Who has no $$ but is the most into 2 ch audio?

madmax

Just wondering. When I started my journey into high end audio I was REALLY into it but had no way to make it happen. Audio was all I thought about (other than cars) for years. I would take one component I got for free or almost nothing and compare it to five other free components and then compare the best of those to someone elses system who could actually afford to "buy" components. For many years I did my homework by reading about all the high end options but in reality it would be another 10 years before I could actually do much more than dream of a decent system. Funny, now that I can afford whatever I really want I'm finding that synergy between those old components were sometimes better than spending the big $$.

I'm just wondering, who doesn't have the means but has the disease today? Also, what are you doing about it?

madmax

treitz3

I would qualify. As for what I am doing about it? Enjoying the music.

george daniel

He,he,, I had a little two channel system that was humble by todays standards,,,and as I climbed up the chain,,I am reminded--like today,,that the little rig had some synergy--so much,,seriously thinking about returning to my roots.

nooshinjohn

High end for me has nothing to do with cost, as we all know that cost is no object.:biggrin:


I mean that , but in a different way than most think. The dollar value of a setup in no way corrolates into performance. You would expect that by spending more that it would be better, but that is not always the case. You r gear can have the best specs on planet earth, but it is how that gear works with everything else that counts. The room, I have learned recently, is a huge factor. The source, the amp, the cables... everthing is a factor in high-end performance. I have heard $25 dollar barn find recievers best separates costing much more. I have heard 400 dollar speakers go against speakers costing orders of magnitude more sound weak and lifeless in comparison, then they go into a different environment and everything changes again.

If high end is only about the money spent, you are wasting your money, and not getting the best sound possible. You may as well stick to copressed file MP3's and earbuds. In this game it's not about the quan, it's all about the ears.

halo71

Oh I qualify for sure! Not a component in my rig is newer than 10 years old! :frown: Caviar dreams with a Yugo check book, that's me!

HTguru1982

Count me in. Our budget is locked down pretty tight. Every couple of months, I get a little bit of spending money and that's only because I had to save up for it. A lot times if I want something, I have to sell something first. A few years ago when I was single, I was more than a little loose with my money. Now that I've got a fiance and a child, things are little different.

reeltrouble1

its got to be RT1...I had no money when I started and I have no money now...but I live in sweet harmonic bliss!!!! Still Polkies and Audiogon have been good.

RT1

madmax

Lets see some pics of modest systems!

cheezeitz51

Me. I'm poor .

reeltrouble1

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/profile.php?do=editattachments&page=7

well polk does not let you repost a pic..but the link shows some cool monitor 5

treitz3

Ted, that link just sends me to my attachment page. Just an FYI.

Why in the world won't they let you re-post a pic?

txcoastal1

probably to save server space......RT rename the pic

reeltrouble1

yea i see that....I dunno, I tried before to re-post a previous pic but cant do it. Sold the gear long ago to other polkies...anyway...I remember years ago when we were all building our rigs using whatever we could find...not talking when I was in college, all i had then were some monitor 10 and a kenwood silver face. But when the gang here was all trying and learning and 200 watts a channel was king...... Oh well, its still the same I suppose just different gear of course much more digital now than analog.

I remember recording records to vhs tape....worked pretty good, better than cassette. oh yea...and the toshiba 3950...remember that one...Max had one I remember that..he got GG to buy one and he hated it and threatened to bomb Chuck's house on a fly-by...hehehehe

BlueFox

txcoastal1 wrote: »

probably to save server space......RT rename the pic

I have also had this issue with pictures. Renaming will not work either. I guess they compare the binary file. The work around I used was to cut and paste 99% of the original picture into a new file. That file was not rejected since it is not the same picture.

cstmar01

I still try to do the best with the budget I have. I started to do an audio fund and it help getting a raise at work. I still dreaming of getting a house and setting up a nice two channel room and then a nice theater room but will prob have to figure out the job thing before that happens. At this point I try and make a plan of the gear I want and what I want to change. I figure I can save up and buy one great price such as a higher end pre or amp once a year vs buying a few less expensive items but still want to get the higher end.

In the end i know what i want however would need to earn more to get there lol. Audio is about the only thing I find myself doing as with work I never have time to travel really or do much else. Also audio for me is easy as it only takes myself vs other things where I would have to find a group ect. Love to water ski but can only do for 4 months out of the year.

nooshinjohn

When all else fails, just build it yourself.:biggrin:

I have begun work on a pair of speakers to go with the amps.

HTguru1982

Here's my modest home theater. Sorry about the quality, used my cell phone. :redface:

madmax

HTguru1982 wrote: »

Here's my modest home theater. Sorry about the quality, used my cell phone. :redface:

Awesomeness! That is quite nice.

[Deleted User]

I am in the process of re-learning all things audio, with an open mind. I remember back in the early 90s, I began to long/lust over high end home speakers. During this time, I was also into boomy messy bass in the car. JL Audio, Fosgates and Oklahoma's Solobarics by Stillwater Design. There was a store on 12 street in Moore, Oklahoma that had layaway plans. Needless to say, it took me a year before the Fosgate subs became mine. My car audio days ended long ago.

Back to home audio. I grew up exposed to Yamaha, DCM, Sony and several other brands. My personal journey started with Bose. Yes, the Bose 701s. This purchase took me over two years to pay off. Fast forward a decade.. I became hooked on the Polk LSI line. Years after this, I moved on to the B&W 803d's.

I did not have the "means" on many occasions and sold the speakers to have the "means". <-- (I can not remember if the period goes inside the quotes or not)

Today, I have a pair of Polk R40s and a Polk PSWi225 sub. The recycling of my audio journey continues....

Halen

steveinaz

I'm a broke-dick dog on crutches, here's my HT:

Drenis

halenhoang wrote: »

Back to home audio. I grew up exposed to Yamaha, DCM, Sony and several other brands. My personal journey started with Bose. Yes, the Bose 701s.

Same with me. I was gifted with a pair of Series IV 201's at which I bought a pair of Series I 701 towers with dual 8" woofers (First phase of this series only had a single 8" woofer) as I knew someone with 901's and 701's and loved the bass output of the towers. Well low and behold I sold everything and am back to 2-channel with my A9's. Best decision yet.

mhardy6647

This is an interesting question: to my way of thinking, wealth and investment in hifi are basically uncorrelated. I won't spend $2000 on a pair of cables, but I might on an amplifier, e.g. Finding nice stuff on the swap pile at the dump is even better.

PrazVT

I can say that in one year, I've probably spent more $$ on audio than in my entire lifetime prior - and I'm not rich. Hell, I started all this because I moved into a new apt - and this is California, where a 900sqft apt runs $2134 / month.

But, as I've learned more and more from you guys it's replaced my old computer obsession. Everything in my signature is from May 2010 to now.

Add to that modding the RTi A7s / CSi A6 and the LSi9s + all the wires / ICs.

All this pushed back my plans to buy a new car. Paid off my 08 Mazda 3 in 2.5 years so I could upgrade to an Audi A4 or something - so slowly switching back to save mode. Money will be spent on music now since the systems are where I want them.

The Pink Floyd reissues may test that though...as I don't have an SACD / DVD-A player


...I just wanted to add that I love music and being able to rediscover everything and hear things I haven't heard before has been worth every penny. OK I'll shut up now. back to work.

xsmi

It would be me. :-( I have had my SRS2's for going on 3yrs now and have not been able to raise the funds to do a single upgrade on them. The only way I was able to fix the caps was my girlfriend gave me $30 to buy a plank of oak and I had a friend who worked at a local woodcraft store and we made the caps in the classroom area. I have watched Yaqin and other low cost tube equipment come up for sale on this site and I drool like mastiff at a picnic. I work, pay my bills and make sure that when I have my son he doesn't realize that dad is just getting by that's the important part.

I've often thought of selling my SRS2's but I'm holding out because won't always be in this situation. One day my wallet will match my joy and then, look out! I won't be using a 15yo Yamaha AVR to power my two channel system anymore and I will finally have have the upgrades done to these wonderful speakers! :-D

stuwee

My hat's in the ring, well other than a spurt in the 80's when I was rolling in dough, but I'm now back to my broke self again, but I'm 'appy

Got the Martin Logan's free from my Mom, traded some things for my Teac cassette, the Fostex and Teac big RtR's and the JBL monitors saved from a dumpster behind a radio station, all in fine working order with SM's in binders. Free Yammie pre from a bud at AK "just pay the shipping he says", "Thanks, say I". Free Dell laptop and 2TB HD full of tunes when my tower had a meltdown.

And my latest, free Onix CD-2 and CD-3 cdp's, from a buddy who felt sorry for me not having a proper digital source. Like I said, I'm 'appy and blessed with nice friends who love and care about me

Oh, and some free X-Amp mono blocks from a contest karma I won on another forum should be here soon :cool:

madmax

mhardy6647 wrote: »

to my way of thinking, wealth and investment in hifi are basically uncorrelated.

This is correct. I guess I was really wondering what was being accomplished by those who REALLY have the lust for quality hifi sound but cannot afford it without a very high degree of difficulty, or possibly not at all at this particular time. Most times its more fun and educational (and satisfying) to put a system together for nothing or with a lot of work than to purchase the best equipment without concern of the cost. Oh man I wish I could be included in that last group! :biggrin:

steveinaz

If I was ever in a situation where I had a dedicated livingroom, or listening room, I'd do a HT in the family room.

madmax

You don't have a dedicated livingroom?

xsmi

I live through my brothers on this forum until my discretionary cash comes back!

steveinaz

madmax wrote: »

You don't have a dedicated livingroom?

Nope, just a great room (Family room/Dining room/kitchen). We do have an office/den, but it's too small.

Bev & I always saw livingrooms as expensive "dust collectors" so when we chose our current floorplan, we didn't want a formal livingroom, and opted instead for a larger family room.

mhardy6647

madmax wrote: »

This is correct. I guess I was really wondering what was being accomplished by those who REALLY have the lust for quality hifi sound but cannot afford it without a very high degree of difficulty, or possibly not at all at this particular time. Most times its more fun and educational (and satisfying) to put a system together for nothing or with a lot of work than to purchase the best equipment without concern of the cost. Oh man I wish I could be included in that last group! :biggrin:

OH! The answer becomes much simpler - DIY. Scratch build or repair/restore vintage. Best bang per buck imaginable (short of the lucky 'swap pile' finds at the aforementioned town dump).