A thread about costly, questionable accessories prompts this poll. I think that high end audio is a great hobby that is in a state of flux. Some would say doldrums; but you can get an incredible stereo these days for a modest investment. The poliferation of tweaks like incredibly expensive speaker cables and interconnects tells me that something is amiss in the hobby.
My first stereo in the mid 1980’s was a Yamaha integrated amplifier, a Yamaha CD player, and some Genesis Physics Corporation (now defunct) speakers. God I loved that stereo. I replaced the Yamaha CD player with a Rotel and noticed a definate improvement. I replaced the Genesis Physics speakers with Monitor Audio and I remain a fan of Monitor Audio speakers to this day.
My next system was: Arcam integrated amplifier, Magnum Dynalab tuner, California Audio Labs CD transport & processor, Magnepan Speakers, Denon Cassette Deck, Transparent speaker cable, Audioquest interconnects, Sanus rack, Noisetrapper power conditioner.
I started to get involved with tweaks as well, you can see. I also think that my money would have been better spent on a more powerful amp for the Maggies, rather than going from the Rotel to the California Audio Labs.
Anyway, I had to sell my beloved stereo in a moving sale and am in between systems. Right now I think that my next system will be made up entirely of used gear. Here in NYC there are a couple of high end stores with wonderful buys on used gear. The kind of stuff that is made to last a lifetime.
P.S. If there are any former Genesis Physics speakers owners out there (not to be confused with the present speaker company Genesis Technologies, co-founded by Arnie Nudell, himself the founder and former owner of Infinity) you might get some nostalgia here
Marantz Receiver ( soon to be replaced with a Rotel integrated amp and a tuner - Magnum Dynalab if I have the cash )
B&W 805 speakers
AMC CD-8a cd-player
NAD 616 dual-well tapedeck for cheap dubbing purposes
Music Hall ( basically a Projet ) turntable
Sennheiser 580 headphones
fairly generic interconnects ( I can’t even recall the brand off-hand - but a step up from bailing wire )
In my car I have a Kenwood 8717 mp3/cd player feeding an Alpine 5-channel (100wx4+200x1) amp powering MB Quart components (2 6" mid-woofers, 2 4" midrange, 2 1" titanium dome tweeters) through MB Quart MUSiCOMP crossovers and a JL12w3 in a custom box.
I just recently bought a Bose Acoustic Wave system. On impulse. An expensive impulse.
Anyway, I already knew how good it sounded but I was still impressed with how it handled the extreme ends of its dynamic range. I can crank the volume up to max, and it just will not distort. And at very low volumes, the sound is still clear.
I played some of my most loud and bass-heavy music, Guano Apes, The Matrix Soundrtack, and a bunch of reggae, and I could not get the thing to distort.
The only complaint I have is that there’s no equalizer, not even treble and bass adjustments. They say it’s tuned at the factory. But not for my living room! Its a minor annoyance sometimes - female vocals resonate a bit too much.
I own a Aiwa, but my son owns the cool set in the house, it’s a Sony with dual tape decks, radio, and holds FIFTY ONE cds. He holds that over my head all the time!! [Just don’t drop it on my head, DJ!!]
…but couldn’t find it. (Still afraid to search too exhaustively - even though things seem to be running smoother?) This subject came up in the last several weeks, but I’ll be glad to post my antiques again.
[ul]
[li]preamp: Yamaha C-4 (1981) - this is a full control amp - switchable filters, semi-parametric tone controls, switchable phono pre-amp[/li][li]power amp: Carver M-400 (1981) - makes soft purring sounds - normal[/li][li]CD: Sony CDP 215 (1997)[/li][li]tuner: Sony ST-S500ES (1989?)[/li][li]cassette: Fisher CR4029 (1980) - an oddball - 2 speed cassette,1 7/8 ips and 3 3/4[/li][li]turntable: Pioneer PLL-1000 (1981) (overseas model, sold here as Phase Linear PL-1000) massive, and currently dusty. I drug it out to transfer some vinyl to CD[/li][li]phono cartridge; Ortofon LM20, Ortofon Concorde, and an Audio-Technica of unknown parentage. (1981)[/li][li]speakers: Acoustic Research AR93 (1981) - the foam bass driver surrounds are shredded - really need new drivers. They still work, but they don’t have the clarity in the low end that they used to.[/li][/ul]
I put the basics together when I was stationed in Alaska in the AF (1981) - gotta love overseas Exchange pricing.
The cassette, tuner and CD have come in the intervening years.
On the subject of overkill, I roomed with a guy when I was stationed in Tacoma who had a pair of Klipsch LaScalas in our dorm room. Very nice, even in the small space. Don’t remember what was driving them, but it was sufficient to occasionally annoy the MP squadron in the dorm next door.
My wife would like us to get something smaller, which I would readily agree to if we could keep the quality of what we already have. She especially would like to lose the “bachelor speakers” that occupy unaviodably prominent positions in our living room. I certainly don’t need 200 W per side anymore - haven’t hauled everything to a garage party in a very long time. We would probably keep the CD and tuner but replace everything else with a receiver and a sub/satellite system. Anyone have suggestions? I am not as well acquainted with home audio as I once was.
NAD 312 integrated Amplifier
Sony CA70ES CD Changer
Paradigm Mini Monitors
Ixos Interconnects.
Soon to be…
B&K 1400 Amp
Creek OP12 PreAmp
Paradigm Studio 20s
Anyone want to buy any of the above?
I searched to see if this had been done before and I couldn’t find anything. The thread you are referring to is hiding out somewhere!
This brings back some memories of being in Japan in the early eighties and watching my buddies by equipment. Carver amps and Bose 901’s were all the rage. I didn’t get any thing, but got my parents a a stereo that they have to this day. Kenwood receiver, Technics cassette deck, Technics turntable, Fisher speakers. Later I bought them a $100 Sony CD player which sounds fine.
Horn speakers like Klipsch are incredibly efficient. They can fill a room using a ten watt amp.
From reading people’s responses I am amazed at how durable audio gear is. DCM time window speakers - that brings back some memories. As to new speakers mdf I agree that they way they look in one’s home is very important. Tamerlane’s B&W’s would be an excellent choice. There is a new speaker out from PSB that I haven’t heard yet but costs under $600 and looks great. I love the Magnepans, and they have an under $600 speaker as well. Now I love mini-monitors (“bookshelf speakers”) as well. B&W, PSB, and Paradigm are all good names. I think that finding a good dealer is important.
renigademaster I like your new system! It’s going to sing!
I 've owned a selection of Japanese rubbish over the years but the one I’m still sticking with is my Grandfather’s Telefunken Andante Stereo. Its from Europe somewhere (by the name Germany, Holland I’m guessing,) and there is absolutely nothing fancy about it. Bass, treble, volume and balance and of course the tuner are the only knobs attached. It probably uses valve technology for all I know, the reason I like it so much is that it gives a rich quality of sound and picks up signal better than other stereos I’ve had. Best of all is the retro styling. Its totally subtle and refined looking, run of the mill for its day I guess but it looks so cool right now alongside my silver and grey plastic trash machine.
in my room I have a 100 watt Philips Magnavox (FW540C) 4-speaker system. it has 2 main speakers, and 2 surround-sound speakers. Not expensive, but the sound-quality is absolutely amazing.
Hooked up to that is a 30 watt powered subwoofer (also Philips Magnavox).
Not much into home audio, but for car audio, I used to have:
Kenwood X711
Diamond HEX S600S
Arc 2100
2 12" JL W0’s
MMATS D300HC
Sold all that so that I could pay for insurance. Next setup, assuming I get a good deal from my uncle on his Lexus (I’m not going to bother putting anything in the Civic, the damn thing rattles like no other).
Stock HU
PG 4600
Dynaudio 360’s or Utopia 165W3’s
JBL 1200.1
1 15" ID MAX or Audiomobile MASS 3000 (was thinking about a Stryke HE15, but the recommended passive radiator setup will take up too much room).
Now, I was just perusing this thread for the new posts, when I noticed something. I lied. I don’t have B & W 805’s. I have 602(s2)'s . Why the hell I said 805 is beyond me. I’ve been doing this a lot lately. Mind must be going .
A 12-year old Pioneer rack system. Still works great, except that it desperately needs to be cleaned (static when you turn up the volume) and the tape deck doesn’t record or play stereo anymore. Bummer.
Some decent cables between the amp and the cd player as well as above-average quality speaker wiring, but nothing too fancy. I bought the entire set in 1998 for about USD 1200, and have been delighted with it ever since.
)
. Why the hell I said 805 is beyond me. I’ve been doing this a lot lately. Mind must be going