Best Home HIFi you’ve listened to

I like to be modest, but after 50 years of working at it, mine. I have all Audio Research Reference components: Phonostage, DAC, Preamp, and amp (see my user ID). My streamer is Aurender W20SE and Turntable is a Linn LP12 (almost Klimax) with Sonus Faber Amati Traditional speakers in an insanely good audio space (by accident).

What is amazing is that it is incredibly musical and involving… it has the details of an ear bleed system… but the details are not forced on you… it is emotionally involving.

I have heard million dollar systems that are holographic and mesmerizing, but not nearly as musical and involving like mine. Over the last fifty years my understanding of what a great system sounded like has changed substantially. It began with loud, with heavy bass… and landed me here with incredibly involving, articulate, emotional, with great detail. It has been a great journey, and I love where I have landed… retired with the be st system I have heard.

@jeffseight 

I lived in Tucson for 25 years… did a lot of my early audiophile stuff there. But I now live in the Pacific Northwest… near Portland. You get up here give me a holler.

@grislybutter

Used to be my favorite city as well… it has changed in the last four or five years… in a huge way… in the wrong direction. ☹️ I can’t tell you how disappointing it has been since for 15 years it was such a delight.

Fortunately the symphony is still outstanding and in a relatively safe area.

It is good to hear some folks think their system the best they have heard. It takes a lifelong commitment to do this. While, you could do it with infinite funds… but without going through the process (one which alters your perception of what a great system sounds like) it is unlikely to be that meaningful. I think this is something akin to the greatest rewards are those that are hardest to achieve / requiring the most effort.

Personally I am finding my system in retirement one of the most rewarding lifetime pursuits I have since I now have time to really enjoy and appreciate it. It’s value is many times the couple hundred grand I could have in the bank. I could not just go out and buy my system… without the thousands of hours of effort it took me to learn and invest… I would not be this satisfied.

I remember my first 115 mile bike ride to Oregon Pipe Cactus Monument for an overnight trip with the local Tucson bike club. That night, I looked around at all the other camp sites and felt so sorry for them… they drove there… but I sweated, and rode, and rode… and rode… and did it with my own two legs. I was high as a kite. Next morning… we got back on our bikes and headed back…. I held back riding really fast. I was worried about burning out. But at 35 miles from home, I said, “screw it,” and let loose… pedaling back home at a really fast pace… passing many more seasoned riders. This was my first ride with the club… before many more challenging rides… including with the founder of the Race Across American… and riding across America. Stuff you really work at is the most rewarding.