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Just when you've finally made it to Summit-fi... - Page 2

post #16 of 65
7/29/08 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyrion View Post
Not sarcasm, I thought it was a good observation on your part and tried to address it.
YAAAA. i like compliments.
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post #17 of 65
7/29/08 at 9:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanth View Post
This is all hypothetical!!! My gear isn't going anywhere and I doubt my wife would ever really urge me to get rid of my gear unless we were to starve or something in line with that. I was just setting up the scenario where one might be pushed into selling and then how would I go about doing it.

I really like what you guys are doing with DIY. I need to master the iron.
Heh, that's what happens when you've been awake for almost 24 hours, and somehow missed that one critical word.
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post #18 of 65
7/29/08 at 10:30pm
Tivoli PAL - $200
Pico - $500
HD 580 - $130
ESW9 - $200
Triple.fi 10 - $300
Ipod Nano - $100
--
about $1500

It's also what I have at the moment. Coming first from a HE90 and then OII setup - as other priorities have taken over - it was quite a downgrade, but I'm actually very satisfied with my setup now and I can easily see myself living with this rig for quite a while. I've only touched the equipment once or twice ever since I got the Pico. There might be a pair of IEMs in the near future but that's about it. Ok, and maybe if Sennheiser eventually releases the HD 650 successor, maybe.
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post #19 of 65
7/29/08 at 10:45pm
Thread Starter 
Tyrion is right, my idea wasn't about "eating or listening" but about downgrading to a point where one would be content while maintaining the style of listening one currently does. So for tyrion and I, that means vinyl is included and should be included for anyone trying this out. If you have a vinyl rig, minimize it. If you have a digital rig, minimize that. If you have both, minimize both like he and I did.

True enough that some would think that $1500 is quite a bit but the point wasn't merely about getting as low as possible, again, I could listen to an AM radio and be content with a steady stream of good music but I wouldn't be in the hobby anymore. $1500 would keep me going enough in all facets without changing my current listening habits. UM2's for night time listening, work and on the go. SR60's for home listening and semi-active (I'd have to mod the cable, I used to do active things with the SR60's back in the late 90's and it wasn't fun).

The Tivoli for speakers and tuning the radio, the iPod for my digital (I'd need my comp to get the tunes on there...but the comp is not strictly for audio so I assume I can keep that in my hypothetical without too much fuss.)
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post #20 of 65
7/29/08 at 11:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanth View Post
Tyrion is right, my idea wasn't about "eating or listening" but about downgrading to a point where one would be content while maintaining the style of listening one currently does. So for tyrion and I, that means vinyl is included and should be included for anyone trying this out. If you have a vinyl rig, minimize it. If you have a digital rig, minimize that. If you have both, minimize both like he and I did.
Zanth,

If you're not careful, you may end up like so many of us who have down-graded to some extent only to discover that they really can't live without some of those items. They are then burdened or cursed for all time to scour the earth/electronic forsale forum for items they formally owned.

Bare minimum rig:

Cheap Dac ($100) for the Macbook
iPhone ($200)
TF-10vi ($420)
RS-1 ($600)

Rough Total: $1320
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post #21 of 65
7/29/08 at 11:40pm
Zanth I hope the time will never come when you must part with your gear.

My minimum gear?
iPod shuffle > iBuds

I'm hardly ever at home anyway. Always traveling year in year out.
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post #22 of 65
7/30/08 at 12:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanth View Post
...

When all is said and done my gear is still a bit pricey for most people:

Tivoli Model 2: $250
iPod: $350
UM2's: $250
Grado SR60's: $69
Thorens TD 160: $150
Alphason HR100S: $200
Grado Prestige Gold: $150
Radioshack Phono: $50

Grand Total: about $1500

Not bad to stay firmly footed in the hobby and enjoying my music collection, but a far cry from "dirt cheap" yet just as far a cry from my current setup. Anything less than this and I would want to just pack it in and look for another hobby.

So how low can you go?
Hmmmm, that's a tough one - how about:

iPod $350
Livewires $250
Denon D2000 with APS cable $400
Marantz CD5001 with built-in headamp $200
-------------------------------------------------
$1200

If money allowed would add a DAC/Amp with speakers:

Nuforce Icon $199
B&W DM303 speakers $300
---------------------
$1700
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post #23 of 65
7/30/08 at 12:18am
.
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post #24 of 65
7/30/08 at 12:25am
After having heard a Pico lately, I could live with it as a DAC/amp if things got desperate. As far as cans go, I'd want to do a bit of research to see what has good synergy with the Pico. The Yuin PK1s I tried did offer exceptional value for the money tho so these could be considered on the cheap.

This thread is just a reminder of $$$ vs diminishing returns, so I'm trying not to think about it too much.

I think finding something with a musical bias would be the key, so I can enjoy it without worrying too much about whether it's getting everything right.
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post #25 of 65
7/30/08 at 12:28am
Used Bel Canto Dac 2: $750

Used Denon 2900 for SACD: $200

Little Dot tube amp or used Woo Audio 3 or a good Millet Hybrid amp: Approximately $400

Used good quality headphone: $250

Blue Jeans and Volex cables.

Optional: $250 for a good vintage turntable and $100 for a vintage receiver for it's phono stage (FM radio as a bonus too)
_____________________________

It's affordable I think for the average mate who takes audio seriously and it would sound excellent. To me this is reasonable without breaking the bank. This way, you will minimize that harsh sound you normally find in your budget gear.

Currantly, I'm using a pair of Marantz bookshelf speakers that I got at the Goodwill for only $8.97 and they sound excellent. My bargain of the decade! I plan on upgrading though eventually to something in the hi end price tag in the next year or so.
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post #26 of 65
7/30/08 at 6:00am
any dap and any decent headphones, plus a receiver and cheap bookshelves i'd be just fine...
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post #27 of 65
7/30/08 at 6:40am
The following would be what I have and what I downgrade to.
Thiel CS7.2 >>> Thiel CS2.4
Krell FPB 650M monoblocks >>> Krell FPB 300 stereo amp
Singlepower balanced tube preamp >>> Ayre K-5xe preamp
Modified Shanling CDP >>> used
modwright tubed 999ES
VPI Superscoutmaster signature w/superplatter >>> VPI Scout
Sim Audio LP5.3 >>> Dynavector P75
Dynavector Te kaitora Rua cartridge >>> Dynavector 17D2 MKII cartridge
Audioquest Sky ICs >>> Audioquest Cheetahs (used)
Shunyata PCs >>> stock cords
Audioquest Montblanc speaker cable >>> LAT International SS1000 (used)
I could live a long time with this downgrade and still keep the same general sound I have in my speaker system now.
I feel pretty good that selling what I have and buying the other products would put over $20K in my pocket and leave me with a very good system.
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post #28 of 65
7/30/08 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tom hankins View Post
The following would be what I have and what I downgrade to.
Thiel CS7.2 >>> Thiel CS2.4
Krell FPB 650M monoblocks >>> Krell FPB 300 stereo amp
Singlepower balanced tube preamp >>> Ayre K-5xe preamp
Modified Shanling CDP >>> used
modwright tubed 999ES
VPI Superscoutmaster signature w/superplatter >>> VPI Scout
Dynavector Te kaitora Rua cartridge >>> Dynavector 17D2 MKII cartridge
Audioquest Sky ICs >>> Audioquest Cheetahs (used)
Shunyata PCs >>> stock cords
Audioquest Montblanc speaker cable >>> LAT International SS1000 (used)
I could live a long time with this downgrade and still keep the same general sound I have in my speaker system now.
That's like Micheal Schumacher downgrading to a Porsche GT3.
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post #29 of 65
7/30/08 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Usagi View Post
That's like Micheal Schumacher downgrading to a Porsche GT3.
It's still a downgrade! This is what I wanted. Tom's gear is totally top notch and so he knows what it is like sitting on the highest peak looking down on the rest of us Given this...it would be difficult to go ALL the way to the bottom, which is something I didn't want people to do (being at the bottom to me means AM radio). I wanted people to clearly think about what would keep them close to what they have in terms of sonic enjoyment and gear play time
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post #30 of 65
7/30/08 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Just when you've finally made it to Summit-fi...
...they pull you back in!
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