Systems over $100k

I broke $100k on my system early last year after retiring.  I replaced everything but my speakers and turntable last year.  I planned to replace my speakers early this year but after changing out electronics, running dedicated power lines, adding the AQ Niagara, adding a wood floor with wool rugs, adding acoustic treatments and a month of concerted effort to get the bass right with subs and speaker placement; new speakers are no longer a priority.  I have also made several tweaks that turned out very well.  Not all tweaks turn out well but that is part of the fun of discovery.  I also have a new turntable being built right now.  I expect my system to be stable after this final equipment change.

It is true that the room is an integral part of the stereo system.  I am fortunate to have a large den and so was able to dedicate the room to the stereo.  The biggest lesson this past year was how to get the bass right.  Even after room treatments and adding a 7/8" wood floor it still took me a month of effort to finally get the bass to sound as good as what I heard on a very expensive pair of speakers at the store.

All I want to do now is listen to music.  I noted that the tube timer on my preamp showed 1300 hours after one year.  That's 3.6 hours/day on average.  The longest I seem to be able to go without turning the stereo on is about two days.  I guess I am getting good value from my stereo.

Some years back I wandered into a watch shop in Germany that looked interesting. Owning an Omega Seamaster Professional I considered myself a watch aficionado. I got schooled that day. Every watch in that store was hand made. The prices were breathtaking as much as the beauty of some of those pieces. The proprietor looked at my Omega with disdain and mentioned it being simply a mass produced watch. That store was way out of my league and I never had the need for such a watch. I realized then that at some point it is not about how much money or even performance. Even those expensive handmade watches cannot outperform a $20 quartz timepiece. It becomes about having something no one else has as well as something to simply admire like a fine crystal vase. Look and feel in a watch is everything.

If you are looking for performance per dollar in a stereo then the best path is used vintage gear with internal component updates and tweaks. I went that path for many years starting in the late 80’s. Ugly looks was a thing of pride like a rusty 63 Chevy that can beat any Corvette. It is a fun path to discovery of what works and what is not so great that can be very rewarding. By the late 90s I was wading into the expensive gear but with an eye for manufacturers using components and designs that made good sense. I have to admit that the expensive stuff can sound really, really good. Of course at some point spending more money does not gain much sonic benefit. Then it becomes about look and feel.

I have appreciation for some of my buddies’ systems in the past that looked kluged together- the industrial look, I called it but sounded amazing and for the highly finished and polished systems that could be in a museum. But when the lights are out looks mean nothing and it is all about the sound.

Yes it is!  I got to live and work there for a few years back at the end of the 20th Century.  It was still a DM economy back then.  My family and I loved the experience.  I cherish those memories.

I know it can be daunting to think about, especially for a young person starting out in audio to see the high cost of hifi gear.  Most of us did not walk into a store and buy a complete system at one time.  I couldn't even imagine trying to build a system and know it is optimized in a single purchase event.  Most like me, I'm sure have built up their systems over decades through a slow methodical process with many twists and turns and even backtracks.  We all have our stories that go with the evolution of our hifi's.

The best path for a young person getting into audio is to first and always stay within your means.  Patience and learning payoff over time.  Key is to buy well known trusted brands- used or new.  These brands over the years hold their value.  Many new names and what appear as terrific design ideas pop up but these purchases can be risky and may be worth very little in the future.  Perhaps the best thing about the hifi hobby is that you can essentially make payments on your system as you go so to speak.  As you save up for an amp or speaker upgrade you can still enjoy the amp and speakers that you have.

I started in this hobby in 1977 with a used Kenwood receiver and a couple of beat up old speakers.  I spent many hours looking longingly at the hifi gear in stores over the years imagining what joy it all could have brought me in my home.  Learning about gear and synergy of the various hifi components through a network of friends or clubs is priceless.  Tweaks and upgrades from as simple as bass traps to new capacitors in crossovers can provide a lot of satisfaction and learning in this hobby. And the gear is just the half of it.  Then there is the whole world of music to discover.  Many musicians and bands are just as amazing as a half million dollar mega system.