Hi all and thanks for your thoughts!
@nonoise:
You may be right, only time will tell... My living room system with Hypex Ncore monoblocks, Schiit BiFrost multibit, SoTM streamer, DIY Audionote clone preamp, and a Project TT probably provides >90% of my ex main system at 1/10 of the cost, and I really don’t miss a thing with it. The ability to truly and deeply enjoy a $350 system without focusing on its flaws is a revelation.
@n80:
I am leaving the ’hobby’ as a ’hobby’, that doesn’t mean not enjoying music or great sounding systems anymore. A ’hobby’ is something I spend my free time on, and being an ’audiophile’ vs. a ’music-phile’ means spending time improving the audio experience. I’m done with that.
I see your point though, and agree that there is no X dollar amount, it’s the attitude...
@jtcf:
You say "I couldn’t stop thinking about what upgrades or tweaks were needed to enjoy that (more!)" and you nailed it.
It’s the ’more’ part that I’m leaving behind... There is no end to ’More’!!
It’s also time for me to re-evaluate many other aspects of my life where ’more’ was important to me :-)
@onhwy61:
I agree with your phrasing. That’s the ’audiophile vs music-phile’ part that many of us confuse, I know I have, even though I tried to convinced myself differently. "Never underestimate the power of denial" ...
@cd318:
I believe we are - this is a completely new age. when I started getting into the hobby 30 years ago, the difference between a $300 system and a $3000 system was night and day, not 20%. There were very few cheap, really good sounding components. That is no longer the case.
@williewonka:
I know what good cables can do to the sound, but I honestly don’t care no more. That’s ths shift in state of mind.
Yes - I can spend another $50 and make it sound better, than another $100 to improve some more... and more... and more... There is no end...
I decided to just stop.
@mr_m:
You say " You let the most important part of owning a hi end system elude you all these years."
I didn’t think so. I told myself differently, and I really believed I was truly enjoying the music, which I really did in a sense.
But what I was missing all these years is that when you are in a state of mind of many audiophiles, vs. ’music-philes’, is that we listen critically.
Critique means "a detailed analysis and assessment".
This is true not only in finding or looking for flaws which we consider ’negative’, but the flip side of the same coin is the positive.
Even when I was truly enjoying a great system, I was subconsciously praising its merits: "It has a great soundstage, wow... so much detail I was missing... Man what a great vocal realism etc."
That is gone now.
The shift in state of mind is letting go of that, both for bad and for good.
Maybe it is just me that was blind, but knowing many audiophiles in person, being a member of an audiophile society, and just browsing these forums tells me a different story :-)
@ishkabibil
The specific brands don't really matter. at these price points there are many excellent products, and web reviews will help you.
Raising the budget to $500 or $1,000 may end up with a much better one...but this is the whole point :-)
I don't want this discussion to become 'but that amp is much better... those speakers will blow yours away... You must listen to these cables". That's not what it is all about.
I will say this:
1 - If you have the time, minimal tools, skills, and desire to do so, I highly recommend getting speakers as a kit from a reputable vendor. There are many of those. A $100 kit will be the equivalent of at least $500 off the shelf brand name speaker in terms of sound quality, and you get the bonus of the joy of making it yourself.
2 - For source, streaming with a Raspberry Pi and a decent DAC is hard to beat. Do get a decent power supply with it, and it doesn't have to be a linear one. there are some excellent "audio-grade" switching power supplies as well out.
3 - Many of the chinese amplifiers you can get online are very good. Read the forum reviews, and narrow your list to a few. You can't really go wrong with these prices, and most online shops have liberal return policies so you can easily try out a couple before you land on one that you like most.
HTH
