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Happy with what I have...

M

Martyn Miles

pfm Member
Perhaps it's because I'm over 60, and settled with my life, that I have reached a time in my life when I'm generally happy with what I have. I once pursued the ultimate car as well as audio equipment. Trying various makes of LS3/5as, for instance, to find which was ' The Best '. Being conned by various cables, etc. Now I have settled on a couple of pairs of old Harbeth speakers with Quad and Audiolab amplifiers. I've cancelled my subscription to Hi-Fi News, as I am bored with reviews of over-expensive speakers, turntables and amplifiers. OK, people generally settle down as they grow older, but the audio market appears to have settled into the portable MP3/headphones and the expensive separates market. I really can see the end of sensibly priced systems when my age group dies.
 
I'm not sure Martyn. My daughter has an A60 into Wharfedale Diamonds about (£130) she uses it with her macbook. My wife who has never had an interest in hi-fi now she has a ipad is suddenly downloading music she also likes nature sounds.

She went out and bought herself a proper pair of headphones. I've even come home to find her listening to thunderstorms with her ipad plugged into my Exposure/E14 second system.

I think the home active speaker will come down in price and I guess things will go that way.

Spotify via a £20 DAC into some good little actives £300 all up would beat most systems at least five times the price 10 years ago.

I think it is a really good thing.
 
just an idea said:
I think once I can afford harbeth speakers and a quad amp I will settle down as well... hopefully.
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Or MDAC into Adam Artist 6, job done £1500 new. :)

Small enough to fit in a shoebox, big enough to fill my room 15' by 12'.

Defies everything I have heard about audio in 35 years.
 
Martyn Miles said:
Perhaps it's because I'm over 60, and settled with my life, that I have reached a time in my life when I'm generally happy with what I have. I once pursued the ultimate car as well as audio equipment. Trying various makes of LS3/5as, for instance, to find which was ' The Best '. Being conned by various cables, etc. Now I have settled on a couple of pairs of old Harbeth speakers with Quad and Audiolab amplifiers. I've cancelled my subscription to Hi-Fi News, as I am bored with reviews of over-expensive speakers, turntables and amplifiers. OK, people generally settle down as they grow older, but the audio market appears to have settled into the portable MP3/headphones and the expensive separates market. I really can see the end of sensibly priced systems when my age group dies.
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Martyn, you have reached a stage of Audio Karma few can ever hope to achieve. You have entered the blissfull state of "Non Stereophile Compliance".

You have my deepest respect,

From Sunny Alberta,

Louballoo
 
It's not that you can't get better performance, it's that better performance becomes impractical or expensive, combined with the very crucial fact that recordings (of most music worth listening to) are only so good.

The point is to enjoy your music and the question is, what do you need for that?
Darren
 
I climbed to the top of Naim's tree (cd555, nac 552, multiple supercaps, etc. etc ) back in 2010, realised the view wasn't as great as it had been cracked up to be, and now happily enjoy 20 year old linn lk stuff running my 1979 active isobariks.

An a&r A60 in another system also gives me equal satisfaction.

The funds raised have enabled me to update two of the family's cars as well as other things.
 
Coincidental timing that Martyn.... I think I am starting to go through a similar moment. But I'm 10 years younger:D

I've been forever striving for "something better" but for affordability reasons always buying secondhand and always "older" technology (although my s/h gear isnt exactly cheap!). I have no interest whatsoever in downloaded music, streamers, iPods etc. I used to DJ and have a large vinyl and CD collection.

In the last few years I've invested in an LP12 with various upgrades, an old (but fab) Krell CD player, vintage Sansui TU-9900 tuner, ATC integrated amp and Focal Micro Utopia Bes. Everyone who visits says its the best sound they've ever heard. So I ought to be happy.

Up until recently I'd been asking on PFM about upgrades from a Dynavector DV20X cartridge and eying up bigger Focal speakers. Now I'm thinking it has all got a bit crazy (especially as I also have a Marantz CD/Creek amp and tuner/ATC SCM7 system in the kitchen; and a Kenwood tuner/Audiolab 8000S/ AE1 speaker set up in the bedroom!). Plus spare ES14s and re-coned AR18BXs doing nothing! They are not going anywhere just yet but it won't be long I suspect....

In my recent threads I've been asking about a single box system and starting by downsizing the bedroom system. Then maybe downsizing the kitchen system after that (in fact I have a perfectly decent Pure radio that would be fine for most kitchens!)

More than that I've been a bit of a record collector too. So I had decent box sets all sitting there unopened. I've just sold them here on pfm and recouped the £. This collecting and upgraditis has got silly - I have more than enough records and CDs to see me out. I intend selling more collectables (picture discs etc) that were "nice to haves" but never get played. Then put the money somewhere separate to my general outgoings account and decide how to treat myself (not music!)

So, it sounds like you've found hifi peace and I hope to do likewise soon:)
 
nudgerwilliams said:
Good for you Martyn.

Next step is to stop reading the forums and then you really will be able to just sit back and enjoy the music :)
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Ah, Forums. You can learn a lot and exchange ideas. I still belong to the Yahoo Spendor and LS3/5a Groups. There are sensible posts there, if you ignore the obsessive Far East collectors of the '3/5a. The Harbeth Users Group is useful. All posts are checked by the Moderator before posting. It's a particularly useful Forum as Alan Shaw ( Harbeth owner ) posts regularly. Martyn.
 
There is a tyranny of choice in the affluent world. This can lead to dissatisfaction and sometimes it's only when we "step away", that we can be happy with what we have.

When I think of changing a component, which I do infrequently, I think of it as more that I would like to try something than that I want to change what I have. I am quite happy that when I press play, music happens. That's good.

Thanks for adding to this perspective.
 
rhgbristol said:
I climbed to the top of Naim's tree (cd555, nac 552, multiple supercaps, etc. etc ) back in 2010, realised the view wasn't as great as it had been cracked up to be, and now happily enjoy 20 year old linn lk stuff running my 1979 active isobariks.

An a&r A60 in another system also gives me equal satisfaction.

The funds raised have enabled me to update two of the family's cars as well as other things.
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A man with great taste! LKs and Isobariks is a fab system and available for daft money these days. They would eat up and spit out most kit costing megabucks too!
 
Every time I play music, I'm amazed how good it sounds. I could change things but I'm sure I that I'm not willing to spend what it would take to improve what I have substantially. All the kit I own is better than I ever thought possible and all of it is is 2nd hand or modified (or both). It's a great place to be.

There's stuff I'd like to try but if I don't it's not the end of the world and I've got to the point where I've realised that there is no point is storing stuff I don't use, listen to or read because it has some 'value'. It's all only worth what someone else will pay for it. So, I'll be selling some CDs and vinyl which I don't listen to in the near future - so I can buy some that I will listen to.

The study system is a MacBook Pro ir iPhone into a Fatman iTube Mk1 into MS10i's.
The main system is a Rock III, DIYGeddon, Zeta, Koetsu Rosdewood, Martha SUT, Icon PS1 phono stage, modded 102, Mister 6c monos, Shahinian Obelisks Mk1, ACD3, Quad FM4, ATV3

I'm a *very* lucky man. ANd I'm only 50.
 
My feelings exactly. Settle down with some stuff that just makes music. Get some nice records and enjoy. I'm even thing about giving up on Pink Fish. I'm 55 :)
 
Mark Packer said:
Every time I play music, I'm amazed how good it sounds. I could change things but I'm sure I that I'm not willing to spend what it would take to improve what I have substantially. All the kit I own is better than I ever thought possible and all of it is is 2nd hand or modified (or both). It's a great place to be.

There's stuff I'd like to try but if I don't it's not the end of the world and I've got to the point where I've realised that there is no point is storing stuff I don't use, listen to or read because it has some 'value'. It's all only worth what someone else will pay for it. So, I'll be selling some CDs and vinyl which I don't listen to in the near future - so I can buy some that I will listen to.

The study system is a MacBook Pro ir iPhone into a Fatman iTube Mk1 into MS10i's.
The main system is a Rock III, DIYGeddon, Zeta, Koetsu Rosdewood, Martha SUT, Icon PS1 phono stage, modded 102, Mister 6c monos, Shahinian Obelisks Mk1, ACD3, Quad FM4, ATV3

I'm a *very* lucky man.
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You should try the Mk2 the upgrade is not subtle and is like the next speaker up a chain. A real smack in the face improvement.

I had one last splurge when I retired and even at s/h prices it was not cheap but hey you only live once. The system is amazing and produces music that I didn't think was possible in the home.

In case peeps have forgotten:-

CA:- Mac Mini=>Weiss DAC202 => switch

Vinyl:- Spiral Groove/Centroid arm supporting DV XV-1t => Brinkmann phono stage => switch

Back end:- switch=> Meridian 559*2 =>Shahinian Obelisk 2

Quite a neat solution on 4 shelves.

The only things I would like to change and its because of the weight are the 559s but everything I've looked at is at least as heavy or in silver finish. Those babies weigh in at 42Kg each and I can longer lift them!

Cheers,

DV
 
darrenyeats said:
It's not that you can't get better performance, it's that better performance becomes impractical or expensive, combined with the very crucial fact that recordings (of most music worth listening to) are only so good.

The point is to enjoy your music and the question is, what do you need for that?
Darren
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Well said. I have cured my audio-nervosa, and have a fairly simple system that just plays music the way I like. If I want to be annihilated by a wall of sound and bass so deep and hard it makes you fell sick (if you have too much:D) then I don't care if I can hear the bass player fart, or the nth degree of whatever I think I should be hearing.
 
I am 65 and have reached a similar state. A word of warning, don't go to shows. I very rarely hear anything at a show, I really like, but went to a show by Guilford Audio a few months ago and heard the ARC reference 75. It is just stunning. I am working an extra year till 66 and a half, so I ordered a Ref 75 from Trevor at Guilford Audio yesterday, as a present for me. I think I deserve it.
 
Well, I dunno 'bout all this 'settling down' malarkey. I'm approaching 73 and am still contemplating expensive 12" arms and high-end cart's to go on my Dais. Very silly, as I can only play with one at a time, but savings returns are virtually non-existent nowadays.

Have just discovered electrostatics after a lifetime of big and small coil speakers. 4 years ago I rediscovered valved amplification.

Can't see increasing senility changing things at all........:D
 
Mike Reed said:
Well, I dunno 'bout all this 'settling down' malarkey. I'm approaching 73 and am still contemplating expensive 12" arms and high-end cart's to go on my Dais. Very silly, as I can only play with one at a time, but savings returns are virtually non-existent nowadays.

Have just discovered electrostatics after a lifetime of big and small coil speakers. 4 years ago I rediscovered valved amplification.

Can't see increasing senility changing things at all........:D
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Good on yer Grandad! (I'm soon to have the honour) Keep on keeping on. Now I have a proper vinyl front end and have come to the conclusion that amps is amps I play with cult speakers. Currently I have four pairs in rotation including Quad 57s.
 
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