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Need to downgrade any advice??

Hello everyone.

Well I am in the process of moving into my first place. Although it is good to move out of my folks place, I never realized how much money I would spend. The above, along with the space available at my current place, and my girlfriend nagging has lead me to the conclusion that I need to downgrade until my funds replenish.

Currently I own Green Mountain Audio Europas, a fully modded Bolder Squeezebox 2 with separate ac power unit, and a Onix sp3. One option is to sell my speakers and the sp3 and simply buy self powered 2.1 speakers. The second option is to sell everything and simply get a self powered 2.1 speaker and use airport and my mac.

Here my question. Based on what I have said what is the best option for me? I know I can get the most out of my squeezebox and I honestly haven't used it as much as I should have over the years. Yet I don't really want to get rid of it. Overall, I need a system that is more flexible, in terms of inputs, takes less space, and eliminates a lot of the cables. It also has to be user friendly considering my girlfriend is computer illiterate. Can I still get a good sounding system by downgrading and getting powered speakers?

Any recommendation on self-powered speakers and so forth are greatly welcomed.
daimbert
14 responses Add your response
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
There is only one right solution to your dilema (obvious if you think about it) - keep the gear and change the girlfriend.
reubent
6,986 posts
 
Audioguru1,

Take a look at photos of the Wharfedales and the Quads. They are definately not the same speaker. They may have similarities, and who knows, they may be built in the same factory, but they are not the same. The driver flanges are not shaped the same, so I suspect they are different drivers. Also, the Quads have twin ports on the rear and the Wharfedales have a single port on the front.

TIC
cruz123
586 posts
 
I rescind my prior advice. Instead, keep the apartment and ditch the nagging girlfriend.
audioguru1
19 posts
 
why not get wharfdale 8.2 actives, they are reportedly the same as quads, about $350 for the pair. You could also buy another direct connected usb dac, my experience was direct connected sounded better than squeezebox, using a trends ud10 to a musiland dac.
kbamhi
39 posts
 
MHI offers the "Evidence" desktop speakers which would also be a very good choice. They are fairly efficent and could be powered by a small desktop tube amp. See the review in Positive Feedback online issue number 35.
There is a demo pair online for sale at 450.00 / 150.00 off list.
kbamhi
39 posts
 

I purchased a pair of audioengine 5 self powered speakers for my desktop and couldn't be happier. I hooked them up to my computer through a economical USB DAC and get very satisfying sound. They are probably not the last word in accuracy as the midbass seems fairly tipped up but that is one of the reasons I enjoy them so much. I have a subwoofer under the desk and haven't felt the need to hook it up.
There are so many choices in music via Winamp that I find myself utilizing my main system less and less.
ajahu
306 posts
 
Active speakers driven by apple is a good solution. But you have to find the right active speakers. You may want to look on the ebay look for secondhand tannoy, dynaudio, or other professional audio active speakers, or quad active ones.
cruz123
586 posts
 
Keep everything and move back in with the folks.
bdgregory
1,712 posts
 
I want to get at least 1000 to 1500 from downgrading if possible. You think it's possible?

I'm not sure of the used value of everthing you have, but if you sell - Europas - $500-600, SP3 - $500-$600, and buy something else, you can't get much and save $1000.

What am I missing?

I would probably keep the Europas and replace the SP3 with something else. Would a Trends Tripath or equivalent drive them? $100 would get one used.
daimbert OP
56 posts
 
Well I have the onix sp3 tube amp which although sounds great does take more room than usual and has a bit more maintenance than other amps I have gotten. I want to get at least 1000 to 1500 from downgrading if possible. You think it's possible?
scpetscott
47 posts
 
keep your europas and get a good used amp to power them. my mac mini is connected to a pass labs clone from the headphone out jack and powering a pair of Spica TC-50s. I've also used cheap adcoms that work very well as well.
elf73
104 posts
 
I'd keep the Onix and monitors. Sell the squeezebox and use the Mac/Airport express and buy a DAC when the time comes.

Self powered speakers are still going to cost you at least $300, and you wouldn't be happy.

The only experience with downgrading I did was when I decided to sell my tecnodec and keep my Rega Planar 2. $1600 vs $300. I should have gotten a second job.

Don't know if your current set-up is head and shoulders above powered speaker set-up. It probably is, and once you've heard something better, it's going to stick in your head every time you listen.
reubent
6,986 posts
 
I'm using the Quad 12L Active speakers and really couldn't be happier.

Enjoy,

TIC
mimberman
299 posts
 
Man, that's a bummer and a tough one, but I've been in this kind of situation before. I guess let's get some numbers in here: how much are you looking to end up with in your pocket out of this, and that will give a better idea of what can be accomplished. My first thought is that the squeezebox should go as you have airport and a mac. There's not a lot of compromise there and then you can address what to do about your speaker/amp situation.
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