The Witness Protection Scenario: new life, new gear, don't draw attention to yourself

[Cope]

You're in witness protection - best not to go into details. Suffice it to say, your old gear is gone. The feds are willing to arrange one online transaction on your behalf to get you some new hi-fi components for your new life, but it has to be the one purchase, it has to be now, and it can't be something so crazy it might draw attention to you.

 

1. Go to the website of your hi-fi store of choice
2. Navigate to the integrated amplifier section and order the listings by price, low to high
3. Select the first item with which you could live
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for bookshelf speakers, and whatever other components you feel are crucial
5. Post the system

 

Mine was:

• Marantz PM6006 Stereo Integrated Amp - RRP $1090
• Dali Zensor 3 Speakers - SALE $595
• Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC 2M Red Turntable - SALE $498

 

I'm curious to see other people's responses. Partly because it's fun to get a sense of what people can 'live with' in the highly relative realm of hi-fi, and partly because the limitation of one store means it won't necessarily be the cheap system we'd prefer to build.

 

Anyway, if this amuses you, have at. 

[Kaynin]

The Feds are paying?  I'm sure they'll use the plastic...

[cafe67]

Lol amusing, so only using a local Perth store I got, seeing as the feds are paying I selected high to low

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/integrated-amplifier/products/audio-research-gsi75-integrated-amplifier

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/cd-player/products/audio-research-reference-cd9

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/vinyl-accessories/products/audio-research-ref-phono-3-vacuum-tube-preamplifier

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/turntables/products/rega-rp10

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/cartridges/products/benz-micro-lp-s-phono-cartridge

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/floorstanding/products/c2-1-reference-floorstanding-speakers

 

 

[Guest Muon N']

Oops!

deleted, sorry I missed the 'from the one store' thing.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Muon N'

[Cope]

5 hours ago, cafe67 said:

Lol amusing, so only using a local Perth store I got, seeing as the feds are paying I selected high to low

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/integrated-amplifier/products/audio-research-gsi75-integrated-amplifier

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/cd-player/products/audio-research-reference-cd9

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/vinyl-accessories/products/audio-research-ref-phono-3-vacuum-tube-preamplifier

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/turntables/products/rega-rp10

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/cartridges/products/benz-micro-lp-s-phono-cartridge

 

https://www.douglashifi.com.au/collections/floorstanding/products/c2-1-reference-floorstanding-speakers

 

 

Hahaha - see, I think a consideration should be "do I want that amp tied to my feet when they find me and throw me into the bay"?

 

GAME OVER - YOU SLEEP WITH THE FISHES (and some very nice hi-fi)

 

 

 

[Cope]

6 hours ago, Kaynin said:

The Feds are paying?  I'm sure they'll use the plastic...

Look, they'll draw the line at a tape deck, because... 

 

 

[warweary]

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/dynaudio-x44.html

 

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/nad-c-388-hybrid-digital-dac-amplifier.html

 

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/audiolab-8300cd-cd-player.html

 

And if the feds let me I'd need a pc with tails, vpn and access to online music, don't want to get tracked down by my music preferences.

[t_mike]

@twofires When do you go into the WitSec program, and will we still see you here?

[audiofeline]

I would get quality vintage gear.  That looks a bit battered, but works perfectly. 

Because most people who look at it will think "it's old and it's cr*p", and not realize that it's high-quality.  So my audiophile past is concealed and I can still listen to good quality equipment. 

 

[Guest Eggcup The Daft]

11 hours ago, twofires said:

You're in witness protection - best not to go into details. Suffice it to say, your old gear is gone. The feds are willing to arrange one online transaction on your behalf to get you some new hi-fi components for your new life, but it has to be the one purchase, it has to be now, and it can't be something so crazy it might draw attention to you.

 

1. Go to the website of your hi-fi store of choice
2. Navigate to the integrated amplifier section and order the listings by price, low to high
3. Select the first item with which you could live
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for bookshelf speakers, and whatever other components you feel are crucial
5. Post the system

 

Mine was:

• Marantz PM6006 Stereo Integrated Amp - RRP $1090
• Dali Zensor 3 Speakers - SALE $595
• Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC 2M Red Turntable - SALE $498

 

I'm curious to see other people's responses. Partly because it's fun to get a sense of what people can 'live with' in the highly relative realm of hi-fi, and partly because the limitation of one store means it won't necessarily be the cheap system we'd prefer to build.

 

Anyway, if this amuses you, have at. 

Lucky you getting these "Feds" with money.  The rest of us in Australia would be under the protection of the AFP - maybe "Feds" but they won't buy us anything.

 

They've got too much to do raiding Government offices to spend money on witnesses, and also we can't have anything with so much as a Chinese made screw in it, you can't be too careful these days.

 

They'd probably also insist on us being good citizens and having My Health Records with our current addresses in, so the bad guys will know where we are well before any hifi arrives...

Edited November 11, 2018 by Eggcup The Daft

[Cope]

1 hour ago, warweary said:

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/dynaudio-x44.html

 

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/nad-c-388-hybrid-digital-dac-amplifier.html

 

https://www.deniswhitehomecinema.com.au/audiolab-8300cd-cd-player.html

 

And if the feds let me I'd need a pc with tails, vpn and access to online music, don't want to get tracked down by my music preferences.

That would certainly be an easy way to track me down. Video game soundtracks and swing and thrash metal.

 

I appreciate your getting into the spirit of things, and note you've adhered to a spend ratio that makes sense! Although, I have to ask, is there nothing under $6.5 that floats your boat? It's fascinating to me - those speakers are about as far up the ladder I'd climb - which isn't a judgement at all, btw. I think it's because my hobby funds are split between audio and bicycles, and $6.5k buys a fairly decent bike.

[Cope]

1 hour ago, t_mike said:

@twofires When do you go into the WitSec program, and will we still see you here?

Maybe I'm already there, or maybe that's what I want you to think... 

[Cope]

7 minutes ago, audiofeline said:

I would get quality vintage gear.  That looks a bit battered, but works perfectly. 

Because most people who look at it will think "it's old and it's cr*p", and not realize that it's high-quality.  So my audiophile past is concealed and I can still listen to good quality equipment. 

 

Just watch out for honey pot advertisements:

 

Item: Real nice old amplifier, suit isolated cabin
Location: Dark alley
Price: pretty high
Item Condition: Primo
Reason for selling: Searching for someone, err, something else
Payment Method: unmarked cash in a bag

[Cope]

18 minutes ago, Eggcup The Daft said:

Lucky you getting these "Feds" with money.  The rest of us in Australia would be under the protection of the AFP - maybe "Feds" but they won't buy us anything.

 

They've got too much to do raiding Government offices to spend money on witnesses, and also we can't have anything with so much as a Chinese made screw in it, you can't be too careful these days.

 

They'd probably also insist on us being good citizens and having My Health Records with our current addresses in, so the bad guys will know where we are well before any hifi arrives...

Look, I don't disagree - but the tag on the post does say "silliness".

[Guest Eggcup The Daft]

1 hour ago, twofires said:

Look, I don't disagree - but the tag on the post does say "silliness".

Sorry. Missing smiley. And maybe I'm getting withdrawal symptoms from the Politics forum being closed... though as a regular there I still agree it should be gone.

 

I'll play the game as intended later today.

[Janjuggler]

Hi All,

 

Have been shifted from Victoria to NSW so from Len Wallis:

 

Triangle Esprit Comete Ez book-shelf speakers and appropriate stands

 

Marantz PM-14S1 integrated amplifier

 

Avid HiFi Pellar Phono pre-amplifier

 

AVID Ingenium belt-drive turntable with Rega RB303 tonearm and Linn Adikt moving magnet phono cartridge

 

Musical Fidelity MX-DAC Digital to Analogue Converter

 

Marantz ND8006 combined CD player/streamer

 

Bowers & Wilkins P9 wired headphones

 

Assorted cables to connect.

 

JJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cope]

@Eggcup The Daft  No worries. Understand completely.

[Guest Eggcup The Daft]

OK. it's hard to live within your rules at a sensible price... and I'm surprised that you can't take your system but you can take your LPs(!)

So I'm granting myself a cheap PC and a Tidal or Spotify account, or at least a small USB with some of my CD rips on it.

 

I'm also going to use cheap floorstanders, because the cheaper amps don't really have the grunt for most modern bookshelf speakers, and expensive stands for the bookshelf speakers be in your "crazy" area.

 

Other than that:

Amp (you said integrated)

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/audio/stereo-amplifiers-receivers/marantz-pm5005-integrated-amplifier-1535.html

 

Speakers

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/speakers/floor-standing-speakers/wharfedale-diamond-11-3-floor-standing-speakers-white-sandex.html

 

DAC

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/audio/digital-analogue-convertor/project-pre-box-s2-digital-preamp-dac.html

 

Is that setup within the rules? I don't know if there's one StereoNet sponsor that does all three of these, or I'd go there, naturally.

[Cope]

7 hours ago, Janjuc said:

Hi All,

 

Have been shifted from Victoria to NSW so from Len Wallis:

 

Triangle Esprit Comete Ez book-shelf speakers and appropriate stands

 

Marantz PM-14S1 integrated amplifier

 

Avid HiFi Pellar Phono pre-amplifier

 

AVID Ingenium belt-drive turntable with Rega RB303 tonearm and Linn Adikt moving magnet phono cartridge

 

Musical Fidelity MX-DAC Digital to Analogue Converter

 

Marantz ND8006 combined CD player/streamer

 

Bowers & Wilkins P9 wired headphones

 

Assorted cables to connect.

 

JJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

How are those Triangle speakers anyway?  Not sure I've ever heard anything of theirs, although I assume they punch above their weight to be paired with that amp.

[Cope]

2 hours ago, Eggcup The Daft said:

OK. it's hard to live within your rules at a sensible price... and I'm surprised that you can't take your system but you can take your LPs(!)

So I'm granting myself a cheap PC and a Tidal or Spotify account, or at least a small USB with some of my CD rips on it.

 

I'm also going to use cheap floorstanders, because the cheaper amps don't really have the grunt for most modern bookshelf speakers, and expensive stands for the bookshelf speakers be in your "crazy" area.

 

Other than that:

Amp (you said integrated)

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/audio/stereo-amplifiers-receivers/marantz-pm5005-integrated-amplifier-1535.html

 

Speakers

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/speakers/floor-standing-speakers/wharfedale-diamond-11-3-floor-standing-speakers-white-sandex.html

 

DAC

https://www.apollohifi.com.au/audio/digital-analogue-convertor/project-pre-box-s2-digital-preamp-dac.html

 

Is that setup within the rules? I don't know if there's one StereoNet sponsor that does all three of these, or I'd go there, naturally.

See, this is interesting to me - when the budget is constrained I don't think I'd have considered a separate DAC, and yet with the PC music server scenario you describe it makes perfect sense. More so than a turntable.

 

 

On that, everyone feel free to elaborate on the reasoning for component choices if there was any - be it experience or even just "this'll do". Mine was certainly the latter, although the Marantz would definitely take some of the edge off the Dalis.

Edited November 12, 2018 by twofires

[t_mike]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested a used pair of Duntech Sovereigns. Plenty of space to hide.

[Guest Eggcup The Daft]

37 minutes ago, twofires said:

See, this is interesting to me - when the budget is constrained I don't think I'd have considered a separate DAC, and yet with the PC music server scenario you describe it makes perfect sense. More so than a turntable.

 

 

On that, everyone feel free to elaborate on the reasoning for component choices if there was any - be it experience or even just "this'll do". Mine was certainly the latter, although the Marantz would definitely take some of the edge off the Dalis.

 

I really should point out here that I'm a confirmed digiphile with no turntable for twelve years now. Your scenario seems to force the choice for me though. If the question of a single dealer starter system is asked without the Feds bit - a turntable makes sense for someone interested in vinyl or who has a collection.

 

I forgot to say, that price on the Zensors is a real bargain. I'm just not sure how you use them without stands!  I missed cables in my setup, but the cheapest of each available would be good enough.

 

[Guest Eggcup The Daft]

10 minutes ago, t_mike said:

I'm surprised nobody has suggested a used pair of Duntech Sovereigns. Plenty of space to hide.

Osborn Reference Monuments... enough space and the lead lining may be useful in case the shooting starts!

[darth vader]

ok, I'll play the game, even though no terrorist activities happen here.

 

I guess I had to surrender my flac file drive with all its metadata. That said I guess this an analogue only game?

 

As i'm a valued federal witness that actually saw some crime that really fell under the banner of terrorisim (as nothing else seems to be of any concern these days)

I know the guy threw a milk bottle at a copper but thats terrorisim, as compared to plain assault where they have to actually concoct a real life charge. 

 

They have given me a plea bargain where I have to testify the milk bottle was in fact a dirty bomb. And the pocket knife was indeed an AR-15.

 

So, to get my dream stereo, if I sell my soul, they will give it to me. Good thing  I got no scruples. 

 

Nahh, sorry, not playing this game no more.

[Cope]

See, if I'd ditched the 'feds' thing and gone with the "abducted by aliens" scenario, it doubtless would have devolved into debate about the effect of alien homeworld atmospheric composition on sound reproduction, or gravitational differences affecting cartridge loading.