1) if you go to audiophile Heaven, do any of your kids want your Hifi ? I asked that , over Christmas, and caught a defeating silence and laugh “ no” frickin way Way to big !!! And lots of laughs over the conversation 2) when that time comes , How does anybody get rid of all the Hifi stuff ? Does the spouse? Cuss you out and sell for $5 a garage sale ? My guess; it’s a lot of work to sell correctly ? My wife answer was enlightening!!! It’s an ugly/funny question , But I’m really wondering how it happens
Sad but true questions for most of us older folkes. My oldest son has a strategy that i should start selling down now, otherwise when I move on he will just bring in a skip and out it all goes. Pretty brutal.
I have multiple hifi systems in different rooms as well as a large Vinyl and CD collection, not to mention Guitars and keyboards. Also a growing valve collection as I tube roll plus acquired spares of my favorite NOS valves for each component.
I am disciplined to maintain accurate records on all my gear, what i payed for them and what i reckon they will sell for, which I occasionally update. So 2 boys, both in their 30's, oldest has little interest though does like live music, headphones at a quiet level off his phone or computer is all he needs and we have few common music tastes. The youngest luckily has similar music tastes and we regularly do road trips to music festivals. I have donated a system to him, he really wanted my Apogee 8's so I built a system around them, so I assume he will want the pick of the better systems. I don't see an interest in vinyl or CD's, into a full digital world which to be honest i have also embraced over the Covid lock down period. I haven't reached a point (yet?) to give up and sell my vinyl.
Now getting old is no joy, having put both my parents into nursing homes with one still alive, at 93. So I also contemplate which of my systems can be used if and when i reach that stage though hopefully I can be home nursed and keep my main systems. I purposely designed our house (build 8 years ago) to support home nursing, my wife is disabled.
So my strategy is ;1) whilst i still have my marbles at some future point I will have to rationalise the many systems and make a call on CD's and Vinyl 2) I really hope to stay in my house as long as possible so I can maintain a couple of hifi systems 3) my youngest can take what he wants when i am gone and him selling the rest by consignment makes a lot of sense.
This reminds my of conversations I have with clients for collecting their social security benefits. They ALL want to start early as they can because to them it is all about the breakeven date. I always tell them that if they die before they reach that breakeven point “they will be the first ones not to know”! Best thing to do like I have done is put together a when I am dead file or folder. List all investment accounts with contact info, life insurance policy numbers with contact info, and list of all other material objects and values when purchased. I have also put all laptop and mobile device passwords in there as I scan all receipts and have them in a file. I am trying to get my daughters to understand the difference in the sound from my system and their IPhones but it is slow to sink in as convince always wins out for now.
My son has already told me that he wants the gear and the speakers but that he does not want all of the music but we will see what happens when the time comes.
Only child is a daughter and is 5. LOVES music and really weird stuff which is awesome! Can hear a song a few times then figure out parts of it on her cheap electric keyboard. Pretty damn amazing. Stereo is in the basement and she has never been down there …. Ever….! Couple years from now when she’s not so pokey I will take her down and we will jam. I think she will be into it.
Had serious talks with a musically inclined nephew of mine regarding inheritance of my audio system, recordings and (even greater interest) collection of vintage keyboards, guitars and amps that I own. He' still on and he feels 2 of the 3 grandchildren are good with it as well (for what that is worth at a young age . . . ).
Now, that bro who gave life to that nephew? Crated up carefully an older Linn/Arcam-Monitor audio based system that I had for years and thought a wonderful present some time back. He uncrated it, then put it in a closet about 18 years ago and never looked at it again.
It pays to discuss this in advance. If I couldn't find anyone interested, I'd make arrangements through a shop/musician friend to find someone with little that would take pleasure in owning it.
My father wanted me to play football in high school. He very much liked the game and just assumed that I would as well. I was indifferent but my mother encouraged me to play for him. I was objectively better than average but had no passion and took no joy in it. Practice and playing was just fulfilling an obligation to him.
My point is I don’t know for sure if my son will honestly want my audio systems when I’m gone and I don’t worry about it. He certainly has right of first refusal, but I don’t try to get him to see value as I see it. My passions won’t ever be his burden.
Can’t speak for anyone but myself. As my system became better and more expensive I moved it to a dedicated sound room, not necessarily to protect it but to get better sound. My children have no idea of great sound because honestly I hide it from them I guess.
I remember around age five my parents had a stereo console and late at night in my room my Dad playing Beatles albums and etc. in the family room. The sound wasn’t necessarily great but what great memories. Later my fathers system evolved in the 70’s but it was still in the family room and on the weekends he’d play Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne and it would fill the house with sound. We wouldn’t sit in front of the stereo to find the sweet spot and I’m not sure at the time we had any idea what that was or cared. Great memories.
Guess my point is why would any of our children want this? I truly enjoy my system but I do see at least for me it’s sitting in a room alone to meditate. This is not a bad thing by any means but my kids don’t get it and honestly it’s not what I grew up with either. My advice to young audiophiles is to keep your systems out in the open, don’t only sit in a chair, but share the experience with your family and maybe, and just maybe, your kids will enjoy it. Doubtful my kids have any desire to inherit my system even though I know they love music. In the end it’s just a hobby, and ok most kids aren’t into what their old parents like and why should we think they want to be confined to a chair? It will not be this home, but the next I’d like to move my system back out into the living area and not worry or care about sitting in the sweet spot but just enjoy the music with my others.
My son wants my car and watches. My daughter wants my money and her boyfriend wants my stereo. He's a good guy, ill have to show him the power up sequence before I croak....
I wanted it in the worst way and asked him about it. He told me if my father didn't it would be mine someday. He passed when I was 10 and I figured we would move it very soon. Next time we went to his house only two weeks or so later my $^%#&*#$# cousin had thrown it out!
Grandfather loved it, father didn't want it, grandson wanted it...grandson's (me) children have no desire to have any of my gear. Go figure.
Maybe if I live long enough to have grandkids...nah. Fugeddaboutit.
@tvad Sad, isn't it? And, I just moved (downsized) and really have no place to set them up other than the (now air-conditioned) garage, but with two cars there...
I just don't know what to do. I also have a beautiful Guild 12-string all maple, arched back with gold hardware that I love--not that old, bought in the 1980's or early 90's--have to check the serial number as I forget.
The Ludwig's were purchased on the same day in 1969, as I remember but I can check the serial numbers, from one store and a complete set. I wanted another color, but he had a champagne sparkle Hollywood set that spoke to me, so cymbals, stands, cases, everything in one day. Unfortunately, I got a real job right after that, the band broke up, and I never really gigged with it, so it remains just as it was when I bought it, probably like your Vistalite's. Oh, well, what are we going to do?
Someone else will just have to love the set when I sell it--EVENTUALLY!
Can't part with it yet, or the C-2, or the Guild, or the Strat, or...you get it.
I MIGHT sell the factory-refurbished, still in the shipping box Magneplaner I-C's and the AR EC-21 that was made for them. Not yet, though...
I have a great nephew that will get my system should I croak before being committed. Hopefully they commit me with my headphone amp and digital playback system. Ultimately I will be dead. And a materialistic, albeit cherished, bunch of stuff will probably be squandered away to oblivion.
I offered to donate and build a system with some of my excess equipment for my single nephew who likes music. he expressed some interest and then showed me the plans for the distributed system he was buying from Crutchfield - ceiling speakers and sound bars. he would be considered an "audiophile" by today's standards of smartphone listeners. we are a dying breed for sure.
Oh Dekay, don’t go.... but yes, "no" the kids don’t care. In 2 - 5 minutes they can no longer contain themselves to sit and just listen, the cellphones come out. Playing a music video lasts a bit longer, but never expect any actual appreciation. Sad really. And it does not bode well for the industry.
-There’s a little ball, Apple’s Home Pod Mini. My son has one. Pretty amazing bass really for such a little (mono) ball. It plays anything you tell Siri to play including "mood catagories", "60's Folk", "Impressionistic Classical" etc. Might be a clue. Encroaching Digital Disruptors.
Wife will take all the Beatles, Buffett, and Louis Armstrong recordings, if only to preserve for the music she wants at HER funeral. 😁 Daughter not interested at this stage with 3 young children. A bit more with SIL. I hope as the house calms down he/she may have some interest. The real prospect is my two youngest grandkids (2+ and 1+), who always grab the toy guitar and music making toys at our house. May indoctrinate with a TT , and a large supply of cheap stylus replacements 😁
My oldest son loved my Krell, Apogee, Linn, Dynavector system from the 90’s and wanted them when I no longer did(AKA died). He preferred vinyl for serious listening. Four years ago I when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness of expected short duration I gave him my records, the Krell and the Linn plus my Chartwell LS 3/5a’s. I kept the Apogees so I could update the crossovers. But by that time my second son wanted something too so I began to build a second system that was more ‘modern’ and built around streaming and apartment living. But he loves tubes. I’ll keep that system until I really depart. Which is better? It’s a generational thing.
I've thought about it but I think the answer is no. I can't begin to imagine trying to explain all the tweaks. 3 kids in their 30's and they all like music. My husband and I played vinyl all the time they were growing up, but none of them are critical listeners. I've still got a few Vinyl albums and 45's I listened to as a kid and others my husband and I acquired over the years. I'm afraid they'll probably all end up at goodwill. Just gifted our middle son and his wife with a Bose Wave system last Christmas. Stop laughing, they wanted it. It was an upgrade to the clock radio with CD player they'd been listening to for 10 years. So I might pass my CD collection to him. He's also into conserving energy. Can't see him running my power plant and 250 watt power amp :) My oldest son is in to headphones (mostly under $100) so I'd probably give him my Senns and Hifimans (both more than $1000 each). But at least he'd know and appreciate the value. I run them off of my power amp so I'm hearing 100%. His HP's are connected to his laptop with a dedicated sound card and he's happy. But I think he's more into gaming than music. I helped my daughter pick an AVR a few years back and set her up with a modest 3.1 system for HT. For music she listens from her phone. I thought about cataloging everything and what they could possibly sale it for and where. I've got the original boxes to everything. Not sure any of them would want to go through the hassle. Anyway selling would be an option. I'm very happy with my system, but it's my hobby, not theirs. So when I die the good thing...I'll be oblivious.
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