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"Diminishing Returns"

I have a relatively simple system in my smaller room. My system is made up of older gear.  My system consists of: a phenomenal pair of Revel Salon 2 speakers, Hegel H590 integrated amp, Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty Streaming DAC, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, Audioquest Niagara 3000 conditioner, Audioquest & ATC power cables, JPS Labs speakers cables, Audioquest XLR interconnects, Shunyata Research ethernet cables, and an assortment of tweeks throughout my system. I get to hear all kinds of great sounding gear in all price ranges at my local dealers and also at the audio shows I attend every year. It’s nothing for todays manufactures to ask 30K, 40K, 100K for a pair of stand mount, bookshelf speakers. There’s such a wonderful, beautiful sea of great gears out there for audiophiles to choose from. However, the sound quality of my relatively simple audio system is so incredibly compelling and so incredibly satisfying and provides me with such a high level of musical bliss in my room, I just don’t have a desire to spend more. I’m sure there’s others out there who feel the same about their speakers/system.

kennymacc
knotscott
814 posts
 

Exactly right!  I'm totally happy with what I hear, and know it would cost silly money to duplicate the sound of.  I don't even go into audio shops anymore.  

musicaddict
370 posts
 

I love my system and cannot see changes now. I worked my way into older used (highly reduced) Raidho D2 small floor standers (with two R.E.L. subs) and for my room, I cannot imagine anything I'd be willing to spend more money for.

I run digital (and older analog sources) into DSP and Odyssey Kismet monoblocks to the D2 speakers. The move to 'unheard' Odyssey (from a decent-sounding W4S STI-1000 integrated) was dumb luck but highly satisfying, based on a lot of reading. 

I'd probably never gamble again on unheard equipment so it solves the 'looking' problem unless you're made of money. Stores don't let you demo like they used to so I'm not sure what good they can be at higher levels of purchases. Crapshoot.

 

joc3021
100 posts
 

I have an Ayre qx 5 twenty and and Ax5 twenty amp.  Done for life with this  core set up, as good as anything I've owned over the years (a lot) or heard at shows and suits my sonic preferences best. Just added a new streamer and may diddle around with speakers in the future, but the dac/amp setup is staying. Updrade-itus over. It is possible to be happy with your system, took awhile to get there though and lots of green.

jond's avatar
jond
5,677 posts
 

Kenny you've hit on one of the secrets of audio, older great sounding gear still sounds great! The only pieces younger than 10 years in my system are my streamer and my speakers. And needless to say it sounds fantastic!

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,540 posts
 

I think you're talking about being completely satisfied with your system and having the sense to know it, not diminishing returns.

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