Thank god I stopped being an audiophile..!

[migasson 497]

I’m a recovering audiophile😂 the best thing ever did, was stop being one. When I look back at the money I’ve spent because I was continually disatisfied, it makes my eyes water. Then I discovered studio monitors, and I was done. My setup is now Focal Alpha 65’s with a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp. Maximum inputs, streaming, and a speaker that goes clean down to 40hz. Bass and treble controls on the back, mean I can tune the sound to the room. (Audiophiles will say “oh no, you can’t have those it upsets the purity of the sound. Bollocks😂) Bear in mind, I’m in a near field situation. 

 

I turfed all my records, record player, Stax gear, etc. 

 

Files I use? AAC off Apple Music. Only costs me $11 a month. Tidal? Once you drop the audiophilia, it’s quite liberating for your mind, and your wallet. My system comes in at $1299 AUD and my OCD has disappeared 😂😂

 

Yes, that’s a Nintendo Switch. And an IKEA cabinet. That cost me $139 (cheaper then a hifi shelf😂) and the Focals sit on $8 Bunnings decking isolation pads😉

Edited August 28, 2019 by migasson
Details

[HypnoToad 271]

Seeing what some Audiophile addicts sell to upgrade and the money they lose, is astounding. My ex brother in law in the 70's spent several thousand on a B&O system, it was a lot of money back then. He said he would never sell it and probably still has it today, he got a CD player added when they came out. But he used to say add up all the money over the years that an Audiophile might spend upgrading and it will probably be a lot less than what he spent.

[MrBurns84 298]

Include me as a recovering Audiophile addict.  I stopped chasing dacs 2, preamps, and source gear years ago, as it was futile.   My only recent addiction comes in the form of digital room correction and minidsp unit and learning the effects of an untreated room, and how this plays havoc with our speakers.  To me, this is a much bigger problem to solve and its limitations is one that i will have to live with.  Far more beneficial for me to spend my limited time on rather than roll my hard earn continuously into new hardware...

[THOMO 1,712]

Most vagabonds I knowed don't ever want to find the culprit
That remains the object of their long relentless quest
The obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending
The pursuit you see and never the arrest

 

Tom Waites

[steffanth 143]

I reached a point with my last system upgrades . . . from denon receiver to emotiva pre-amp and a Cambridge audio streamer . . . . that i am completely happy with my system . .  .. except for the dodgy plate amp in my sub . . .  .i dont see me doing any more upgrades/changes unless something goes bank and starts creating smoke

[Yamaha_man 811]

The hunt is always better than the catch.

[Steffen 683]

12 minutes ago, Yamaha_man said:

The hunt is always better than the catch.

Which is what gives rise to the audiophile merry-go-round. But believe it or not, for some people (myself included) it's all about the music.

 

The engineer in me does like to make improvements once in a while, but I'm not into polishing meaningless asymptotes. I rather experiment with room layout and treatment, and that is just as capable of keeping me occupied and my wallet empty  

[Stump 3,010]

I ever my house burns down with my collection and equipment I will join you and buy a nice radio...........

 

stump

[Yamaha_man 811]

15 minutes ago, Steffen said:

Which is what gives rise to the audiophile merry-go-round. But believe it or not, for some people (myself included) it's all about the music.

 

The engineer in me does like to make improvements once in a while, but I'm not into polishing meaningless asymptotes. I rather experiment with room layout and treatment, and that is just as capable of keeping me occupied and my wallet empty  

I just like chasing the dragon and the empty wallet.

in all seriousness, a bit of room treatment and my listening room is done for me.

the lounge room is another story. 😂

Edited August 28, 2019 by Yamaha_man

[Al.M 1,175]

Which God are you referring to, there many audio system gods and genre religions my friend 😀

 

Until you have experienced all of them you never reach Nirvana 👳🏿‍♀️

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by Al.M

[davewantsmoore 6,276]

Quote

Audiophiles will say “oh no, you can’t have those it upsets the purity of the sound. Bollocks😂

The really funny things is that it's actually the opposite.    Eliminating errors, ensures the purity.....  but if you do it wrong, then it will make it worse.   So, it's a tough sell.

[needlerunner 1,886]

Congratulations on your medical recovery. OCDs a *****.😀

 

I'm only on my 3rd system in 45 years. The 3rd just being 6 weeks ago.

I tend to do a lot of research, find the sound I'm happy with, bingo, job done. Just minor tweaking after that.

 

Wasted sooo much more money on cars and motor bikes.

 

If and when l have to downsize in accommodation, l can see myself being quite satisfied with a quality streamer and a couple of quality book shelf active speakers.

 

By then the technology will be on a parr with anything out there.

[davewantsmoore 6,276]

13 minutes ago, needlerunner said:

By then the technology will be on a parr with anything out there.

Already is 

 

 

Only issue is not so much technology, but physics.    The dimension you have the woofer elevated off the ground, and from the back wall and side walls (in a typical-ish sized room) make chaos for path length cancellations (aka  "SBIR") .... and you get big holes and peaks in the response right around the maximum power/density of most music  (eg. 300Hz).

 

A subwoofer(s) and some EQ .... can work wonders.

 

 

If someone had $2k to spend on active bookshelves  .... then it's a no brainer to spend $500 on the speakers, and then the other $1500 on fixing the bass and EQ.       Audiophiles will say "those speakers are garbage" .... but they'll happily sit there listening to sound with glaring problems in the response that's affecting 90% of the energy.

 

 

.... but people buying expensive sound  (which $2000 totally is scary expensive in "normal people" terms)  aren't shopping on logic.... they're shopping on feelings and prestige   (which isn't so much "wrong" ... it's just "human nature"). 

[jeromelang 357]

6 hours ago, migasson said:

I’m a recovering audiophile😂 the best thing ever did, was stop being one.

Have you set up your WXC-50 to bypass the high-class filter?

[JukKluk2 2,113]

1 hour ago, Stump said:

I ever my house burns down with my collection and equipment I will join you and buy a nice radio...........

 

stump

I won't. That's what insurance companies are there for.

[migasson 497]

23 minutes ago, jeromelang said:

Have you set up your WXC-50 to bypass the high-class filter?

Nope, lol.

 

In the anti-audiophile-can’t-be-arsed ethic, haven’t touched it😂

 

Whatever it came out of the box, is where it’s at right now😂😂

 

sounds just fine😏

[migasson 497]

[Yamaha_man 811]

19 minutes ago, JukKluk2 said:

I won't. That's what insurance companies are there for.

+1 👌🏼

[Guest Muon N']

If I were a non audiophile, I wouldn't even know of a site like this, let alone inhabit it.

 

An this would be my system

 

 

 

 

[Grant Slack 292]

7 hours ago, migasson said:

I’m a recovering audiophile😂 the best thing ever did, was stop being one. When I look back at the money I’ve spent because I was continually disatisfied, it makes my eyes water. Then I discovered studio monitors, and I was done. My setup is now Focal Alpha 65’s with a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp. Maximum inputs, streaming, and a speaker that goes clean down to 40hz. Bass and treble controls on the back, mean I can tune the sound to the room. (Audiophiles will say “oh no, you can’t have those it upsets the purity of the sound. Bollocks😂) Bear in mind, I’m in a near field situation. 

 

I turfed all my records, record player, Stax gear, etc. 

 

Files I use? AAC off Apple Music. Only costs me $11 a month. Tidal? Nowhere near the catalogue size of Apple or Spotify, so why should I spend the extra $20 when the others have far larger choice? Once you drop the audiophilia, it’s quite liberating for your mind, and your wallet. My system comes in at $1299 AUD and my OCD has disappeared 😂😂

 

Hello migasson

I regard you as a $2,000 audiophile, sorry! (new prices for your streamer and speakers is $2,000 total).

 

Non-audiophiles don't buy such nice gear. So, welcome back to the club!  

 

I believe our hobby embraces all sorts of mindsets, as long as they have a desire to hear the music with some degree of fidelity. You clearly fit.

 

BTW the music library for Tidal is over 60 million tracks, vs 30+ million for Spotify, and 50 million for Apple.

 

regards,

Grant

[jeromelang 357]

46 minutes ago, migasson said:

Nope, lol.

 

In the anti-audiophile-can’t-be-arsed ethic, haven’t touched it😂

 

Whatever it came out of the box, is where it’s at right now😂😂

 

sounds just fine😏

You can stop being an audiophile but there is no reason to start becoming an idiot while you're at it. 

 

The high-class filter degrades sound very audibly. 

[JukKluk2 2,113]

1 hour ago, jeromelang said:

You can stop being an audiophile but there is no reason to start becoming an idiot while you're at it. 

MEOW!!!!!

[rantan 9,330]

My sincere apologies if this post appears to be obtuse, but what is the definition of an audiophile anyway?

There also appears to be a slight degree of reverse snobbery here, although I do concede that the OP is trying to make a (probably ) valid point about abandoning fetishes and dragon pursuit.

People who have no interest in audio whatsoever would use something like this. ( Often freely available in a hard rubbish collection or a landfill site in your council area.)

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by rantan

[Bunno77 1,179]

I am using Dynaudio monitors with a Linn Akurate beside my main system in my living area. 

Very impressive as are your Focals. Not a bad way to go at all

[mwhouston 4,449]

10 hours ago, migasson said:

I’m a recovering audiophile😂 the best thing ever did, was stop being one. When I look back at the money I’ve spent because I was continually disatisfied, it makes my eyes water. Then I discovered studio monitors, and I was done. My setup is now Focal Alpha 65’s with a Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp. Maximum inputs, streaming, and a speaker that goes clean down to 40hz. Bass and treble controls on the back, mean I can tune the sound to the room. (Audiophiles will say “oh no, you can’t have those it upsets the purity of the sound. Bollocks😂) Bear in mind, I’m in a near field situation. 

 

I turfed all my records, record player, Stax gear, etc. 

 

Files I use? AAC off Apple Music. Only costs me $11 a month. Tidal? Nowhere near the catalogue size of Apple or Spotify, so why should I spend the extra $20 when the others have far larger choice? Once you drop the audiophilia, it’s quite liberating for your mind, and your wallet. My system comes in at $1299 AUD and my OCD has disappeared 😂😂

 

Yes, that’s a Nintendo Switch. And an IKEA cabinet. That cost me $139 (cheaper then a hifi shelf😂) and the Focals sit on $8 Bunnings decking isolation pads😉

Not sure where that leaves us 100% DIYers. My gear might get a mild upgrade if I make something new. I’ll never spend or have ever spent anything near what “audiophiles” seem to go through chasing the next thing. I see a schematic I like I build it using any parts I like. 

 

Systems currently very stable but keep making. It’s my hobby; build listen, sell, build......

 

Should say well done getting off the hifi merry go round. Millions never will. Now you can enjoy the music and not the gear.

Edited August 28, 2019 by mwhouston