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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
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
5,780 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
2,587 posts
 

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

james633
1,017 posts
 

The Salon II is anything but simple. More engineering went into that speaker than entire speaker lines from other manufactures. 
 

But yes I agree, a lot of what people spend money on is excess and not really improving the sound much. 

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,133 posts
 

In your case being myself  an ex dealer your dac streamer for sure could use a big upgrade 

a innuos server,streamer with LPS , your router 100%should have a good LPS the junk wall wart Thst come with modem - router combo are normally 12 v 4 amp

Linear Tube Audio make a exceptional one .buy on Audiogon $50 off $700 none better under $1200 comes too with a great Dc cable to the router.

Linear tube audio , also a quality Ethernet hub ,both need at least a pangea sig or better power cord ,and you wants great dac ,which i am buying  soon 

the T+A 200 dac,-preamp at $7200 retail beats dacs 2x+ it’s price.

then your system will be substantially better sounding ,that’s a Guarantee !!

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