As long as we're strolling down memory lane, my early teen years were the late fifties when transistors mobilized your music and one could take his tiny[relatively speaking] transistor radio with and listen to Elvis, Dion,The Platters, Bill Haley I could go on, but you get the idea.
The awakening...
For the past 30 years or so I've considered myself a die-hard audiophile.
I've gone through similar phases and opinions like most of you probably have.
I've bought and sold many dozens (if not hundreds) of high end components and cables.
Audio research, Linn, audionote, ensemble, synergistic, Zu Audio, PS Audio, Yamamoto, modwright, REL, Klipsch, hafler, CJ, coincident, classe, anthem, oppo, MIT, and many other brands I don't even remember. I've auditioned hundreds more...
I'm also an electronic technician so I had my share of experience with DIY.
I've gone from tubes and vinyl to digital and SS, and back around.
I've owned mini monitors and huge 6' Giants and everything in between.
I've heard the most minute differences in sound quality between cables and footers.
I've spent way too many dollars on fuses, tweaks and furniture.
I read reviews, and swore by specific brands.
I've put together systems which I was sure we're the best ever and defended my choices with a passion.
No more.
I'm sitting here right now in my (ex) music room, listening to a system that costs less than $350 total, and enjoying the music as I rarely did with my recent $30K one.
Does it sound as good and realistic as the $30K one? No it doesn't.
But it sounds damn good. It's musical, engaging, full bodied with a well established sound stage, good detail and tonality, well paced, and I'm having a blast!!!
I just don't care no more for the minute differences in sound quality.
There is no end to it.
I let go, and oh man it feels good to enjoy music without constantly analyzing and subconsciously looking for imperfection or thinking how much better it will sound with tweak X or cable Y or upgrade Z...
This tiny $350 system delivers 80% of the sound quality of the $30K one, and honestly probably better than many $5K ones out there. I mean it...
It doesn't make any sense no more!
I have no regrets ...
I've had a lot of fun and I met amazing people that I wouldn't have had I not been an audiophile.
I've experienced great uplifting monents and great disappointments.
I've laughed and cried, was blown away and frustrated... It was a great ride.
I am leaving this hobby behind and not looking back...
Damn it feels good.
I'll keep enjoying great music and HiFi sound, and will appreciate high quality equipment, but I won't be obsessed with it no more.
I still have a very nice system in my living room which is probably worth around $2K and will be more than I'll ever need going forward.
This amazing little $350 system is going to my office where I spend most of my week days and I'm excited about it...
I have woken up from the audiophile dream, and what has been seen can't be unseen.
Goodbye and thanks for the fish :-)
PS:
Since I know you are very curious, the $350 system consists of a Raspberry Pi as a streamer ($25) with an upgraded DAC ($60), an upgraded power supply ($50), a 20 watt Chinese digital power amplifier ($70), mini monitor speakers I bought as a kit ($100), DIY stands from leftover lumber ($20), and around $20 in cables...
I intentionally omit brand names, this post is not about recommending any specific item. It's about what amazing value you can get for ridiculously cheap these days in general.
I promise each and every one of you that if you were sitting in my seat right now, and I would have told you that you are listening to a $5K system, you would not have doubted it for a second. You are probably thinking that I'm crazy, but I am not.
I've already tried this trick on a few very experienced audiophile friends this past week. :-)
I've gone through similar phases and opinions like most of you probably have.
I've bought and sold many dozens (if not hundreds) of high end components and cables.
Audio research, Linn, audionote, ensemble, synergistic, Zu Audio, PS Audio, Yamamoto, modwright, REL, Klipsch, hafler, CJ, coincident, classe, anthem, oppo, MIT, and many other brands I don't even remember. I've auditioned hundreds more...
I'm also an electronic technician so I had my share of experience with DIY.
I've gone from tubes and vinyl to digital and SS, and back around.
I've owned mini monitors and huge 6' Giants and everything in between.
I've heard the most minute differences in sound quality between cables and footers.
I've spent way too many dollars on fuses, tweaks and furniture.
I read reviews, and swore by specific brands.
I've put together systems which I was sure we're the best ever and defended my choices with a passion.
No more.
I'm sitting here right now in my (ex) music room, listening to a system that costs less than $350 total, and enjoying the music as I rarely did with my recent $30K one.
Does it sound as good and realistic as the $30K one? No it doesn't.
But it sounds damn good. It's musical, engaging, full bodied with a well established sound stage, good detail and tonality, well paced, and I'm having a blast!!!
I just don't care no more for the minute differences in sound quality.
There is no end to it.
I let go, and oh man it feels good to enjoy music without constantly analyzing and subconsciously looking for imperfection or thinking how much better it will sound with tweak X or cable Y or upgrade Z...
This tiny $350 system delivers 80% of the sound quality of the $30K one, and honestly probably better than many $5K ones out there. I mean it...
It doesn't make any sense no more!
I have no regrets ...
I've had a lot of fun and I met amazing people that I wouldn't have had I not been an audiophile.
I've experienced great uplifting monents and great disappointments.
I've laughed and cried, was blown away and frustrated... It was a great ride.
I am leaving this hobby behind and not looking back...
Damn it feels good.
I'll keep enjoying great music and HiFi sound, and will appreciate high quality equipment, but I won't be obsessed with it no more.
I still have a very nice system in my living room which is probably worth around $2K and will be more than I'll ever need going forward.
This amazing little $350 system is going to my office where I spend most of my week days and I'm excited about it...
I have woken up from the audiophile dream, and what has been seen can't be unseen.
Goodbye and thanks for the fish :-)
PS:
Since I know you are very curious, the $350 system consists of a Raspberry Pi as a streamer ($25) with an upgraded DAC ($60), an upgraded power supply ($50), a 20 watt Chinese digital power amplifier ($70), mini monitor speakers I bought as a kit ($100), DIY stands from leftover lumber ($20), and around $20 in cables...
I intentionally omit brand names, this post is not about recommending any specific item. It's about what amazing value you can get for ridiculously cheap these days in general.
I promise each and every one of you that if you were sitting in my seat right now, and I would have told you that you are listening to a $5K system, you would not have doubted it for a second. You are probably thinking that I'm crazy, but I am not.
I've already tried this trick on a few very experienced audiophile friends this past week. :-)
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- 104 posts total
My first "audiophile awakening" was around age 16. My parents had an old "all-in-one" Phillips stereo with a receiver, TT, and flimsy speakers that came with the set. I don’t think it even had a Cassette deck, maybe an 8-track, but I don’t really remember. I was extremely happy with it, until one day one of my classmates invited me over to his house to listen to some albums. They had a the top-of-the-line luxman component setup, with a dbx dynamic range expander, and a pair of huge 15" Altec Lansings with horn tweeters, I never even knew what model they were. They were similar to the ones with the huge vertical "slider style" switches they now try to "retro" with their newer models. I will never forget the first time I saw the PD-444 (i found out the model much later, but there was no mistaking that TT) with dual arms, and the first time he played the same album that I listened to the day before on my crappy Phillips system. It was Zenyatta Mondatta by The Police. On the first few bass notes of "Don’t stand so close to me" my jaw dropped to the floor, and I knew I will never listen the same way to that crappy Phillips system. Amazing that 35 years later, I still have the image of their system fresh in my memory. what a round-trip ! |
Steve Guttenberg "compares" a $250K power amp, to a $33 one. Interesting 8 minute watch, and he re-iterates some of the points we discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJqXcBHixQc |
my parents ruined me young..one of my first memories at age 4 in 1965 was a big truck arriving from Music Unlimited in Cleveland - the unboxing of Dual, McIntosh and Bozak components. Being warned on threat of death to never touch....My parents had no carpet and as I recall a ratty old antique couch we were NEVER allowed to sit on....oh but money for the trumpet, accordian, piano, voice lessons, and the Hi-Fi...... as I write this I have Fleetwood Mac cranked up, we used to listen at insane levels when the parents not home..tubes in the Mc240 glowing blue w plasma.. I still have that amp... and yes falcon so many of the best memories are on the cheap as it were...I have been blessed... |
- 104 posts total