This comes a little late in the discussion, but as they say, better late...
When I retired at 70, I too faced the reality of 40 years of upgrading, tweaking and adjusting my music system. I ended up with what I considered an extraordinary system for the medium-size, high-ceiling room it was in--the Magnepan/REL, Bryston, Cary, Esoteric combo, with occasional help from ZSystems, was accurate and satisfying to my ears. (I have two discrete systems--one exclusively digital, the other analogue--in two separate locations in the house. But I digress...)
The problem was, even looking at these electronics could be intimidating to someone who just wanted to hear good music out of something other than a TV or a computer. So when I recently turned 71 I decided to stop fiddling with the stuff and simplify the setup--I replaced the imposing Magnepans with an ancient pair of refurbished, 2-way Advents (c.1972), driven by a pair of Bryston 4BSTs that I love, along with a McIntosh C52 pre and a new Marantz Ruby SACD player. Granted, a bit of the precision and clarity of the Maggies is gone, but the sound is a tad warmer, fuller and, well, more human. (The simple equalizer built into the C52 allows minor tonal adjustments if needed, but the SACD analogue playback quality from the Marantz is superb.) Remotes allow me to control almost everything from the couch.
What I’ve found to be more significant, however--don’t pooh-pooh this--is the wife factor. Since she learned which four buttons to push and not to play with the equalizer, my wife has become quite comfortable choosing her own music, turning the system on and listening alone. I once found her sitting, transfixed, with tears in her eyes from the beauty of what she was hearing.
Despite the very minor quibbles I might have with the current system, knowing that my wife can honestly enjoy music at a legitimate audiophile level without being intimidated by the electronics makes it worth every dime and every minute I’ve spent on it. It’s worth a thought. Thanks for the note. Jerry
When I retired at 70, I too faced the reality of 40 years of upgrading, tweaking and adjusting my music system. I ended up with what I considered an extraordinary system for the medium-size, high-ceiling room it was in--the Magnepan/REL, Bryston, Cary, Esoteric combo, with occasional help from ZSystems, was accurate and satisfying to my ears. (I have two discrete systems--one exclusively digital, the other analogue--in two separate locations in the house. But I digress...)
The problem was, even looking at these electronics could be intimidating to someone who just wanted to hear good music out of something other than a TV or a computer. So when I recently turned 71 I decided to stop fiddling with the stuff and simplify the setup--I replaced the imposing Magnepans with an ancient pair of refurbished, 2-way Advents (c.1972), driven by a pair of Bryston 4BSTs that I love, along with a McIntosh C52 pre and a new Marantz Ruby SACD player. Granted, a bit of the precision and clarity of the Maggies is gone, but the sound is a tad warmer, fuller and, well, more human. (The simple equalizer built into the C52 allows minor tonal adjustments if needed, but the SACD analogue playback quality from the Marantz is superb.) Remotes allow me to control almost everything from the couch.
What I’ve found to be more significant, however--don’t pooh-pooh this--is the wife factor. Since she learned which four buttons to push and not to play with the equalizer, my wife has become quite comfortable choosing her own music, turning the system on and listening alone. I once found her sitting, transfixed, with tears in her eyes from the beauty of what she was hearing.
Despite the very minor quibbles I might have with the current system, knowing that my wife can honestly enjoy music at a legitimate audiophile level without being intimidated by the electronics makes it worth every dime and every minute I’ve spent on it. It’s worth a thought. Thanks for the note. Jerry