Do NOT Blow Your Entire Budget on Two Channel Audio

@deep_333

You have an excellent, excellent point!

But, any album i discover/like, I buy it off Qobuz for permanent ownership.

You are right for so many different reasons but first of all is quality. I built a media server last year using a NAS and have been filling it with ripped bluerays of all ttpes, concerts, movies, atmos, DD,DTS, etc. I started a thread here asking for ways to buy ripped music on thumb drives, hard drives, etc. My atmos blueray of Rober Waters the Wall and Kraftwerl 3D: The Concert blow away any streamed content you can get. I have my ripped music files on it too.

The Qobuz sublime subscription gives you 50 to 60% on so many hires official studio masters and it can be had for 7 or 8 bucks a pop.

I tried Quboz years ago abd it sounded bright to me, maybe its time to try again, thanks.

Anyways, I download these hires masters, keep them in my NAS and permanently own them!! I like it that way!!

Totally agree, I found an incredible bang for the buck media player by Zidoo on Amazon called the Pro10. This is the same company that makes the Eversolo streamers. They have released a new one for about a grand and I am contemplating pulling the trigger, check out:

https://www.zidoo.tv/Product/index/model/UHD5000/target/SGlS2hlXYyJKKmVViAFMcQ%3D%3D.html

@kennyc 

That is interesting, I definitely like the two channel only systems I have around the house. My favorite one isn't even for critical listening, just a pair of DefTech Wireless active/streaming speakers. All I did was plug them in, connect to wireless and start streaming with the playfi app. They sound so much bigger than their miniscule size. I have the beginnings of a headphone system. I dropped Sony's Signature preamp/dac/headphone amp into my main rig so I have a pure two channel path for stereo. It has every type of headphone connection imaginable but I haven't purchased the matching Sony Signature headphones yet. It works great with my other cans though. If you want to post about your TV video surround system it would be very interesting. Have you picked a receiver/processor yet?

@kennyc 

My desktop system is posted in my profile. I'll check out the Audeze, which were just acquired by Sony!

https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ps5/sony-acquires-audeze-in-move-towards-more-high-end-ps5-gaming-headsets

I think the consensus re: budget so far is it is better to have fewer high quality components than many mediocre ones. Question, can you actually buy high quality components without an exorbitant budget?

Define exorbitant for you.

Well the 80/20 rule I guess, products that are priced within the top 20% of their category.

Exorbitant is subjective but unless your budget is unlimited you can get better quality over a lower number of speakers, etc.

True

Price tags dont means audiophile experience; the right gear synergy in an acoustic space means audiophile experience...

That's what I believe too, but I see some members here with pricey stuff in crazy rooms that seem pretty happy.

@rajugsw

Amazon’s latest FireTV Stick supports Atmos Music playback,:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MQZXN1X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use an Onkyo RZ630 9 channel in the mancave, very happy with it. I got it at a great price too.

Your system looks amazing, are those Klipsch speakers? How did you get that rack into the wall? Thanks

@tvrgeek

Audiolab 6000 integrated

I use the DTS Play-Fi ecosystem and see the companion streamer from Audiolab the 6000N is on sale for around 50% off. I don’t need a streamer, I am using a Paradigm Link (with ARC room correction) because I have Paradigm speakers. Do you think the Audiolab 6000N streamer would be a WOW?

Monoprice sub.

I just added a third sub to my system, a Monoprice Slim 12 incher that I wall mounted in the back of my room, you can see the pic in my virtual system. Incredible bass from a slim unit and under $200! I wanted to have a sub up near my height speakers.

Unfortunately prestige, looks, and ego drive the high end market.

I asked a dealer about upgrading from my current processor, he is a straight shooter. He said you can upgrade features if I go up a level in the same brand but the SQ will be about the same.

No amount of user end electronics can make the source better

That’s why atmos music has helped my system, sometimes the remix can sound better than a mix from back in the day. See this box set from the Beach Boys:

The collection boasts 24 new mixes including two first-time stereo mixes, plus 22 new-and-improved stereo mixes, which in some cases feature the latest in digital stereo extraction technology, allowing for the team to separate the original mono backing tracks for the first time.

As far as phones go that is the way the majority of people consume music today, using bluetooth ear buds. I replaced my phone with a very nice DAP from Onkyo, the DP-X1 and it sounds great, is android based so I can use it to control my system and use the play-fi app for streaming. One DAP to rule them all: