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

Whaleblue said:
@hermit, so what is the system in question?
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It's a Sony TTS-8000 turntable in an Acoustand plinth built to my own design, SME V-12, Phasemation PP-500 or Kiseki Purpleheart NOS, Aurorasound Vida, Luxman LX-380, Lockwood cabs with 15" Tannoy Monitor Golds and RFC external crossovers. (I've also got a Technics SP10 as a back up deck for the next time the Sony goes tits up.) :)

Photos of system just posted in the System Pics thread.
 
Most basic option: iPhone, Spotify and Bose Soundlink Mini II which is absurdly good (and fun!) for the money. Never liked headphones.

Fancier: A small pair of active speakers such as iLoud Micro or Genelecs.

Fanciest: Linn Classik and Harbeth P3s (any incarnation).

Truth is the last option is what I have now, and I don't aspire to more anyway.
 
As an addendum to my earlier posts I just want to say that I hope I haven't come across as smug, arrogant or complacent. That was not my intention. I know for a fact how much pleasure can be derived from more basic or simpler systems. I've had several over the years that have been my pride and joy.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to put together my present system. It has taken a over a decade and I have made some not inconsiderable sacrifices to do so but I've also had a great deal of luck including a couple of unexpected windfalls. It's the sheer pleasure and joy that my system gives me that leads me to believe that I couldn't go backwards. It brings such beauty into my life and that is absolutely priceless.

I'm also aware that there are much better systems out there but I take great comfort from the realisation that what I have is enough for me and the lust for more seems to have passed.
 
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?
Click to expand...

If I could live forever, I'd put up with nothing.
 
A simple system for me would be a minimalist distillation of what I'm already using. In fact, this thread is encouraging me to consider reducing all of the bits and pieces to:

Line Magnetic LM-215 CD (DAC is good enough)
PS Audio S300 power amp (extremely good)
Hong Kong stepped attenuator passive preamp (extremely cheap and excellent)
Stirling LS3/5a V3 (brilliant)

I would let go of the tubes, the vinyl, the upgraded DAC, the other speakers. Go CD only. I could even pare down my CD collection to about 400 must-play titles!
 
Agree absolutely. The topic at hand is a hypothetical exercise. I can certainly live with less, much much less in fact, but I would not want to. I absolutely love my main system. I won't be able to enjoy the music to the same extent with a simpler, humbler system however well-chosen.

hermit said:
As an addendum to my earlier posts I just want to say that I hope I haven't come across as smug, arrogant or complacent. That was not my intention. I know for a fact how much pleasure can be derived from more basic or simpler systems. I've had several over the years that have been my pride and joy.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to put together my present system. It has taken a over a decade and I have made some not inconsiderable sacrifices to do so but I've also had a great deal of luck including a couple of unexpected windfalls. It's the sheer pleasure and joy that my system gives me that leads me to believe that I couldn't go backwards. It brings such beauty into my life and that is absolutely priceless.

I'm also aware that there are much better systems out there but I take great comfort from the realisation that what I have is enough for me and the lust for more seems to have passed.
Click to expand...
 
Once you have arrived at a "main system" which represents a lot of thinking, trial and investment, whether a lesser system can be enjoyable surely depends on the time and place in which it is used and the expectation attached to that setting.

For example, my bedside radio (Pure Evoke 2-XT) is sounding perfectly satisfactory at the moment playing the Radio 3 breakfast programme as it does every day. We have never had any intention of installing hi-fi in the bedroom!
 
the caretaker said:
Sadly not one..but 32 and counting! Lol
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Your UAS (Ukulele Aquisition Syndrome) is much more advanced than mine - I thought I had it pretty badly when we got up to 12 (and 3 basses) in our house.

When you reach retirement age in Shropshire you are issued with a ukulele...

I like pineapples, me :)

[polite notice to non ukulele players: please ignore this post]
 
marshanp said:
Your UAS (Ukulele Aquisition Syndrome) is much more advanced than mine - I thought I had it pretty badly when we got up to 12 (and 3 basses) in our house.

When you reach retirement age in Shropshire you are issued with a ukulele...

I like pineapples, me :)

[polite notice to non ukulele players: please ignore this post]
Click to expand...
Yes its bad..I actually dont have a pineapple lol..thing is I love my uke, and because I play it a lot...I'm getting good, so I buy more ukuleles to see what they might sound like? And i just keep hold of them..some are duds..most ok...some very good! I faff about with different tunings too..I can recommend a cheapish uke if your interested? My ukes range from 1k down to £20! ( actually the £20 is quite good for what it is ) the cheapish uke im thinking about is around the £180 mark...ukes rock! All counties should issue a ukulele..very good idea!
 
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.
Click to expand...

I must admit, the same though has gone through my mind. I have two systems, the main one downstairs is an active Kans set up, and the one upstairs is a passive Kans set up. A total of 5 x turntables, 2 x CD players, 2 x cassette decks, 2 x streamers; it's mad!

I reckon I'd want to keep a record player if I were forced to make a decision. I remember a long time ago, in one of the London hi-fi shows, Naim were demonstrating an entry level system; I'm pretty sure that it was Julian Vereker in the room, and the system was:

LP12/Rega R200/ADC VLMIII/Naim NAC22/NAP120/Mordaunt short carnival & it sounded so good! I think I would work along those lines, but I don't know what the modern alternative would be.
 
My TV room system would have to do - Bluesound Node 2 - Naim 32.5/Hi-Cap/110 (would need serviced though).
NHT 2.5 speakers would need to be changed...something smooth to tame the Naim.

More realistically when I retire and move to a smaller house the main system would probably need to be sold and downsized to a D&D type integrated system.
 
Meridian F80 CD/FM/DAB Radio all in one system with built in speakers. I would miss the prat of my current main system though.
 
I could easily live with a pair of Active KEF LS50s with a streaming subscription - probably the Mac Mini running Roon (I already have) and an Ipad to control it, plus read the news or play solitaire whilst listening. If we downsize in retirement, that might be compromise that has to be made.
 
Don't think I could play this game ,with considerable pleasure via the upgrade path I could never contemplate a reverse other than perhaps sitting beside a stream of running water, could not manage lo-fi.
 
Up until recently I had a very cheap system in my "home office".

Mordaunt short pageant 2 - £35
Loxjie a10 - £60
Google CCA - £25

It sounded great for enjoying the music. Probably because the speakers are so big and rolled off to avoid any of the less desirable traits of a cheap class d amp and a cheap DAC.
 
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?
Click to expand...
What’s in my signature is where I am settling for retirement, coming next year. I will add a streamer. If something were to happen and I needed to go with lower cost options I could live with the system below and be happy with it.

Rega IO
PSB Alpha P5’s
Rotel Tribute 11
Rega Planar 1
Low end Chord cables
 
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