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What's the least you could live with, forever?

Planar 3 with an ATVM95ML (and lifetime supply of styli)
Phone with Spotify and either a headphone jack or a small USB Dac such as the Audioquest Black.
A small integrated amp with decent phono section. The little Rega IO would likely do the job.
Speaker, well if it's forever then the Quad ESL57
 
The cheapest systems I've been happy with over long periods are Linn Sneaky DS (£500) and Katans (£300) for streaming and Rega P2 (£250), Creek 4140 (£80) and Linn Tukans (£150) for spinning vinyl.

I could live with a 10 quid old Radio if I had to but not sure that's really what the OP is asking for.
 
A cheap CD/DVD spinner as a transport;
A DAC/Pre;
Active speakers.

Easily doable for less than £500
 
the caretaker said:
Funny how things change, I had ( still have it ) the B1 and a pair of B&W speakers and a Sony cd player ( still have that too) but my little bantam stealth amp blows that old B1 out of the water...those B&W speakers can't match my dynaudios ( which aren't my best speakers by a margin) crappy sonic link interconnects! Lol...
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I can still remember Levine’s big boned Manon Lescaut through that kit. It was a rich and shattering experience with the magnetic Freni and Pavarotti. I can’t recapture that sound no matter what I try. May just need to get the kit again!
 
Despite my earlier answer, which I stand by (I want to retain access to all the formats I use), I’ll have another go more in the spirit that others have. I have a lot of hi-fi kit (currently more than the three installed systems), so plenty to choose from without buying anything.

I could reasonably happily slim it all down to my TD-124/3009/MP-500, Marantz SA8005 SACD player, Verdier pre/303 and either JR149s or LS3/5As (I’d make that final choice depending on the particular room). The Marantz has all manner of DAC inputs etc, so could stream internet radio and other stuff from an iPhone or whatever. I’m tempted to add the Walkman WMD6C too as I have a few old demos (mine and other bands) that exist nowhere else. I don’t need it, but I’d miss not having that ability and it is a compact way of achieving it (which is why I have it!). I’d miss my lovely ‘70s Sony ST-5150 tuner too, it just looks so cool, but I’ll concede the BBC Sounds app on my phone does everything I actually need.

I could go further and swap the Verdier out for the backup Quad 34, or even the 33, but I do like having valves somewhere (especially between me and a digital source) and the Verdier definitely has more heft and depth so I’d not really want to give it up.

The irony is the core system is remarkably similar to where I started off in the late-70s (Lenco, FM3, 33/303 & JR149s). The 124/MP-500 is definitely better, plus I’ve got a whole raft of digital, but it’s something close to full circle!
 
A lot of posts have featured the 'phone/headphone' combo ..

I thought of that and then instantly deleted it from my mind; the accelerated obsolescence of phones means there is no way I would trust one 'forever' - or even beyond a few years.

Kind of made me realise how much I actually detest my phone - even more so because it's pretty much indispensable.

So ... a half decent transistor radio and limitless supply of batteries it is then ;)
 
I already have a 2nd system that I could live with, if forced to by circumstances.

Technics 1200/Naim CD3/Nait2/Naim IBLs. Or, perhaps a pair of vintage JBL4312s instead of the IBLs?
 
It depends if that's total cost or simplicity?
I could happily use two components I currently have, that were free to me (Sony DVP-S9000ES CDP & Cambridge Audio A5 Amp) add a pair of speakers like Rega R1 for £100 and I would be damn happy with that! I do still have my ATC SCM10s spare which I would be happy to go back to if I needed.
In reality, I'm very pleased with my Yamaha CD-NT670D as a source that does CD, Streaming, Internet Radio etc all in one box, I could happily live with that.
In reality, I could do without the CD/Vinyl side, if it meant storing them and staying with just streaming.
 
I could probably quite happily listen to a half-decent DAB / bluetooth radio at home, and my phone and headphones when I'm out and about. Despite having hundreds of records and CD's, probably 90% of my listening is to radio 6.
 
James said:
Are we talking about hifi or music by any means, there's also a big difference.
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No. I think the question "What's the least you could live with, forever?" is clear enough.

It's up to you to decide your own interpretation of 'least'.
 
narabdela said:

No. I think the question "What's the least you could live with, forever?" is clear enough.

It's up to you to decide your own interpretation of 'least'.
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Allow me to quote the OP:
Rockmeister said:
It's good to hear of (and sometimes, get to actually hear) expensive kit, but as time goes by, I increasingly recall the massive pleasure I got with far less pricey/less well known/more basically engineered, kit.

Made me wonder if I were to start over, determined to keep it as simple as I could, as cheap as possible, what system would gel into a lifetime's pleasure.

I haven't answered myself yet, but which system components would you pick?
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I don't know about you, but the terms "kit", "system" and "components" sound like what we use to describe hifi.

Otherwise, my whistling lips will do. :rolleyes:
 
Del monaco said:
I can still remember Levine’s big boned Manon Lescaut through that kit. It was a rich and shattering experience with the magnetic Freni and Pavarotti. I can’t recapture that sound no matter what I try. May just need to get the kit again!
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Unfortunately the magic will never return, sorry..its those bloody remembered hills which once were blue..and are now so distant, we can't discern the colour or shape? Might not be hills at all! Could be a mountain or a bog ( blue remembered bog! Lol ) or even a illusion? Where the thing you remember might never have occurred? Merely a device to make the present not as agreeable as it could be? Like I said earlier, its all about now..we should all make a present of the past and send it to father Christmas, best place I think..if you happen to visit old santa, just past his garden, beyond the tree line.there is a huge warehouse which is full of presents of the past from adults who once were children..
 
A decent (Sony CF 580) cassette radio and a good FM signal. I have thought of selling all my hi fi gear completely and have a better life rather than worrying about the wear and tear on expensive cartridges, Western Electric 300B valves and much more.

Radio 4 has provided some great programmes and music on other stations so a thought to consider, anyone want to buy all my Audio Note gear and much more?
 
My 47 year old LP12 (should be good for a while). Happy to use a cheap AT cartridge.
A network receiver, preferably Yamaha (for digital services, radio etc). Cheap.
Any old CD player which works (with digital output). Very cheap.
Second hand speakers, size depending on the room. Cheap.
 
Depends just how much the gun is to your head. Streamer/CDT>Mojo>Croft integrated>some ProAcs (all used) could happily leave me never wanting more.

The Bluetooth player (Marshall Acton) in my kitchen if I really had to. It's got soul.
 
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