After fifty years… amazing. What high end audio can be.

What a pleasant thread. Thanks. Turned 70 on Christmas Day and spent a little bit of the day enjoying our hobby. Just returned to home hifi five years ago, even though my career arc has taken me through broadcast and the large outdoor music event business. Have probably put more time than money into home listening but even the learning has been rewarding.

On my third build now around vintage Crown pro audio power and it’s been great fun, more about tinkering than perfection…but this thread is a great reminder about the real goal state, enjoyable listening!

FWIW, my favorite at home is my simplest, a late 1980s Crown PS-200 serviced and recapped at AE Techron, with just two peripherals, an unpowered Shitt preamp with a pot and two inputs on one switch - one input from the TV cable box through a DAC and one from an Auris BluMe Pro Bluetooth receiver. It powers a REL T5i sub and a pair of Wharfedale Heritage Lintons from the high level outputs.

What it lacks in sophistication it makes up for in gorgeous room filling tone and fatigue-free imaging. And most importantly to this thread, I smile every time I turn it on.

Great Thread!

I am one of the late 60's / early 70's group that has got back into stereo after a few decades away from it. What a great hobby and it is really nice to be able to sit down and disappear into the music for a while when time allows.

@ghdprentice My hat is of to you my friend. I’m 62 and I hope that I can achieve your level of satisfaction or bliss at 70. I’ve been at this since I was a young boy. I’m inspired!

Great thread---I've been in the audiophile world for about 30 years. My first 10-15 years was a swap fest with different gear, etc, since I had close friends at a local hifi shop. Then I settled down with my older system (now vintage) for quite a few years before the bug bit me again about 3 years ago. I bought some new gear for my reference system and started getting new gear for my 'fun' system. What I'm starting to learn is that I'm listening more to my fun system than my reference. Interesting how this turned out---I may make another post about this later.

Great thread!  As I always told my customers, if you love it, it is the best system there is!

Brand names, etc., are interesting, but since it is all about the music, it really doesn't matter WHAT you have as long as it delights you every time you listen.

Cheers and Happy 2023 to all!