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What to do?

In about a month I will be moving out of my 12x18ft dorm room into a 7.5x14 ft nightmare of a room (remember it will also have my full size bed, desk and dresser). My question is in regards to my stereo, what should I do with it? Keep in mind, this is my baby, I have been building this for about three years. I started with paradigms and worked myself all the way up to Mini Utopias. I started with a Yamaha CD Changer and now have a Musical Fidelity 3D. My Acoustic Zen ICs cost more than my orignal amp. You guys get the picture.

So what should I do? I was thinking that I might sell the system and start over in about 1.5 yrs when I will have more room again. In the meantime, I was thinking of downgrading and going simpler. Maybe some Triangle Cometes or Quad 11Ls with a Creek Integrated or audio refinement integrated. I could probably even "borrow" a SCD-C333ES from my dad as a source.

It will be just be sad to see it go, although it might be worth it, I will still have my headphone set-up (Senn HD 600 w/cardas cable and Berning MicroZOTL) and I will get a smaller replacement system. My biggest concern with keeping the big rig is that I will not be able to hear the system at its full potential and I will know what I am missing. With the cheaper gear, I know that I will be missing something, but it will be for thousands of dollars less.

So, what should I do? Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks
smjason
gotoma8
32 posts
 
True True, tough decision...if you can live with the gear in the small room, keep it...headphones are great, but they don't do justice to music, no matter how wonderful the phones are...but remember that a good system does not need to be "loud" to be heard...its greatness is the dynamics it gives when down low...but you can sell and get it all back 1.5 years later.
good luck.
Gotoma8
mraybeck
23 posts
 
Hello, Smjason. You have a very impressive system and I can understand your attachment. Did you purchase the items used on Agon? If so, although it may sting a bit, I would sell everything and recoup your losses. In the meantime, I would make do with your can setup (which is superb from first-hand experience).
Trying to use a system like that in such a tiny, crowded room is like using a Ferrari to pick up groceries - while it would certainly work and look stylish, it is an incredible waste of potential. In addition, you would have to live with only the memory of huge soundstages, pinpoint imaging and tight bass.
I recently posted my experience with my nearfield setup, and thought, "perhaps he could make it work with careful placement and heavy room treatment." Then I saw the dimensions of the room and everything vying for space, and despite my optimist nature, I doubt you would be able to attain a satisfying result (especially since you already know how good it CAN sound).
Besides, another 1.5 yrs of age in a crowded dormroom is the recipe for depreciation. So, sell now and listen to phones while researching/dreaming about your next system (while that money appreciates - hopefully).
Good Luck, Mark
twl
3,251 posts
 
Why don't you get a pair of Lowther EX3 and build a set of Voigt Pipes, and run them with your MicroZotl. That's what I did for awhile. They will easily fill your small room with great sound using the MicroZotl. They will be a little lighter in the bass than you are used to, but will give terrific sound over 40Hz. The MicroZotl will drive them to about 100db on peaks, so it will be plenty for a small room.
You could make them for about $1100 for the pair - complete. This is not a theory, I did it for awhile myself, and they were almost loud enough to fill my large room with a MicroZotl, but not quite. Small room should be no problem. This way you can get dual purpose out of your amp. If you build a folded version of the Voigt Pipe, they will be small enough to not dominate the room. I know one member who has Mezzo Utopias, and he tried out the Lowther Voigt pipes and liked them very much. I KNOW for sure that the MicroZotl will drive the Lowthers well in your small room. You won't shake the building, but will get very crystal clear, clean coherent sound. And it is relatively cheap to do, doesn't take up much space, uses your existing headphone amp, and you can keep your existing CD player as the source. Selling the rest of the gear will give plenty of money to do this and have alot left over. Sounds like a plan to me.
elgordo
530 posts
 
Sell it now. Use the money to buy a CD (from the bank, not Circuit City). When you have a bigger room in the future, you will be able to buy the same equipment for less money or better equipment for what you have in the CD. In the meantime, enjoy the 'phones and remember that life is not a spectator sport.
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