Special birthday audio gift to yourself?


Just turned the big 50, and for some 30 years have always wanted a tube based audio system. I have paired a 55 watt SQ-88 integrated tube amp with a pair of Von Schweikert VRjr4's. Very musical combination.Certainly the best birthday present to myself ever. Wondered what special somethin..somethin..others have treated themselves too for their speacial day.
glenfihi
My B'day has come and gone in July,got nothing but older. --- However, I may be the first on my block in December to own Sophia,Series 2's.--Great dealer is going to exchange mine for just the cost of the upgrade.---Yes, at 67 I have been a good boy.
With the upcoming holidays,I guess it's ok to branch out from B'days not in Nov./ Dec.??
My 5-0 is coming in March. I already know what I'm doing and have advised significant others in case they want to be a part -
1) Levinson 333. I know other things may be different / better, but I always wanted one.
2) Breitling Aerospace (it's a watch). Blue dial with gold accent band. I always wanted one, and I'm going to get it.
3) On the big day I will be skiing at Vail, they will have had 36 inches of fresh powder the night before, and I'll have rented some sweet fat powder skis. End of discussion.
I have a friend who turned 50 this summer, and did the same thing. A pair of Green Moutain Audio Callisto's and a Resolution Audio CD player. I'm not sure which amp he bought.
My birthday was this past Oct. and I treated myself to an Audio Research PH3, bought right here at A'gon! Listening to it as I type this, truthfuly, it took my LP playback to an exciting new level.
Congrats! That sounds like a great gift.
I'm a couple of years away, but I'm already thinking of treating myself to a pair of tube monoblocks, maybe Cary 805's?
My birthday is thursday (55)....going to treat myself to some tubed mono blocks that I can use with my Duetta Signatures part time...looking at Rouge M-120's, Quicksilver V-4 and a couple of others. I'll still have a big SS amp to fall back on for those high SPL moments.

Dave
Treated myself to B&W 804s for the big four-ohhh... but they didn't last long: something odd in the balance (cross-over??) and ultimately too much bass for my room. So I swapped 'em for Signature 805s and haven't looked back (two years and going)!
Hey guys, those are some nice birthday gifts to get oneself!! My 30th b-day is coming up on Nov 15 but I've already purchased my quota of audio stuff for the year. :( Oh well, I'm loving my system right now and don't want to change anything. Happy Birthday to all....
Greg
Hoping to spend about $5000-7000 on new speakers in about 14 months, for my big 5-0.
I'll be researching and listening to everything in the meantime.
Congrats to all who've made it this far!!!
Two years ago I was able to sell my wife on letting me purchase some fabulous ICs for my rig. Well, it's now two years later, and my birthday, though a few months aways, wish to my wife was about a new cdp. Now, this was just a tad more (a big tad at that) than my ICs. Didn't go over very well. "You know I love you honey and would love to make this happen for you. You better get out there and tutor, baby." I guess I'll gave to take whatever $$ she'll throw my way in Feb. warren :)
I just bought a Modwright 999ES cdp with Platinum mods and clock upgrade as a "welcome to a new job" present.

My birthday is in December (42) and will probably splurge on a set of 12 EL34 tubes.

How old is 42 in audio years????

Regards,
I bought a pair of Avalon Avatars, locally, for my 50th birthday. I never thought a similar size dynamic speaker would beat my Montana SPIIs.
These did.
I read Warrenh's response as "selling my wife for a set of interconnects" It's an interesting thought, but I'm sure mine is worth more than one set of interconnects, at least a whole cable loom. I missed my 50th, d-oh, maybe I should be thinking of my 60th, thats much more of a milestone surely. It would'nt be an item of HiFi though, just some more hair and brain cells, to replace the 1000's of both I am loosing daily
I just normally go to Music Direct buy myself
nice cd's like XRCD,SACD's,HDCD,and vynil, that
simple.At least $100 worth of cd"s.
Turning 43 on Nov 9th. Bought myself a couple of "The Jerry Garcia Band" CD's. From the looks of the above posts, it looks like I'm short changing myself.
My big 50 birthday is coming up next year. I plan to spend it listening to island music while cruising the Hawaiian islands. :o) Aloha!
We got an equity line of credit around that time. I purchased circa 1992 Linn, Ekos, nude Archiv, Mana table(our Ariston's start switch went out temporarily). I purchased a Nuforce 8b amp(now 8.02). I got Signal Cable Silver Resolution interconnects and speaker cable. I got Oritek X-2 interconnects(you don't want to ask me which is superior{I use both}). I have to say(now that I have over 3000 albums) that music does not lie in the digital realm(don't worry, I can explain it to you).
For my 50th I got a Linn LP12 and a shipping damage claim with UPS that took a full 12 months to resolve.

Enjoyed that turntable (after it was fixed) for seven years, then changed to a mass-loaded design and would never go back.

Happy birthday all !
A Rogue Audio Cronus for my 52nd, and a Rega P3-24/Exact 2 for my 54th. My 55th is coming up in December, and as an advanced gift, I'm getting the HRT Music Streamer II. It's my first try with "computer audio" and I'll be hooking up an old laptop to my Cronus with the Streamer and set of AudioQuest Sidewinder IC's.
It should be fun, although I will always remain a devoted analog vinyl listener.
Not a birthday present, but treated myself to a small Emotiva amp to power the secondary output of my integrated amp. This for Father's day, more fun than a new tie.
I give myself presents 3 times a year :-) Last time i bought a set of B&w 800 diamond.