resolve at a level they used to.  Result is different but not necessarily improved to the point of achieving a reasonable value proposition.  
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