Who else here is frugal?

Geoffkait ,I think you are right about the noise level...If someone dont care about the acoustical difference between headphones and speakers, this is the right track to travel...

But an old guy as I am like the acoustical freedom of his speakers also... The good news is I think it is possible, " in the grid", to reach relatively near, not too far behind, your quality "off the grid" system, with many precautions related to vibrations resonance, electrical embedding, and acoustical treatment and some other "tweaks"... I say "near" indeed because for the purity of the sound frequencies, the best speakers will always be most of the times only slightly behind the best headphones; but  this acoustical, atmospheric freedom of the sound waves travelling to my body, out of the brain, we must recognize that this is indeed an another world... My best from my past to your future... :)

I agree that cans can be wonderful, and compared to a custom made listening room, a real cost-saver, but ...
Frugality is not about doing without, but doing the best you can with what you have. Lots of us experience our sound system through our bodies and skin, not just our ears. If this is you, cans aren't frugal. They're inadequate.


Best,
E

I didn’t say my portable CD headphones system was the result of frugality. That’s the irony of my post. It was the result of avoidance of NOISE and DISTORTION. After all, you really only have three factors involved when you cut to the chase: the signal, noise and distortion. Minimize noise and distortion and you maximize signal. Make sense? So, in my portable system what I am doing without is noise and distortion.😛

There is no substitute for signal to noise + distortion ratio. 🤗

As I get older, having components that are lighter in weight and easier to use become more appealing. You can get good sound without spending tens of thousands.

geoffkait19,319 posts

Like I said you are absolutely right on all counts... I have known already that electrical pollution and noise in the room and house were stupendous unbeknownst to most or underestimated by all...But even for me it is amazing how the lost by this plague has destroyed the potential of my Hi-Fi system...I dont even speak about the other 2 plagues: resonance-vibrations, and acoustical treatment of room...

If someone dont want or dont need speakers it is for sure the way to go...
Like you said the equation is simple:

There is no substitute for signal to noise + distortion ratio. 🤗

People must learn that, even those , especially those that will keep their speakers like me... 


The last experiment I speak about in my thread is a stupendous proof of this … My best to you and all...