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Total cost of ownership - how to reduce it

Audiogon members love their music - but I am not alone, I think, in finding that the requirements in terms of cost and time for keeping the system running at optimal, can become too steep. Can we help each other out?

Today I have spent two hours trying to find a failed tube in my system. Two months ago I had a bad episode with a repair service that did not repair and did not return my stuff. Some weeks ago, I blew a speaker driver, I am still waiting for the replacement. Thinking, I need a tube tester, since my system has a lot of tubes - I got the tester, but it blew tubes, not "dead on arrival" but "over-excited" - and has to be repaired. I am perhaps especially unlucky. But I ask myself, how much is enough? When such experiences accumulate, I can understand people plugging into Mp3, it is simple and it works.

I have thought about my situation and diagnosed two main types of problems - maybe, relevant for other Audiogon members also.

The first is where you buy a thing used and then get it upgraded by the manufacturer. You pay quite a lot for this, and you would expect the whole thing is checked - but it is not. In two cases now, I have experienced that even if the upgrade works fine, the box as a whole is not checked, and develops problems a year or two after the upgrade.

The second case is where you pay for an upgrade that is more like a new build (e g of a speaker) or rebuild (of a cartridge). Now, there is no lagging wear and tear problem, but it turns out that the upgrade parameters were not fully developed, things have to be changed or checked afterwards (speaker drivers dont work optimal, needle not quite in place, etc).

I would be the first to recognize that some of these costs (time, mainly, but money also) should be accepted. I have paid local repair costs without complaining, and have used many hours of my own time. As an advanced user, I accept some extra costs.

It is just that, sometimes it gets too much.

I would like other Audiogon users' thoughts on this dilemma, and especially, what can we do to reduce the total ownership costs.

Your thoughts and experiences welcome.
Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter
2010challenger
10 posts
 
I tend to keep stuff until it fails or is just really old. I just retired my 12 year old HT receiver when I saw a deal for a new (refurb) one at a more than 50% discount. When something fails, or the remote is almost as hard to find as a diamond in my backyard, it goes. Sometimes it ends up on my PC sound system, but usually goodwill gets it. My stuff looks new at 25 years old.

Some hints:
If it gets much warmer than body temp, put a fan on it somehow. Suck the cat/dog hair/dust out of it once a year or so. Make SURE the fans work! My old PC's $$$ video card cooked itself when the fans literally fell apart due to them being molded out of defective plastic. I kept seeing white dusty looking stuff on the bottom of the case, and I didn't realize it was the fan blades disintegrating until the thing cooked.

Put a UPS on your PC, and TV. I lost an expensive TV when the power surged and the UPS I had it on had failed and I stuck a cheap surge protector on it temporarily.

Don't chase rainbows and buy into nonsensical tweaks and endless upgrades.

A few years ago, my mom's TV finally decided to go all green after 35 years and we figured the cost of owning it per day was less than a penny, not counting the power it took as a CRT set.
wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
I've found over 5 plus decades of tube guitar amps and hifi stuff that SS amps aren't more reliable than tubes, and in my experience somewhat less reliable...people abuse tube guitar amps from the 50s every day...and night...sometimes afternoons...
mechans
3,048 posts
 
So much for saving a ton using a headphone set up.  My better tube headphone amp had a channel go and the manufacturer has been out of business for a long time.  So what do I do?  I buy another all tube unit, this time 2 6SN7s driving the 6AS7G , 6080, 5998 etc,(X2) power tubes.  Sounds good and manufacturer direct, did not cost a fortune (Felik's Audio), sadly I liked the other better, but the guy is hated for stealing so much money.  At least I had all of the tubes I might have been tempted to roll.I must say, in all honesty, that I want my regular big rig back, but I have no space to put it in.  Yes you should all feel for me.  I will put together another rig but smaller by necessity.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
o_holter OP
977 posts
 
Mechans - yes a good headfi system is a low cost basic. I’ve learned a lot from this over the years. My Audiotaylor Jade otl heaphone amp led me to otl amps in my main rig - no regrets.

A good way to keep costs down if you have a good sounding analog system is to record it. I use a Tascam Da -3000 with very good results.. Recently my cartridge broke down - the diamond fell off the cantilever. I calculated. The diret vinyl listening has cost ca 3 dollars per hour. The digital recording just a fraction.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
o_holter OP
977 posts
 
An update:Two fans running, very low cost computer fans, adjusted for low noise, without problems - behind my most critical tube components.

Regarding heat x time:
I think soldering close to mechanical parts is especially error-prone. Like volume potmeters, or even cable contacts that are much used.
Examples:My Jade OTL amp has developed scratching noise, once more, when I turn the volume.Last time it was poor soldering. Seems to be the same, now.
My Aesthetix Io phono preamp had to be repaired and the main error was in the volume controls (with a lot of soldering), they had to replaced.

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