Enough detail or too much?

the room is the most important part of a stereo. Its just to hard to make a breath taking believable presentation in a inadequate room. I see all these high dollar stereos in a compromised room. I just dont understand, its a waste of money. I have walked into beautiful homes and the wife has pushed the poor chap in to a hole the size of a closet, in the basement. We just have to stand up for ourselves and are well being. I do not let Nichole call the shots when it comes to where my audio will be placed. At the moment, I am looking for a new home. The house must be able to support my audio. I have gone back and forth about how I like it intergrated. I always thought I would love a dedicated room downstairs away from everything. I finally did that and hate it. I feel like I am in a cave. I miss my music in my life, while I cook, relax, read. I need it on the first floor in my living space. I have entertained the thought of two systems but I think it would be too much. I have a hard time keeping up with one.

"I have entertained the thought of two systems but I think it would be too much. I have a hard time keeping up with one."

I picked up some inexpensive and unobtrusive vintage gear to create the core of a very simple but nice sounding and looking 2-channel second system that is used for audio and video in our sizable family room/kitchen area.

A system like it, with both phono and digital sources, could be assembled for well under $2000 off ebay these days if you are smart about "right-sizing" and fitting it into your living space.

I am glad I started this thread. It really helped me get a feeling of what hi fi and enjoying music is all about. I remember sitting in the 3rd row listening to Itzhak Perlman play Mozart's Violin Concerto hearing the tone of his violin, and the dynamics associated with the performance. It was one of the most beautiful performances I have ever heard. I think the closest I have ever heard to this sound was through quad 989's, a pair of Mcintosh 275s in mono and a VPI TNT turntable. I think the beauty was coming from the Quads more than any other component. I have never heard a SET system but I would like to someday.

I read the comment about some of the live performaces sounding somewhat dull. I could not agree more and also the overblown bass. Sometimes bass can get pretty deep and powerful especially when I hear a pipe organ. It to me is just not as tight as some systems make it. The orchestra does sound somewhat midrangey, so maybe that is why I like the sound of tubes so much.

Its all in the way the performance is recorded and engineered. Sound engineers should listen to recordings from the late fifties and early sixties. They are some of the most natural sounding recordings I have heard. How did they do that?

I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

Thanks for all of your comments