My main system is tubes with Focal based transmission line speakers, my basement system is a B&K solid state amp with a pair of vintage Merlin speakers. No Class D to speak of yet, but the basement system is soon to become my son's main system, so you never know.....I may keep my eyes peeled for a deal on a Class D amp for a replacement basement system.
How many of us are truly diversified
So here is my question after reading a couple of these Class D threads and how they are taking over the world.
How many of us are truly diversified in our home audio systems. How many of us have multiple systems in the home that are of different class amps or integrated.
I have Class D Yamaha and NAD 3020 out by my pool.We have a Pass Labs INT25 (A) in the bedroom.
Quicksilver Integrated AB tube in the officeAH Quliton X200 class A/AB in the living roomAnd I have a Bel Canto.One C5i in the hangar.
I am going to say I love my tube amps and the thing I like about the Class D stuff I have is I can go Cheap, Cheap on speakers. Hell they are on the deck by my pool and in our hanger (cheap old metal style hanger, rusty and almost a dirt floor).
So I was curious how many of us here have multiple systems of various classes and what is your fave.
How many of us are truly diversified in our home audio systems. How many of us have multiple systems in the home that are of different class amps or integrated.
I have Class D Yamaha and NAD 3020 out by my pool.We have a Pass Labs INT25 (A) in the bedroom.
Quicksilver Integrated AB tube in the officeAH Quliton X200 class A/AB in the living roomAnd I have a Bel Canto.One C5i in the hangar.
I am going to say I love my tube amps and the thing I like about the Class D stuff I have is I can go Cheap, Cheap on speakers. Hell they are on the deck by my pool and in our hanger (cheap old metal style hanger, rusty and almost a dirt floor).
So I was curious how many of us here have multiple systems of various classes and what is your fave.
24 responses Add your response
Diversified? Now we have to be diversified? Phooey on that. If you are buying buying amps with the goal of simply owning the many different classes, then you've lost track of the plot. Same deal if you are buying to belong to the class D club. Class D is not taking over the world, and neither is class A, class A/B, class H or class Z. Buy what you like to listen to, whatever makes your speakers really sing. It just so happens that I've got a class D amp in my car. Sounds harsh until it warms up in the winter, all other times it sounds flawless. |
i don’t ’diversify’ by technology... technology is only a means to an end, what the technology deployed in a piece of audio gear is only of interest on an intellectual level ... it is the result that matters and what i really care about -- how good is the music produced... i also think ’diversify’ is the wrong word, as it implies an objective of managing risk or downside of some sort - not what we are doing in this pursuit the proper notion the op may be trying to get at is to simply ’have variety’ -- that i do, like having tube and solid state amplification... once again, only in service to the resulting musical experience it produces |
Variety is the spice of life. I like the word variety but I have no problem with "diversify." There have been times in my life when I have hewed to too narrow a path in all kinds of ways -- eating the same kinds of foods, watching the same kinds of shows, doing the same kind of exercise. "You should diversify," I’ve been advised by friends with different habits when they heard me express boredom. What they were recommending was "variety," but what I needed to do was "diversify." To stick with what I had out of mere stubbornness is called "narrow-mindedness." OP, it sounds like you have wound up with a variety of kinds of gear, likely producing different sonics. My guess is that you now have a broader understanding of different ways that music can sound -- and the virtues of those different outcomes -- than me and probably many others. If you were narrow before, now you can call yourself "diversified" because you made an effort to broaden your mindset and experiments. If you wound up with different gear by chance, you’re not diversified; you just wound up, blessedly, as "experienced." |
@hilde45 yes for a long time I was a Type A but as the opportunity came to try other systems and I had the space to do it in I embraced it. Some was purchased used to keep costs down. Had a couple of units of the D type that did not stick around long though. It has been fun and I truly enjoy each system and what they bring to my ear. Best regards EF. |
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Diversification is imo defensible for my systems only when technology has unique characteristics difficult to replicate. I only find that in speakers. I find convergence in most other components not justifying variety to the same degree. There is so much variance in systems' performance that one is hard pressed to be assured superior performance by building ad hoc systems of a mixture of amp types. :) |
Regardless of the wording of the question, I interpreted that you are curious whether those of us owning multiple set-ups enjoy one over the other and whether that may have anything to do with the class of amplifier, value of the system, or any other pertinent differences. The reference to a NAD 3020 by the pool caught my attention since I just recently decommissioned a NAD 2150 amplifier in my pool/back porch/garage system due to intermittent buzzing. That thing, along with the companion 3140 integrated (big brother to the 3020), have been in constant service since I purchased them in 1981 - 40 years ago! Amazingly they both still work and could possibly be brought back to full service with cap upgrades and some cleaning. I am considering a Class D amp in that outdoor system for simplicity (maybe a D Sonic or something similar) but for now I have replaced the NAD amp with a pair of Cary CAD-500MBs I had here collecting dust - overkill for sure but they rock the back yard and sound great. To your question, all three of my systems use Class AB amps and I certainly enjoy my main system (posted here), which sounds the best of the three by far. However, I have had even more enjoyment and better memories listening on the back porch or by the pool, either because of the company and/or the atmosphere. Over here, the music, the people, and the setting, not the equipment, have the greatest impact on my enjoyment. |
@jjss49 - "meh conveys many thousands of words among reasonably well educated jewish americans..." Kinda like a good old Italian, "fuggedaboutit!" ? https://www.amazon.com/Fuggedaboutit-Italian-Swear-Word-Coloring/dp/1532972164 https://www.amazon.com/Im-Not-Yelling-Italian-Coloring/dp/1727238125/ref=pd_lpo_14_img_1/139-0537337... SO MUCH more than meets the untrained ear! |
@rodman99999 SO MUCH more than meets the untrained ear!just like listening to the difference between $2000 rare earth metal fuses 🤣🤣🤣🤣 * * * * * * * i am fortunate to have 4 systems across 2 homes... relating to 'variety' in system building... -- know the room, its needs, how gear will be set up for listening (good listening triangle? symmetry?) -- what is your source if there is a clear preference for one (or more) -- what are your cosmetic, situational, ’waf’ constraints -- build it from the speakers back to source, being true to your listening desires (’live’ exciting sound, background ’mellowing’ music while multi-tasking, etc etc) technology (class of amplifier, topology of dac, mm/mc cart, planar vs dynamic speakers) doesn’t make the cut in this critical thought process unless it suits one of the above criteria |
My wife understands my love for music and therefore puts up with my stereo in the LR. She also tolerates my use of one bedroom to house my drums (8 piece) & PA system 1200 class A/B crown Amp with Peavey 20 channel board. I also have 4K vinyl albums in there. Then there is the office which I used 25 yrs for business which now houses my Harmon Kardon HK730 receiver (needs rebuilding along with Infinity RS5000 which is rarely used now. This is along with my computer system, books, etc. i listened to Sass Jordan this morning on the computer system while perusing my email. Then there's her boom box in the BR which sounds good for what it is. She likes it because it doesn't take up much room. So, I have taken 3 rooms of the house just to house my music stuff. So, my wife really puts up with a lot for my music. Yes, she listens to the main rig also and enjoys it in her own way. And, I enjoy every one of them when I need some music, though the LR system is the top dog. I'd love to build onto my office to make it a better size so I can give my wife her pretty LR. Lumbar prices now are ridiculous. Should have done it 10 yrs ago when I was 60. Oh well |
@artemus_5 That is so cool that your wife tolerates you love of music. 25 years here and my wife is the same. I play trumpet and guitar and all 3 of my kids growing up were drummers/percussionist and my oldest was in the Oklahoma State University Jazz Band, and Percussion Ensemble, Still have a drum set here and a marimba. Yep building costs are nuts now we are working on remodeling a kitchen and I think I would be better off selling and moving to South Dakota. |
so many systems, so little time. Music is key. My only foray into class D ( a Bluesound powernode that puked and was dumpsterized ) sounded fine for intended purpose… Sunroom tunes… Speaking of diversity and those not triggered by the use of an appropriate word, look into TIM, discovery of such and a groundbreaking affordable high end amp built on low TIM approach….the Audionics of Oregon CC-2. Pressed back into duty driving the Totems in the sunroom. have fun, enjoy, diverge…from the well worn path now and then.. Grumman Hellcat with Alpine would be….diverse… |
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