College Head-Fiers: Help!

[andrzejpw]

This post kind of encompasses all of the forums, so I think it'd be best here. Like many head-fiers have done, I get to start college this fall at MIT in Boston. Here comes the problem: I'll be living in dorms. Quite a few people have told me that taking expensive stuff to college is just asking for trouble. I originally planned on taking my equipment rack with CD-25/v2/sr-200s, but perhaps it would be a better idea to liquidate those assets, and to downgrade to a more compact/less glitzy rig.

Do you guys have any suggestions? I'll have a laptop in college (IBM T42), so those soundcards I hate so much are pretty much out. I think for headphones I might consider etys. Any suggestions on a DAC/Amp? A pdac sounds like a good idea, I'd just need a usb > optical converter of some sort then. Or, perhaps, maybe a gilmore lite/dac combo would serve the purpose?

I really hate the thought of selling everything off, as I've become quite attached to the sr-200s. Should I sell it all of in the first place?

 

[go_vtec]

I know some students have more $$$ valued computer equipment than you've listed in their dorm rooms without any incident. However if you think down-grading is way to go, then I would recommend getting a descent external soundcard (Yamaha CAVIT series?) and simple DAC/AMP combo.

Of course for most new college students, I usually recommend closed/in-ear phones with simple setup (gilmore lite/Corda HA-1 II or portable amp w/ ipod). Idea is either to get something huge so that it is near impossible to take 'em from your dorm room without being noticed or so portable that you can take them with you just about anywhere.

 

[hop ham]

I would get a pair of Ety's. You will be able to take these with you anywhere. If you plan on studying in a quiet place, no sound leak. If you are walking around campus, nothing is better. And believe me, there will be many times when you need to drown out outsides noise - these will be perfect.

I think it comes down to a matter of convenience. The Ety's are better for college and sound great too. If you could, I would keep your setup now and leave it at your desk (or keep it at home). This way you won't miss it when you can enjoy it. I have been in dorm rooms where students had plenty of expensive equipment. You have to decide if you are willing to take the risk.

I would also worry about other people trying out your gear when you're not in your room. This depends if you will have roomates -- but if they see a nice looking setup on your desk (or don't know the difference), they may want to try it out and I woundn't want my roomates friends messing with my stuff when I'm not around.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I've never had any problems with having expensive gear at college, but I have always lived in an apartment with only one roommate, in a relatively quiet building (i.e. nothing racous ever happens), so it might not be best to go based off my experience.

 

[andrzejpw]

the thing is, my setup isn't extremely large, so it's not too big to walk away on its own. I'm not sure I would want to worry about my setup every time I left campus for thanksgiving or for break, as I'd probably be flying home in those cases and couldn't take my setup with me. Similarly, even if would be able to lock my setup down somehow, the fact is SR-200s are pretty much irreplaceable phones. I wouldn't feel comfortable to have other people handling them. Etys make this easier

.

 

[Patrickhat2001]

All of the dorm rooms on my campus include a desk with a drawer you can fit a lock on--I'm betting yours will as well. If not just do some modding.

 

[andrzejpw]

well, the desk might be large enough to fit my amp/headphones, but what about my cd player? I'm pretty anal/protective about my stuff.

 

[hop ham]

Locking up your system is up to you. Are you going to have a roomate? If he is cool and understands the deal, then there probably will not be a need to lock it up. It maybe asking for trouble or stir things up. My roomate was a great guy and if he saw that I was locking up my system in my desk drawer (not saying this is how you plan on locking it up), then I think he would be confused. I'm not sure if you were just talking about locking it up while you were home for vacation -- that's a different story.

If your 200's are irreplaceable to you, then leave them home. But then again you are going to MIT and this may mean you don't have to worry as much about getting stuff stolen.

For college, you need a pair of Ety's anyways

 

[tkam]

I honestly would not worry too much just make sure that if you have any roomates that they are good about locking the door when they leave. The only time things usually walk away at college are because doors aren't locked. Just use common sense and make sure the door is locked when you're not there and you'll be ok.

 

[jnewman]

I had almost $2000 worth of stereo equipment (which I payed about $500 total for) in my common room (which didn't really lock, usually), no troubles - of course most of it weighs a bit much and is a bit too large to slip in your pocket and walk off with. Plus about $300 worth of records. The real key: don't have anything out when a. people are moving in and out and all the doors everywhere are open/unlocked and anyone can get in any time and b. during vacations when you're not there.

 

[intlplby]

get a big lockable cabinet or rack type enclosure.... put everything in there.......

i wouldnt leave anything that can walk off lying around


but as someone said almost all thefts in dorm rooms occur because someone left their door open ..... even stepping out for 5 minutes with the door open can result in thisjust use a lockable cabinet or cables.....

most cables can be cut through but their biggest use it deterrence...

people steal stuff because it is easy.... if you even have just a cable people will think twice because of the trouble it is to get it.....


also if you ever go to the nerd dorm of your campus i assure you there is a lot more expensive equipement in some of those rooms..... some people i knew have multiple computer servers running out of their rooms (2-5 computers)


laptops, pcdp's and headphones are the most likely to be stolen.... not heavy equipment.....

get one of those sonic alarm cables that if cut set an audible alarm off....

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

also if you ever go to the nerd dorm of your campus i assure you there is a lot more expensive equipement in some of those rooms..... some people i knew have multiple computer servers running out of their rooms (2-5 computers)

would that be the dorm with the networked/internet washer/dryers/bathroom stalls?

Maybe I am being a bit too protective of my stuff.

 

[radrd]

I had a V2 and an MMF-CD25, as well as my AT W1000 at college. Here is what I ran into:

1. space: I had to do some serious organizing to get my big thick interconnects and my full-sized player, as well as my computer junk and everything else set up the way I wanted it. I did it, but it was not easy. If you don't have furniture that you can move around, it might be very tough.

1. roommate: I was rooming with a friend and we were both obessive about locking the door and keeping an eye on each other's stuff. If you get stuck with some stranger who lives like a pig and won't lock the door or has friends with no respect for your property, you could be in trouble.

1. open/closed headphones: doorms are not quiet, and your SR200 might not work well. I was glad for some isolation, and if you have an obsessive roommate who needs silence for studying, he might actually ask you to shut your music off if it leaks too much through your headphones. Extreme, but possible.

Overall, good luck. If you can, I would go the first week without your system and get a feel for how life is going to be. Once you learn how your roommate really is, you will know whether your system will work out.

 

[Chefguru]

ipod -> sr-71/gilmore lite -> er-4s

 

[andrzejpw]

thanks radrd, your comments are really helping out. Good point about the openness of the grados. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be easy to shuttle stuff back and forth from home, as boston is 10 hours or so from pittsburgh. Secondly, one benefit of the computer system is that I could get a usb 2 enclosure for a harddrive, and simply store all of my music on there, allowing me to leave my cds at home in Pittsburgh. Good idea?