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Just when you've finally made it to Summit-fi... - Page 3

post #31 of 65
7/30/08 at 1:39pm
If really needed (no idea what that reason would be) I guess I could manage with an iPod and a pair of UE11 Pro.
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post #32 of 65
7/30/08 at 2:11pm
I suppose an ipod and my Shure E500's. Adding a portable amp would be nice, but I've yet to invest in one, so saying it's necessary wouldn't be correct.
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post #33 of 65
7/30/08 at 4:19pm
If all I could have was my portable, I would still be happy.


Current iPod Rig
iPod Touch 16GB - $400
iPod Crystal Silver LOD - value @~$160-180
iPod Cryo Cu and Crystal Silver LOD ~$135
+other LOD's
Headsix $150
FreQShow $350
FreQ Custom Cable ~$150-175

Home Rig:

Upgraded Millet Min - $100
MisterX XP Home - $120
Recabled AKG K400 -$215
Recabled HD580 - $250
Recabled AT701 - $110
Modded SE505 - $45

Speaker Rig:

Sony Receiver - $100 used
Subwoofer - $80 used
-----------Summer--------
Infinity SL-30's - free basement find (granted - my basement)
--------Normal--------
OEM Magnaplanars in 5.1 configuration - $400 on clearance


My damage report is based entirely on additional money put into headphones since joining the site and any selling of other items to get audio gear is not in there as well.
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post #34 of 65
7/30/08 at 10:18pm
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
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.
This is interesting. You've picked components that are voiced the same when downgrading, so the overall balance of the system should sound the same. An interesting way to approach it, and one that makes quite a bit of sense.
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post #35 of 65
7/30/08 at 10:39pm
Bare minimum.

Headphone Rig.
AKG K701
Exemplar Modded ASL MG-Head OTL 32
Shared source with my minimum speaker rig.
Speakers NHT 2.9 (Siltech wired)
Amp - Rotel RB-991
Preamp - Aragon 18K
Cabling would be some older Siltech that I have laying about.

Shared source Exemplar (Denon 3910)

These are all items that are either too old or modified or both therefore
they wouldn't bring enough money to justify selling them

If space became an issue the NHT 2.9's would have to go bye-bye, and I would be relegated to using my current bedroom system (The Rotel and the Aragon with NHT 1.5's)
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post #36 of 65
7/31/08 at 1:00am
tom, wasn't going to the ayre pre an upgrade? i dunno how good singlepower's pre's are but the last statement hp amp of his that i heard wasn't really gravy, more like just a big ball of roux.
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post #37 of 65
7/31/08 at 1:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by panda View Post
tom, wasn't going to the ayre pre an upgrade? i dunno how good singlepower's pre's are but the last statement hp amp of his that i heard wasn't really gravy, more like just a big ball of roux.
Maybe it has better synergy with the other components? I'm sure if it makes sense then upgrading one thing to downgrade another is fine, as long as the bottom-line is reduced.
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post #38 of 65
7/31/08 at 4:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by panda View Post
tom, wasn't going to the ayre pre an upgrade? i dunno how good singlepower's pre's are but the last statement hp amp of his that i heard wasn't really gravy, more like just a big ball of roux.
I had the Ayre K-1XE (which is much better than the K-5XE) in my system and the SP transparency SS preamp. The SP is far and away the better preamp. The SP tubed preamp I have now is on another level than either of them. I would put it in the ARC Ref. 3, or VTL 7.5 range. I prefer it to both. Not really a synergy thing since I have listened to it with other systems as well. Same results.
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post #39 of 65
8/2/08 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by progo View Post
...they pull you back in!
That was a brilliant cinematographic quote. LOL.

Zanth, that is a great question I just can't seem able to answer. I've been agonizing for at least 10 minutes, like a father asking which one of their sons to save from a fire if only one could make it.

I guess it could be DHA3000-L3000 (Still great value/convenience) or Apogee MiniDAC-HEV70-HE60 (on the electrostatic side). Still, I can't be sure these setups would really make me enjoy music happily ever after.

Do you want to know when you really are upgrading your system? It is not when you say "Wow" right after the upgrade. It is when you can't live with your previous setup after living with the new one for a while.
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post #40 of 65
8/2/08 at 9:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad View Post
That was a brilliant cinematographic quote. LOL.

Zanth, that is a great question I just can't seem able to answer. I've been agonizing for at least 10 minutes, like a father asking which one of their sons to save from a fire if only one could make it.

I guess it could be DHA3000-L3000 (Still great value/convenience) or Apogee MiniDAC-HEV70-HE60 (on the electrostatic side). Still, I can't be sure these setups would really make me enjoy music happily ever after.

Do you want to know when you really are upgrading your system? It is not when you say "Wow" right after the upgrade. It is when you can't live with your previous setup after living with the new one for a while.
I thought we were trying to envision the bare minimum but if not, well yeah, then I keep my Apogee mini-DAC with HEV70/HE60.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f45/co...1-more-346721/
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post #41 of 65
8/3/08 at 2:36am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad View Post
Do you want to know when you really are upgrading your system? It is not when you say "Wow" right after the upgrade. It is when you can't live with your previous setup after living with the new one for a while.
So very very true. I would wager quite a few upgrades never manage to induce such a feeling, hence upgraditis. There have been some for myself that I have been stopped in my tracks. I never want to part with the HP4. Never. Once I managed to acquire that amp, I stopped researching dynamic amps. There may well be something better (perhaps from Single Power, or perhaps a modified Cary 300 SEI) yet, if they are, from what I've read, the upgrade would more than likely sound like a side-step. Why mess with near perfection?
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post #42 of 65
8/3/08 at 2:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
I thought we were trying to envision the bare minimum
It's not the bare minimum (akin to another thread that indicates what is the cheapest gear that could be defined as high-end). I'm more interested in what would be the minimum, after hearing or owning amazing gear, that would allow one to continue in the hobby (thus not gutting all gear) and maintaining a level of enjoyment such that one feels like marginally sane after having to dump their precious gear. Seeing Nomad's item list, I can understand why he would list what he lists as a bare minimum
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post #43 of 65
8/3/08 at 4:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanth View Post
It's not the bare minimum (akin to another thread that indicates what is the cheapest gear that could be defined as high-end). I'm more interested in what would be the minimum, after hearing or owning amazing gear, that would allow one to continue in the hobby (thus not gutting all gear) and maintaining a level of enjoyment such that one feels like marginally sane after having to dump their precious gear. Seeing Nomad's item list, I can understand why he would list what he lists as a bare minimum
Well in that case I have to make some small changes:

Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict
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
Now it would be the following, to keep me happy after the rest is all gone:

iMod 80gb $500
Portable Vcap dock with IC's $500
RSA Predator $475
Livewires $250 new
RS-1 with APS cable $750 used
Edition 9 with APS cable $1,500 new
Marantz CD5001 with built-in headamp $200 used
Apogee mini-DAC with Sigma 11 PSU $1000 used
Interconnects and power cables $700
Polk SDA CRS speakers $900 new 22 years ago
Nuforce Icon $199 new
SRD-7 Pro $300 used
SR-Lambda Signature $700 used
HE60/HEV70 $2000

This is still significantly shorter than the list in my public profile, and still $10,000.
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post #44 of 65
8/3/08 at 5:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad View Post
......
I guess it could be DHA3000-L3000 (Still great value/convenience) or Apogee MiniDAC-HEV70-HE60 (on the electrostatic side). Still, I can't be sure these setups would really make me enjoy music happily ever after.
.....
that's not a "downgrade". It's the ultimate setup for most peoples! If we can go that route, my take would be HE90 + KGSS + OMZ + computer.


.
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post #45 of 65
8/3/08 at 10:19am
This was actually a reality for me a couple of years ago, not that I had an extremely high end system but I was slowly moving up the ladder. When I got laid off and we had to tighten the belt so to speak I had to reassess my system with a focus on what would give me the most bang for the buck in as many situations as possible. Gone were the RS-1's, GS-1 and DAC while the iPod and Shure E500's stayed.

I've slowly been climbing back up the ladder but in a different manner now, my focus has been on versatility with the HeadAmp Pico forming the cornerstone of my system where it's used with either an iPod or a computer at home or work and the upper tier of universal IEM's as my phones. Eventually I'd like to make the jump to the more reasonably priced custom IEM's but I've been reluctant because of the costs associated with doing it cross border.

I'll admit there are times I miss my home based setup but it still amazes me how satisfying my current setup is.
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