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All-in-One units for retiring audiophile & music lovers in 2025, say what?

A good audio buddy friend closing in on his later parts of the golden years contacted me over the holidays. He started  talking rather excitedly about these new all-in-one units. [Please disregard if this is nothing new for you and/or not of any real interest]. This story and ask below might not resonate with some. Hopefully others who can relate might reply, understanding a lot of what this is really about. A winding down audiophile friend, looking for simplicity of listening to music is what I can share up front. 

I found my audiophile friend's [all of the sudden] inquiry interesting, me asking what he's looking at buying -  say what?, and starting to ask him "does it sound good, look good, is it light weight or heavy, could you see it replacing everything as your new center piece in your big room, and all the other stuff gone - really?", "Say more". He started to share more. Please read on if any of this is resonating, Thanks.  

We start talking and reminiscing about our early Go-To receivers from the mid 1970s. The big all-in-one boxes. Wider cases, big transformers, powerful, weighty, great FM tuners, tone controls, Big Stereo Sound.  How it was back then - simple to listen to FM, big roller dial, plug in your turntable, tape decks, and enjoy the music for days. No other worries, let it play. Remember doing that?  I bet many members here on Audiogon lived all of that too, and none of us will ever forget it. I won't. 

I also bring this up because It dawned on me, I started asking myself wow - is this really occurring all over again in some new and exciting way. Like a giddy kid  I start researching with him seeing more - woah, what? I did realize some of this [sort of an era renewal] was already occurring past few years, still not quite aware myself of what's out there, or coming back, maybe puzzled a bit and curious.

Seeing more videos, familiar reviewers, all touching on this topic past 1-2 yrs. Then you see some of the same new units popping up with all of the reviewers, hmmm. 

So my fairly extreme multi [tube/amp/component] audio buddy [past 60 years] starts showing me these new generation [mostly] solid state units he's been looking at, seemingly ready to hang up ALL of the separate components.  Says he simply wants "one box" now to "do it all", "getting rid of all this other stuff", to just "play music" and "be done". These were his exact words recently. Some may relate here. It kinda hit me. Something to be said for simplicity and just listening to music. Yes. 

Next Generation - 

Looking closely at these new units with my friend - seeing somewhat old-familiar design approaches, renewed, by real engineers. Ahhh, hey, there we see big transformers, a stout amplifier section, nice capacitors, thick copper wiring, big screws on power caps, robust binding posts, nice built in DAC, built-in streamer with tons of access, yep - tone controls, loudness control, low noise, meters, lighting - hmmm what's going on here.  I soon realized I too need to pay attention and look around more closely - to see what he's really looking at and why. It starts to make a lot of sense, it's coming into a focus, just like the '70s era receivers were.

Fast forward a few weeks -  Buddy just ordered his new all-in-one unit, maybe downsizing speakers. He's dropping back down to a new/familiar 70s style midsize speaker as well.  He was initially anxious, a little nervous maybe, wondering - and decided to just go forward and "not look back" he says. Some of you may already be well down this path, or even doing this in 2nd, 3rd systems now. The whole thing is sort of a throwback [in some ways] to me, sort of what it use to be like 50yrs ago. Or feels that way to me.  They say great ideas recycle back to themselves. Maybe so. Observing closer now.  

Wow, wouldn't it be really cool if it could be all done really well, in one-box, once again? No more separates component listening - just hit the power button one time, turn up the volume, and let it play in the big room, listen, walk around, no worries - just let it play for days on end. I bet many  here totally get why I posted this. It's for an audio friend.  

ASK:

Please share your story. It would be so cool for him to read any of your stories. I know he would be interested and appreciate your wind-back consolidation journey too - if you have one like his to share in some way.  Particularly those who've made great strides towards major consolidation and still enjoying the music.  Dear buddy is starting the journey now to separate himself from his vast array of separates, lots of stuff, selling everything else soon, and going back to "one box" for simple music in the big room. I'm supporting him along the way on this particularly journey.    

Thanks a million in advance for your replies - care to share your familiar story at all?

 

 

 

 

 

decooney
chenry's avatar
chenry
211 posts
 

A pair of small actives and a capable small preamp (with tube section), dual DAC, headphone amp: Buchardt A500, ProJect Pre Box RS2, add streamer (WiiM, Sonos or Bluesound) and done. For much less money: WiiM streamer + Q Acoustics M20 + powered sub.

bassbuyer
167 posts
 

Some good all-in-one setups that can stream music on their own that just need a pair of passive speakers have been noted.  That Yamaha looks good.  I’ve have a few Yamaha Receivers that I’ve purchased over the years and they are still running well.  I’ve been looking at the Cambridge Audio 150 which has wi-fi, DAC, class D amp and has outputs for 2 pairs of speakers.  It has a lot of positive reviews online including a couple of best of 2024 mentions recently.  I’m thinking about using for a portable system for long term stays for retirement.  Either that or a pair of powered speakers with streaming that would reduce everything to one box for travel.  I’ve thought about the same thing about leaving all my equipment behind.  A couple of my buddies have agreed to take care of getting rid of the equipment for my wife so she doesn’t just sell it at a yard sale when I’m gone.  It’s a part of estate planning only audiophiles have to think about.  

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tonycorvette1
11 posts
 

Great topic. Ok this is exactly what direction my life in audio has gone to since retiring several years ago.So here is an abbreviated story as most would get a headache if I listed all of it and probably recommend a good therapist .

We first need to start with the fact that my first system was a $129.00 all in one table top stereo purchased in 1970 at the local appliance store . I think it was a Zenith (yes the people who made TV's)From that point I had a variety of these type systems until I actually had a real job and could leave the appliance store for a place in NYC called "crazy eddies" Wow you could actually go to this store and go in a room and have a sales guy (that you knew more about the components than he did) demo what was in the room. (you graduated to the big room if you were a serious audio nut) There's a scene in the movie Ruthless People where Judge Reingold plays this perfectly. That is how far I go back and how it really was. My first real system was a Pioneer SX something or other made with real wood side and view meters everywhere to delight the senses. The speakers were something called the BIC Ventura's that had real open ports for sound. I thought I died and went to heaven. My brother in law at the time had to come with me to pick it up as I needed his van to fit the boxes. Years thru one upgrade after another Krell mono block 's the size of small dorm refrigerators with Velodyne subwoofer the size of a coffee table with two Martin Logan e-stat speakers, Summits I believe. They looked like mock up of the Empire State Building . (Its a miracle I am married 51 years if you can imagine a wife living with this stuff in our living room) this was so big and loud that it was common for everyone in the house to go outside into the yard to visit when I had them playing as inside you needed sign language to communicate as you could not hear. Years later and many moves around the country for various executive jobs that God blessed me with the fortune of having, allowed for educating 3 children and still being able to afford a "Stereo" system. I graduated to the audio mountain

My mountain top and last balls to the wall system was actually building a room in my basement for MUSIC complete with sound treatments that housed what was the first meridian solos system(this became the Roon guys of today) A Wall of total meridian Digital stuff for my several thousand CD collection. I was ready to die and go to heaven yet again. Fast forward to retirement several years ago. Since I was blessed to have this opportunity and blessed to have a life partner that put up with it I under considerable distress promised to turn our much smaller home and lifestyle back to my Wife and Family (now visitors) after many prayerful hours of reflection sold it all and started down the path to a  HEADPHONE SYSTEM......wow was this a shock at first. After all the Wadia, Krell, B&W Classe, Levinson etc etc I actually was relieved that I could maintain my hobby, love of music and contribute to my family more normal lifestyle of private personal music listening in my lazyboy chair of choice. I actually love it. First it allowed for that kind of $$ to get really TOTL headphone setups for much less ( That was then as you know those days have also gone) however no truck required to pick up the equipment just to carry the money.......swear they saw guys like me coming. Anyway through the merry go round of tube amps, DAC's , network switches , Susvara, AB 1266 , Focal and all the in between I have landed with my first All in one since 1970 . I now have a 3 shelf rack with the Warwick Aperio, Innuos Zen-NG network switch/streamer/server I ripped everything to. Top off with a Teac transport for good measure.( Records had to go as well to much maintenance and space) Truth be told it's the best sounding system of them all. Granted you no longer physically attend a concert in your living room with Bass bouncing off your chest but it will hopefully add a few years to if not my life my hearing.... So go for it , HP are terrific, Private listening, no wall of stuff, happy family. Mind you this can cost more that the entire wall of stuff did before so they still get you in the end but hey, some people that are fortunate enough to have the $$$ collect cars???? ....Seriously it's a great move .. You can start down the Head-fi  rabbit hole with plenty to choose from and start attending Can-Jam shows. ( which I do and the lunacy never stops.) At least this time no one in our home knows what equipment I have or cares as they barely see it and Never hear it.......I could have gone on but enough is enough.....I suspect. Long live Music and Audio!!! 

PS Had a DCS Lina system I also enjoyed and could be on one shelf. Sincerely like life there are compromises but not many really and much much simpler . Also know one cares when you go under the HP's

rbstehno
1,472 posts
 

Decooney- this is why I mentioned to sell everything he has now and get the pair of Kef LS60 speakers that have the amps/dac/preamp all built in and they sound terrific. All you would have in the room is a pair of speakers.

decooney OP
2,110 posts
 

Thanks to everyone for your great, kind, and clever replies.

This thread is truly about helping those moving from audiophile separates to ultra-consolidated systems that still sound amazing, easy to manage/move, not taking up a lot of space. Audiophile All-in-One units, powered speakers, all great ideas here.

In no way is this thread meant to take away from anyone enjoying separates. I’ll be  in this camp too down the road. It  will take me ten years to figure out how to consolidate all of my stuff too, LOL.

There is hope for the future though for those consolidating now - reading all of these great replies to this thread. WOW, there is some really neat stuff shared so far. Had no idea some of these great audiophile all-in-ones already exist today.  We can all see this is its whole sector of new devices coming out within the audiophile industry - very cool, Thanks to All here!

 

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