Examples of an apparent downgrade being an upgrade...?

[Bonky]

A 'downgrade' here being defined as swapping one or two devices for an older and/or cheaper unit(s) and hearing an improvement in SQ (not just a change)

I've got, besides other things, a Sugden A21a amp and Living Voice Speakers ("a match made in Heaven"). I've temporarily ditched the Sugden and got a Tisbury pre-amp and Quad 306 (modified by DADA/RedHill). I view this as an upgrade as I think the definition/soundstage etc etc etc is better. Quad 99 is in the pipeline as I like the Quad sound (at present RedHillAudio is 'breathing' over it as I speak).

Do others have the experience - I hesitate to say 'less-is-more' - of getting older and/or cheaper items actually improving their present systems?

(Thanks BTW to a forum member advising the 306 - I owe you a drink!)

BW

Usual disclaimers!

[Ian7633]

I changed ml LP12/Ittok for a Toshiba SR-370/SME3009S2, cost around a third as much as the Linn, put my Ortofon 2m Black on it and definitely heard a much more listenable result. I wouldn't go back if you paid me.

[jandl100]

Oh, easy.

My Philips Black Tulip 270 pre-amp and 390 power amps are the best sounding that I have heard - cost me £50 and £140 resp, and I have owned many multi-£k components.
Same story for my £75 Xiang Sheng DAC-01A.

[Sherwood]

We are conditioned to think that there is a (largely) linear relationship between price and performance. Indeed, many companies within the hifi industry spend huge sums of money in marketing to drive home this notion. It is not true. First of all, some companies benefit from the halo effect conferred by their elite products. At one point, I am sure that Linn and Naim could have marketed a toilet brush for £99 if it carried their respective logos and some psychobabble marketing blurb about innovative design, fancy materials, or technology borrowed from Nasa or Formula 1! Bottom line is that not all high end products are as great as we are led to believe, and likewise, not all budget products produced by upmarket companies benefit from their higher level products.

Yes, it is possible for some products to sound better than the higher priced components they replace. This may be the result of superior performance but it could be that they just mesh better with other parts of the system. This really drives home the importance of "listening". Make no assumptions. Listen for yourself. Your ears are the only tools you need to judge!

Geoff

[struth]

Yup, Ive downgraded the cost of my system but think it deffo sounds better for it. I might be the only one who thinks it of course, but I'm the one that counts. Trouble is I have lots of spare gear again

[Frazeur1]

We are conditioned to think that there is a (largely) linear relationship between price and performance. Indeed, many companies within the hifi industry spend huge sums of money in marketing to drive home this notion. It is not true.

Yes, it is possible for some products to sound better than the higher priced components they replace. This may be the result of superior performance but it could be that they just mesh better with other parts of the system. This really drives home the importance of "listening". Make no assumptions. Listen for yourself. Your ears are the only tools you need to judge!

Geoff

I agree with your words here. Also while there is the thing about price to performance, I believe another little thing happens with "downgrades"-those cheaper items that do replace more expensive ones, and all of a sudden, wow, best thing since sliced bread. Everyone, well, most, love a world beater, the giant slayer, the seemingly so cheap item that absolutely destroys all that went before it. The underdog thing. Many things come into play here with both sides, tricks of the mind, the wallet, the whatever. We can lead ourselves at times to believe so many things, even if we really don't want to believe.

Ultimately, time to really listen is the key. Some things take longer than others but worth the effort in the long run.

[Yomanze]

Putting a pair of £200 Royd Sapphires in front of a £10k system really opened my eyes. Yeah my Amphion Argon3s were more transparent, flatter response, more power handling, more detailed etc., but the Sapphires, and then the Sorcerers that I got for £350 were just more musical and involving. Eventually I moved up to Royd RR3s, which I guess wouldn't be considered as a downgrade to the Amphions, but it put me on a path & have ended up with a system I just don't want to change.

[paulf-2007]

I sold my PX25 monos for £1000 and bought a Sony STR6055 receiver for £69, bass is better so an improvement in that sense, tbh I doubt it's better than the PX25 in the midrange but not being able to swap them I've forgotten about any differences and enjoying my budget amp. Also using the inbuilt phono stage and not missing my stand alone stages, one sold and the Haden Boardman stage soon to be put up for sale.

[Theadmans]

The £20 delivered from Amazon Jays V-Jays headphones are great - sometimes I prefer them to my Sennheiser HD650s and sometimes I don't - nice to have the choice though.

[Yomanze]

The £20 delivered from Amazon Jays V-Jays headphones are great - sometimes I prefer them to my Sennheiser HD650s and sometimes I don't - nice to have the choice though.

Yup they're absolute gems the V-Jays.