[Meliboeus]

I used to believe i would have kept my Sr-225 forever, then my musical tastes expanded a bit and i started to appreciate a completely different sound signature...so i'm a bit reluctant to predict how long i'll be keeping my current gear.

However so far i am very satisfied with both my turntable/cart combinations ( Xpression III + 440 Mla and RB250 on DIY deck + Dl-103 + Au300 stepup ) and don't plan to upgrade until the styluses are worn out.

I also intend to keep my AD900 paired with the TPAudio amp, which makes a good combination with the low impedance AT, for a very long time...few cans could match the ATH comfort, sound quality aside.

There is still plenty of gear i want to hear...so i'm not done upgrading at all,unfortunately for my wallet.

 

[catachresis]

For me, headphone equipment is a lesser investment and more subject to caprice. I don't often shift out my stereo equipment. I lost a bunch of gear in Katrina (sister's house) but all of my British gear remains from my last 'posting'. I got the Croft Mega Micro preamp in 2000, and I don't imagine shiping it or the other major bits any time soon. The DAC *might* be the exception.

In fact, I've been worried--the wonderful Dutch-made Sony SCD-555ES that weighs 25 lbs and sounds great is getting a sticky door-transport mechanism. I have to give it a finger-prod to get it to open. Does anybody know how much anguish getting something like this repaired is going to be?

 

[Sherwood]

Your previous survey about who still owns their first pair of headphones is about the only useful survey on this entire site, Erik, so I'm happy to contribute to this one.

My single oldest piece of gear is my transport, an NAD cd player. Bought it in 2002. I recently traded the speakers and turntable I bought with that transport, so the next oldest piece of gear in my system is the Stax SR-lambda, which I've had for almost 2 years.

The newest is probably my Moth Cicada speakers and my Moth EC2a3 amp, which will someday be the oldest yet again, inshallah.

 

[tako_tsubo]

I am a pretty faithful guy to equipment that sounds good to me.

My vintage set up I bought in 1987, Carver The Receiver along with Polk Monitor 10b in htf real rosewood veneer. I have been reading and experimenting with cap change outs...bypass caps ( I have Ninja'ed Onix/av123 speakers), and hope to upgrade the crossovers on the Polks someday. Might do the same with the Carver.

Still have the Pioneer Elite CD player from this set up too.

I do not ever intend to sell any of my Eddie Current amps. Classic or new, are keepers.
The Stax 007will stay unless a new model comes out that sounds better. I see the SR717 going if I get a WES....but that is a BIG IF.

 

[Tiemen]

My CD player, MD deck, cassette deck, receiver and loudspeakers are bought in the early nineties. And I still don't feel the urge to upgrade.
The pre-amp, record player, headphone amp and headphones are from a more recent date.
I will stick to them, but wouldn't mind to try out some other headphones.

 

[mrarroyo]

I have a mixture of stuff. My oldest gear was bought in the mid 80's and it is my Adcom GFA555, GFP555, and a pair of DCM Time Windows 1A. The CD Player was a Denon DCD1100 which finally croaked a couple of years ago and was replaced by an Arcam CD73. I also own a headphone by Onkyo I purchase in college in 1981.

As far as headphone gear my oldest cans are an RS-1 and K701 from 2005 which was the year I got really into headphones. My oldest amp is a Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 which I got in early 2006 as well as my SR71 portable amp.

Most of the rest changes some every 2 years other every 4 months or so.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Uncle Erik: Great thread idea!!!

My number one guiding principle when looking for gear is reliability. If I pay good money for something, I want to use it as long as I can to make my purchase worthwhile. I have had a few headphones before the ones I have now, but I am happy now. I had Klipsch Promedias a long time ago, but my first real speaker (RB-5II) I still have.

I will never understand people who go through their gear like crazy. I think it has less to do with the gear and more about the person, quite frankly. I could never imagine selling my Benchmark DAC1, Bryston amp, Klipsch speakers, SVS subwoofer, or Grado headphones, because I am extremely happy with them. Why go looking for flaws, when they sound phenomenal?

 

[Cankin]

I joined this forum since Feb 2007 and I've gone through 29 pairs of mid-fi headphone.

 

[boomana]

I've had much of the gear in my profile for a couple years, and other than thinning the herd a bit, as they say, I have no plans or desire to upgrade or change. I went through a lot of headphones and amps learning what I like. I also went to lots of meets where I heard things that I liked better than what I had, and honed my listening skills and preferences. That resulted in more gear changes. I'm at the point now where I know the sound I like, and even if I also like other headphones and rigs, I'm completely happy with my choices, and have no desire for more. I actually call them "end rigs.":

Dynamic: Exemplar modded Denon 2900 > SinglePower Extreme Platinum >R10/HD600
Electrostatic: APL modded Phillips SACD 1000 > KGBH SE > O2MK1
Laptop: macbook > pico > HF2/225s/JH13
Portable: iphone/ipod > JH13/UE11

I am looking around at different amps for the JH13s and have already committed to the pico slim, but also liked the new TTVJ portable, and am still trying to get another PRII (regret selling mine now), so the search continues on one level, but when I've found what I like best, I'll be done....okay maybe a tt for my speaker rig...and maybe the HiFiMan once it can support Apple Lossless....and.....

 

[Happy Camper]

I got into headphones in 06. I bought an amp first. Through the trials of the vendor, I have been fortunate to have a "good one" and will keep it til I die.

I have purchased a few full sized headphones to start the hunt. I like both but will sample others through loaner/trade deals until I'm satisfied to buy.

My source is old but still serviceable. It will be my last piece to upgrade. Technology is evolving in the DAC world so I wait through this economic downturn to see some advances of DACs in the mid price range.

My portable rig is set and it is used the most. I was ignorant of the possibilities until I found this place. This will be it unless a miracle advances a technology to make it a worthy investment.

 

[Dublo7]

I plan on keeping my current setup for at least another 6 months. I can't upgrade at the moment as I'm travelling at the end of the year, so I need to keep my money.

A pair of Beyer DT880s are still on my list to purchase. I listened to Lateralus on those babies and it sent my heart (and ears) a-flutter. However, when I do get the DT880s, I don't plan on getting rid of my AD900s. I'll keep the AD900s for unamped listening in bed

I don't plan on upgrading or getting rid of my Cantate. I absolutely love the thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cankin /img/forum/go_quote.gif I joined this forum since Feb 2007 and I've gone through 29 pairs of mid-fi headphone.

Holy crap!

 

[chadbang]

I listen to as much as I can for free. Then I buy and stick with it. Except for loudspeakers. I'm always hunting for a new pair. Currently have six pairs. Finally getting ready to unload some I don't want.

 

[71877]

Think everything last for around a year here

Altho I'm getting close to what I want. Think I only need to replace the XP-7 amp with something else (Darkvoice 337? :>)

The HD555's are surprisingly my oldest piece of head-fi gear. Already have them for more than 5 years now I think.

 

[ilovesocks]

When I first discovered Head-Fi, I went through several budget setups over the course of a year, escalating to a Corda Aria and then settling in to my current rig, which I've had for 3 years now. I've had my AKG k271S for 4 years though.

Having stopped being a Head-Fi regular since I'm happy with my stuff (and because I've been put off by Head-Fi's cluttered interface since the facelift a couple years ago), I'm out of the loop when it comes to the newest gear. I've never heard anything better than what I have---with the exception of the Raptor/RS-1 combo from the San Jose annual meet that sometimes haunts me---and as long as I don't go to any more meets, it'll stay that way!

 

[Edwood]

Until it stops working, or I find something better that is within my price range. And if it's not within my price range, I sell other stuff to help get it.