Throwing away your HiFi system

[@artyfhartie2269]

Human beings always crave for something better. That's why my wife left me for my best friend because he owns a PS Audio system. Thank you Paul. You. #######

[@GeirRssaak]

Ha-ha! I was finally devorced, but not due to hifi! However, the new hifi snakeoil is DACs and streamers!

[@danahill7546]

Snort😂

[@warrengday]

After I used to go to shows when I had an entry level system, I'd get home expecting my system to sound worse, but I found it sounded better-I put it down to...my brain had heard the extra detail from the better systems and was now "finding" that detail in my system's noise floor.

[@Error2username]

Some like the high end scale of Hifi. I have done the same as you, but in my case, i like the sound i have in my so called midfi system better than the sound of perfectism the high end give.

[@hippydippy]

"High End System" is very subjective. No matter what the cost... If it makes you feel good, that's all that matter's in the end. Just sayin'.

[@SteveWille]

Some things to think about when you hear a new system that sounds better than yours and you won’t/can’t throw away you current system: 1) Is new one really better or just different than your current one? Often it is, at least in part, the latter… see the recent Audiophiliac where Steve and Herb kick this around. 2) Concentrate on the music/recordings rather than the gear. The single most impactful thing (and, incidentally, probably also most economic) you can do to improve your current system’s sound is to pursue new (to you) high quality music/recordings. This works in two ways: new-to-you music benefits from the being novel (different) and recording quality (note, I’m not referring to recording format) is arguably the most important aspect of a reasonable system’s sound quality.

[@maidsandmuses]

Indeed, in the quest for a better HiFi system the exploration and appreciation of new music too often takes a back seat. I would note that some of the most _captivating_ and _engaging_ music I have are objectively pretty poor recordings. The HiFi system then becomes a bit of an irrelevance for those...

[@stevehollingbery9744]

Hi Paul, yep this has happened to me several times at HiFi shows. At Ascot it happened a couple of times this time around. Yes your gear was one of the culprits, together with Stratton speaker dems. One great leveller was hearing the HIFi News Old System with Tim Jarman. It was all old Phillips gear with their notional feedback speakers. Made me think how good it sounded. I must admit having met you at the show and watched your videos you are fine example of sane thinking and a very courteous person. Long May you continue.

[@colanitower]

I still have the first HiFi system I could afford in 1978. It's the 2nd system now. The main system is better, with the same balance of highs, mids and bass but more detailed and refined. When upgrading, I use both systems as reference. The old first system serves as a 'starting reference point' from where to go better. It sure is not a throwaway.

[@ThinkingBetter]

I still use my JBL 18 ti speakers from 1985 in my gym and they still look and work like brand-new and do a marvelous job assisted with a subwoofer. These 38 year old bookshelf babies were very well build and have a 1" titanium-dome tweeter, 6.5" polypropylene-cone woofer and a very neutral frequency response of 55Hz-20kHz ±3dB beating most of what you can buy today. Today I received some Edifier MR4 studio monitors for my XBOX series X gaming setup and right out of the box, they have more visible cosmetic damages on the plastic enclosure from shipping than my 38 year old JBL solid wood speakers have even today.

[@colanitower]

@@ThinkingBetter Those JBLs look good. Perhaps a refurbished 2nd pair for the Xbox setup as an option to replace the Edifiers? My original speakers are National Panasonic SB-39. Rare these days but if available they cost almost nothing because no one knows what these humble looking boxes can do when paired to the right amplifier. I bought a 2nd pair for just 35 euros ($40) which looked rough but the front grills are intact and speakers themselves are as new. I painted the outside and now my workshop/garage can get a little 3rd system based on my old 1st system.

[@ThinkingBetter]

@@colanitower I’m returning those Edifiers speakers but reason I bought them was just for gaming and there is not enough space for bigger speakers as my gaming monitor is quite wide on that table. JBL was a more passionate company for making high quality back when all the R&D was done in the USA. For example, the internal wiring of these speakers was done with Monster Cable wires. The JBL 18 ti takes a ton of power for such a small speaker.

[@finscreenname]

A couple years ago I went on an eBay rampage and bought all the stuff I had when I was a kid (1980'ish). Refinished it all and then rebuilt the system with the same speaker wires and interconnects I would have used back then. I was shocked how good it all sounded. Over the years it seemed all I did was make it louder (going from 6 watts per channel to 1040 watts per channel) and still sound as good when I go to those higher volumes. Not saying I was a genius at 12 years old but I was the youngest of a lot of family and friends that were into the whole stereo system thing back then. I remember listening to Boston's first album when it first came out on my brother in laws system (Teac real to real to 4' tall Boston Acoustic speakers) at 8 years old and being blown away. To this day that was the day it all started for me.

[@colanitower]

@@finscreenname Ah, the first album that draws you into music, that will always be special. In my case it was a song I heard on the radio: "Hold your head up" by Argent. And the tracks "I wish I could" and "Revolution's Eve" by Alquin a week later on the same radio programme. I bought a 2nd-hand Akai reel-to-reel tape deck and started recording and building up a collection of carefully assembled mixtapes. Fast forward to the present it's 10,000 of the best tracks I could find over the years, of which 2,000 are the subset of the very best. All is now digitized to lossless flac files. Tape deck and tapes are gone but the tapes live on as playlists so the time that once went into assembling them is not lost. For me the music collection has always been the centerpiece of the system. The system is second but not unimportant - it has to deliver the right sound after all. Recently I heard Yamaha NS-1000 speakers in a shop. Never heard those before and I was blown away by the effortless yet not fatiguing detail and spatial sound these small boxes on sturdy stands can deliver. At €11,000 ($12,000) a pair. I wish I could ...

[@carminedesanto6746]

GM ☕️from Toronto…you guys did a great showing this year at the Audiofest.👍👍 I’ve gone from room filling gear ⚙️ to getting downsized in my senior years to a headphone set up . AUDEZE LCDX 2021 been driven by a Bryston BHA-1 headphone amplifier…next step a better steamer / DAC and just enjoy old favorites and experience a world of great new music. Take care

[@royferntorp]

For giggles I went out to the shed and got out an old Marantz system. I replaced the caps (or equivalents) and hooked up the original speakers that had Rola 12" Woofers. It sounded great. Had some sort of mid-range compression thing going on. It made AM radio mixes sound fantastic.

[@COMA69BAND]

commenting on this as I sent in the comment.....Paul, thank you again for your time in Ascot

[@ptg01]

The proverbial rabbit hole..... just sit back and enjoy what you have ! Like cars, homes, wines, food... there will always be better ones out there somewhere...

[@TheTruthKiwi]

I've found that after a couple of whiskeys almost any system sounds awesome 😂

[@chuckmaddison2924]

I don't think I've ever thrown any away it's all piled up in my shed.

[@patbarr1351]

At the 1st hifi show I attended, about 12 years ago, I expected to hear a few systems that sounded amazing. However, I only recall hearing two really memorable ones, both having a rich, warm sound to give you an idea of my preferences. One was a record player-based system: VPI phono with Manley preamp & amp. The other was an all Audio Note UK system, with valve amps (natch!), floor standing speakers and a CD player. I started purchasing tube gear not long after.

[@doctormidnight]

I know it's mostly because someone has passed away, but every once in a while we get amazing stuff donated at Goodwill. In the last week I got two Focal 806s and a matching sub, a pair of PSB Image 6Ts, and a REL 10 inch subwoofer. I always like to think maybe, just maybe, someone got stuff that was so much better than what they had that they literally just gave their stuff away.

[@davidlane1169]

'Ole Audiophile to Paul: Here's where the rubber meets the road where one proves they are not all talk, but a genuine human-being after all. Don't sell it, gift it to someone who really NEEDS it. Few things will make one prouder than hearing precious quality from somewhere not previously possible. This is how an audiophile properly propigates to contintment. thanx...

[@luisrojas2893]

Make a system that can be upgraded from its factory version. Some thing like a computer.

[@JingoLoBa57]

I’ve had the reverse experience at the Munich 2019 HiFi Show. My system at home was and still is so much better than anything we heard. Sure there were some good stuff like the TAD full system. By and large nothing came close to my kit at home. I guess the challenges of show setup were one challenge too few conquered well.

[@Zeck88522]

I live in Denver just around the corner from you Paul. One thing stopping me to visit is this you mentioned, and I own Amazing Legacy Audio Focus speakers, so far I haven’t heard a better system than mine. I sort of want to keep it that way lol. Of course I would love to visit and listen to your system(s)

[@airtow6766]

About 37 years ago after repeated repairs on a Marantz 200 power amp, I tossed it in the trash when I bought a house and moved. I still regret doing it.

[@spacemissing]

I have not, and never will, think I need to get rid of anything I have because something I Don't have is THAT much better.

[@finscreenname]

Just because I get to drive someone's Porsche dont mean I'm giving up my Chevy Van.

[@harveysvintageaudio]

I still have and use my first decent pair of loudspeakers I bought in 1975, a pair of British Celestion Ditton 44's. They still sound great and they have rubber surrounds, not those rubbish foam surrounds that deteriorate to nothing after a awhile.

[@alankinsella2948]

I had Ditton's 130's and SL-600's. I never had enough of a muscle amp to drive the 600's, but they are one of the most musical speakers.

[@harackmw]

What would people suggest to someone wanting to build a musical/warm system? I went down the detail hype train and found it wasn't for me

[@stevefisher8323]

Don't throw away, donate to the Hi-Fi needy :)

[@JeffHopkins76]

i used to work at a high store back in the 90's and people who had a receiver would want to hear our big system. the first thing we told them was maybe they didn't want to do that. because if they did and they went home, their system would sound broken and they would be back to upgrade what they had. lol we often would show them a system that was lesser but still wonderful. Golden tube 40's, Mission 751, PS Audio transport and dac and they would leave mumbling to themselves knowing what we had told them was true.

[@pobodyisnerfect]

I love building my own speakers as a hobby. I'm at a point though where I'm not sure if it's worth the effort and expense anymore given the rate at which professionally designed and built speakers are improving. Should I push on with the hobby or simply save a few extra pennies and buy something which is much more refined and polished than I could ever hope to produce on my own? Not to mention that DIY speakers are very difficult to establish an aftermarket value on.

[@davidstevens7809]

When me and my ex wife saw celine dion in vegas a few years ago .michele paused and said.this sounds good in the colleseum. She stated..this is how your system sounds like .but in a large room.. I still like your system at home slightly..but this is first time ive heard anything close.. I almost fell down. She never told me she liked my vintage audio..then to say.nobody else has anything close except. A 500 000 dollar system in the colleseum.. wheee. Yes I quickly txted steve olive at harman.

[@cesarjlisboa7586]

The only ones, that blows me away, was Focal Utopia’s. Usually the setups at show’s kills the system, usually never sounds better than my.

[@stimpy1226]

The only times I made that statement was after coming home after a great concert or jazz club. That's when I wanted to throw my whole system out the window. I learned to get over that feeling because in most cases reproduced music can sound much better than a live event.

[@marcbegine]

That’s the journey ❤

[@RoderikvanReekum]

Do not throw it away! Send it to me instead.

[@ericremoe8648]

Thank you for a very insightful presentation, and even one well delivered:) I think I found a lovely mix of new and old, heartily recommended to all. I have a pair of AR 14 speakers since ummm...45 years (give or take a few), And I recently exchange my Audio Research SP8 and D79 for an integrated (!) amp from Extraudio: the X250T, fed by a Cambridge Magic Stream 7. And ...lo and behold. I am awestruck.... And thoughts? Are you familiar with Extraudio?

[@johannkrist]

The other side, I have met sales people selling Hi-fi gear assuming they are showing something amazing and telling their customers that they need to throw everything away to get their new stuff.

[@hugobloemers4425]

That's your ego talking when you get the feeling that what you have is not sufficient any more.

[@geocarey]

Please give advance notice the next time you are coming over to a show in the UK. I would love to hear what your systems can do - despite my very old ears.

[@tubefreeeasy]

I’ve developed a desktop audio station built for and around me and my spacial surroundings. Just tried my best to optimize sound with an emphasis on making the signal as clean, transmissive , and enriched with colorful crystal flavoring. Keep my desk and components as vibration free as possible. If I get a new system, I’ll know how to approach it with less mistakes.

[@bongofury3176]

I call it 'taste of sugar'. always happy when you are unaware of better...

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

As always a constructive comment. That said this never happens to me in audio. I like my system and never go to a show and think that what I hear is something I have to own. The few systems that impress me are the price of a house and I have no interest in devoting that much money to audio. I bought a new smart phone and a new laptop. These things have stunning performance that eclipsed the product they replaced. I marvel at their performance every day. But once an audiophile system performs well, it is like a comfortable chair. Do I really need a better one?

[@rickc661]

I'm pretty sure IF by magic I came across my 'first system ' in new condition I'd mostly be fine with it. exception being , 15 w / ch isn't enough, I think 60 w is . early 70's Pioneer receiver , Dynaco 25 spks , AR T'table. ... Now Outlaw receiver, KEF meta 50,s / Sub. . Sony blue ray , Thorens 103 full auto. I used the same Pioneer auto T' table and Koss 1020 spks for 45 years, still working fine. amps only seem to last 7 -8 years. the only Tech improvement I'm big on is DVD concert videos.

[@nicmonberg5974]

The big issue is you can't get the parts to repair them otherwise multi systems I have owned I would have kept. If I was replacing for better sound I would sell old system or give it away to someone who would respect it.

[@kaivrock]

GET TO IT OLD MAN!

[@homedegel]

Hello Mr. McGowan. Please, could you ask Mr. Graham to throw his actual system to me😅? Much appreciated.

[@ryanschipp8513]

I would be curious to know what his system all involves. I have three rigs in my place and each of them is under $10,000 All In. absolutely no complaints. No need to spend Uber amounts of money to have a great sounding system.

[@Mark-lq3sb]

Some people listen to their phone and they're satisfied.

[@sidesup8286]

I have put together systems for little more than $1,000 whose sound would make you want to pinch yourself. I had to buy used and a little bit toward the vintage, but by the latter 1970s there were more than a few really good speakers. By the 1980s there were more than a few really good amps and pramps. People with 20 or 30 thousand dollar systems, believe their equipment is the cats meow over earlier equipment. They would be surprised at how many 1980s preamps, power amps and turntables would compete or outperform their expensive systems. Audio equipment is designed by humans. Some humans are smarter & know what they are doing much better than others; and some of them are not price gougers. When someone tells me they have a 20k system, they expect a reaction of impressed envy. Instead, if my face reveals it, they get an expression of "Well, there's a great chance you threw away a lot of money unnecessarily". "You could have done just as well or better for a small fraction of that". The olden days were more honest and less greedy times.

[@ryanschipp8513]

@@sidesup8286 thanks for sharing! I believe you! Experience helps to discover this

[@tacofortgens3471]

Electronics have no resale value. Then again Grass is always greener on the other side. Im not a true audiophile, Im a music lover and I am content on what I have.

[@Mark-lq3sb]

Yeah, I spent thousands of dollars on audio equipment because I hate music, LOL!

[@sidesup8286]

We are supposed to be incapable of really enjoying our equipment also, since we are audiophiles. Because we might focus in on an instrument during our listening and take pleasure in "what it sounds like" instead of just what its playing.

[@sidesup8286]

A system that sounds obviously better than your own, in a way that you like, gives someone something to strive for. His alleged comment about throwing his away, after hearing PS Audio was just in jest. Your system is worth something. Isn't this like Gilda Radner's Emily Latella character on old SNLs, where she'd mis-hear something and then go off on a long rant about it. "What's all this nonsense about "cart pulling" to work in the morning?

[@harveysvintageaudio]

Hi Paul.

[@hartyewh1]

That sounds deeply unhealthy. If you can't enjoy what you have then having something else will not fix that. Sounds like trying to fix something hifi can't provide. I know a guy or two who are like this with women and after a decade or two of not seeing their kids and grandkids their starting to re-evaluate their approach to life.

[@mikeeygauthier2959]

Learn to “SATISFICE” !!

[@sidesup8286]

Maybe learn to spell too !!