after going full-on vinyl, this would feel like falling off the wagon. I hate streaming for it being so easy, and making me lazy.
But there is nothing wrong with all-in-one, probably way better synergy than anything else for this price
Bragging rights.....
I recently conducted an experiment and ended up moving from a very good sounding system consisting of separate components that I carefully assembled over time to a "future fi" system. Only part of the phono rig, old speakers, their setup within the rooms, and speaker wires remain.
A Cambridge Evo 150 all-in-one replaced 9 different components including interconnect wires. I held onto all the old stuff until I reached the point where I was convinced they were no longer needed and recently have started to sell some of it to others.
The new streamlined system sounds really good! I’m not missing all that older stuff nor the work that went into assembling a good sounding system myself. ALso the flexibility to listen to music in many ways utilizing many different sources as desired is incredible!
So I think I lose some bragging rights.... it was easy to buy that one unit, hook it up, and deliver the good sound I always crave. Anybody could do it!
Also I think I no longer would lay any claim to being an "audiophile" anymore having made things so relatively simple. I will call myself an "audio enthusiast" now, however I still will always want to keep an eye on what else is out there...especially the latest and greatest innovative applications of technology that might still move things forward. "Future Fi" is the term I have read that seems to describe these kinds of transformative products these days.
Thoughts?
57 responses Add your response
@mapman , I've suspected a 'proper' D amp would mate well with Ohm units... I've a couple of inexpensive units that have paired well with mine, so... Happy to hear (no pun) that you're enjoying your new future. ;) It is an impressive byte of tech, scary in that it only weighs < 12 lbs. in some ways. Keep us appraised about any burn-in details you notice...which I'm sure you'll spend some time trying to ignore listening for.... *G* Always nice to have 'something entirely different' in one's company. *L* |
Hey, you already bragged! Ha,ha, but that's OK. One part (of many) rewarding things of reading on this discussion forum is to learn what good products are out there. I am happy you found one you like. I tend to pick components and live with them for at least a few decades until components start to affect the sound. Like you I went from separates and went integrated and very happy with it. Some people like to change systems and are on a journey. I have many interests and not the cash to dump into Hi Fi. It is fun though following the technology and others experiences. |
Good for you @mapman !I would like to go simpler also,but our WIFI here is not reliable enough to go that route. Enjoy:-) |
@mapman wrote:
Knowing your own bearing here is what matters, and you seem to thrive with your choice into simplification via the Cambridge - kudos. I know I challenged my own heading buying used pro segment speakers (an experiment, to begin with) costing 1/10 of the ones I had at the time that were hand-made in Brighton and tailored to me specifically. Turned out those Duratex finished, actively configured pro cinema speakers went from experiment to permanent residency in my setup. In my own mind I’m no less an "audiophile" now than I was before, perhaps even more so for getting ever closer to this sonic ideal of mine, but the outside perception may be one of perplexity and wondering what it’s all about. Re: "Future Fi" I had myself look up a pair JBL 250Ti in teak veneer on Google the other day. In the late 80’s I stood next to such a brand new pair of 250Ti’s at a local dealer, mesmerized. They had just been unwrapped, and standing there hooked up to a pair of Threshold SA/1 amps + pre and SME turntable, grills off, they glowed in their slightly orange-tint teak veneer with that very particular smell of wood-oil combo filling the locale - intoxicating. The sound of it all bowled over me, and how I wished I could afford them at $3k/pair (indeed the whole shebang). Yes, $3k - a pair. Yet, I was still a highschool lad and had to settle with my JBL 4408 monitors, NAD 7240PE receiver and Rega 3 turntable - absolutely OK in its own right. Then I’m looking up what can be had today for ~$7k/pair (adjusted for inflation), and mostly it’s a range of rather sterile and anemic looking square boxes with nothing approaching the sheer girth, physical presence and sensory awesomeness of the JBL 250Ti’s - not even from JBL themselves. Future Fi? A sad excuse, if you ask me. With regard to other areas in gear (particularly digital) I can see progression for sure, but I guess I’m the one to linger more in the old-school way of doing things, with the periodic modern "sprinkle" here and there like DSP usage, HDD source and a mixture of class A and class D-based amps. |
Good for you, makes life easier. I want to remain hands on (until I can't, maybe when I (hope) to be in my late 90s. I purchased the tube gear (phono, pre and monoblock amps) from two people who chose to go solid state with all in one receiver and the other an integrated amp. The receiver owner opted for a separate phono pre-amp but the system sounds fine with the same speakers I have. Prior to his move, the integrated owner also had the same speakers (Legacy Focus). If I thought about getting an integrated amp, I would probably still choose a tube based design. |