Topic: Four playback systems--too many?

[Todd R]

Ok, January has almost come to a close, time to tally up my purchases:

-Pair of Soliloquy Sat5 speakers
-Cambridge Audio A500RC integrated amp
-Pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 1 speakers

Hmm, not bad considering I haven't even got my tax return yet.

Partly to make for a more wife-appreciated living room (UPS just took away the maggies   ), partly to put together a somewhat real home office playback system, which is where I'm doing most of my listening.

So that now makes for four playback systems in my house.  Is that too many?

#1:  Deck system:  Onkyo DX-C110 cd changer> Onkyo TX-SV454 receiver> Advent Marbl indoor/outdoor speakers

#2:  TV room HT:  JVC RX-DV3 DVD/receiver> Polk Audio Monitor 5B fronts + Polk Audio CS101 center channel + AR surrounds

#3:  Living room, main 2-channel:  Sony A6 DAT or Harmon Kardon fl8300 cd changer> Audio Alchemy DTI+ jitter reducer> Audio Alchemy DAC-in-the-box> AMC CVT1030 tube preamp (Tesla tubes)> Acurus A100 amp> Soliloquy Sat5 speakers + Pinnacle Baby Boomer sub

#4: Home office:  Sony DVP-NS400D DVD player (as cd player)> Audio Alchemy DDE 1.0 DAC> Cambridge Audio A500RC integrated amp> Monitor Audio Bronze 1 speakers (actually to Advent Marbl indoor/outdoor speakers as I await deliver of the MABs)

Nothing too fancy--perhaps I should think about quality, not quantity.  

-Todd

[jpschust]

well hey if you need to get rid of some stuff lemme know, i need another playback system for my bedroom.  ya know, for the ladies :-)

[jpschust]

hahahah its actually really nice, i have a pos all in one i fall asleep to (just one of those pos mini systems) and i have the speakers behind the bed on this ledge so that if i lay in the center of the bed by myself it creates a pretty nice stereo image in shitty sound :-)

[Todd R]

Yea Mike, I agree--the Soliloquys are damn nice speakers.  These are really quite small--billed as satellites--but have an incredible sound, and I haven't even gotten them broken in yet.  I think these use the same speakers and crossovers as the 5.0 and 5.3s, just don't have the bass response due to their small size and sealed design.  But they match up great with my Pinnacle Babyboomer sub.  Phenominal soundstaging for box-design speakers.

[Nick Culbreth]

todd - the maggies are going to a good home.  

[Brian Skalinder]

You inspire me, Todd.  I'm in the process of migrating from one shared HT/audio setup to separate HT, audio/serious listening in the office/den, and then a small audio setup in the BR, too.  One of these days I'll get there...  

[zhianosatch]

todd, you could always give one to me!

[Ed.]

4 playback systems, hmm, get 3 friends and a copy of the flaming lips zaireeka cd and have a party.

if you don't know what zaireeka is, you should check it out...4 seperate discs, all played in different systems thru different speakers at the same time, to create one album.  its a lot of fun, a bit hard to get them to match up when you're under the influence, but fun no less.  kinda like pre 5.1 sound, but 4.0 instead.

[zowie]

4 in a house seems fine.   I've got three is the same room.

[scb]

i have no idea how i'd ever afford 4.  i'm having enough trouble getting my 1 together

but it's coming along!  gotta love deals on audiogon

[MattD]

You find a VS dealer for a listen yet, Scott?

[scb]

there's one in nyc, but i have to make an appointment to go listen.  i'll call him one of these days

[Todd R]

todd, you could always give one to me!

I have been giving pieces away to friends locally.  Gave an old (well, not really, circa 1997) sony receiver to one friend whose receiver died, my extra pair of Advent Marbl's will go to another friend once the Monitor Audio's arrive.  With the stuff I have lying around, I could have put together another system for the bedroom.  But I don't do much listening there, so the remote controlled CD boombox I have is fine for now.

Pretty funny actually:

Friend I gave the sony receiver to:
"You sure you don't need it?"
Me:  "No, I just ordered a new one."
Him: "Man, you didn't have to do that, you could have kept this one, I would've gotten one on my own."
Me:  "No, it's no problem, that one really isn't up to snuff."
Him: "You mean there's something wrong with it?"
Me:  "No, it's fine.  Enjoy."
Him:  "You mean you just ordered a new one, when this one works fine?"
Me:  "Yep."
Him:  perplexed look.

Not worth trying to explain, he wouldn't understand.  His last housemate had a really nice pair of Mission speakers he had gotten from someone who owed him money.  Ran them behind and absolute piece of crap Pioneer receiver from about 15 years ago.  I told them that they should get a nice integrated amp to do the speakers justice, they looked at me like I was from Mars.

Still sitting in the garage:
Philips CDR870 standalone cd burner
Sony 3-head cassette deck
Onyko 3-head cassette deck
Pair of Cerwin Vega E208 speakers
DIY Passive Preamp I put together
Really nice Harmon Kardon turntable (cost 6 bills without the cartridge when I bought it in '86)

Probably will put one of the cassette decks and the turntable into my home office system (just need to get a phono preamp first).

-Todd

[Todd R]

i have no idea how i'd ever afford 4.  

Not too hard really, just keep things you already have as you upgrade.  Plus I married into one system.  As I said, most of them are nothing special at all.  My main 2-channel has been my attempt to get some decent hi-fi for not too much money (measured in audiophile terms anyway).  I'm now trying to put together a respectable home office system, but it's not even lowfi-hifi.  (At least as measured by Tim who calls his system lowfi-hifi--even though he's got a Bel Canto 1, go figure.)

[Tim]

i have no idea how i'd ever afford 4.  

Not too hard really, just keep things you already have as you upgrade.  Plus I married into one system.  As I said, most of them are nothing special at all.  My main 2-channel has been my attempt to get some decent hi-fi for not too much money (measured in audiophile terms anyway).  I'm now trying to put together a respectable home office system, but it's not even lowfi-hifi.  (At least as measured by Tim who calls his system lowfi-hifi--even though he's got a Bel Canto 1, go figure.)

The whole playback rig is probably only $2k... that's barely sniffing some of the systems on here  

come by tomorrow and have a listen!

[zhianosatch]

todd, you could always give one to me!

I have been giving pieces away to friends locally.  Gave an old (well, not really, circa 1997) sony receiver to one friend whose receiver died, my extra pair of Advent Marbl's will go to another friend once the Monitor Audio's arrive.  With the stuff I have lying around, I could have put together another system for the bedroom.  But I don't do much listening there, so the remote controlled CD boombox I have is fine for now.

I hope I can be like you some day. Really.