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Hi Everyone. I'm not sure this is either audio or PC. Anyhow I was using my PC this AM (it runs several hours per day). I had music going in the background and was grooving with the tunes. Then it dawned on me that the audio gear attached to the PC is worth more than the PC. The PC is a HP OMEN (I7, 32 Gig, SSD, SMSL Dac, ASUS R6 modem) so not a slouch. But the audio is done with a Marantz 2250 receiver, a pair of Martin Logan Motion 4s speakers, and a ML D300 sub. Also hung in there is an OPPO 83SE, a highly modified Pro-ject TT with a Jelco arm and Goldring 1042 cartridge. Is this excessive or something other folks might do? This BTW has nothing to do with the main system. Four Oddblocks, DIY Passive preamp, Martin Logan ESLs, 7 cubic foot subs, Empire 598 TT with Jelco Arm and Grado Sonata II, DIY ex Dual 701 TT with Origin Live arm and Dynavector Ruby Karat 23RS-MR, two Groove phono preamps, a DIY PC (Supermicro Server, I7, 16 gig, SSD, Creative 5.1 external card, Akai R-R, Nak cassette, Sony HD FM tuner. Anyone out there as obsessed as I am?
I hear you dude. But really, unless a system is a high-end performance system like needed for software development, graphics or machine learning - most little computers these days are more like a commodity item. I have a few of each. Some that are high-performance, others that aren't. The lower-speed models are fine for word processing or file serving. So what you're doing makes perfect sense to me!
My audio obsession has plateaued somewhat from years past. It all sounds perfectly fine to me now. And trying to push beyond whatever that is from my comfortable plateau doesn't cause an itch at all with me. I have an old Hafler 220 SS amp. My first foray in kit building from the later 80's. Some tubed pre and OTL amp kits that quenched my wonderment of that topology. A fine no fuss DD Technics 1200 MK5 from the tail end of production prior to resurrection due to the vinyl craze. A bakers dozen or so vintage and still produced carts. Going through a sacrilegious audio enhancer, the Aphex audio exciter, (w/big bottom). And some big old Pi Theater 4's. I'm set. Oh, and a non audiophile Yamaha carousel CD player and Chinese DAC. Which sits idle most of the time. I just like vinyl too much.
I think it all means that all of you are living right. Nothing wrong with any of it--it's all points on different continuums, right? My house was robbed beyond measure (not least of which was all the "portable" audio gear and fire-breathing tower PC's and laptops) and I was angry for a long time. With ~5 years of rearview-time, it was probably time to start simplifying anyway. In the interim, I learned something valuable--a good table radio is as important as my Mom used to think it was--and the best thing is to never expect it to be more (and thus be positively surprised). Best to everyone!
Hi. Indeed a good table radio is nice. You can't have high quality gear in every room. I have a Cambridge Soundworks 820HD radio. Really a super thing. Truly amazing output. Also has input for external line out and headphones. Oddly it can run on 12VDC as well. Controls for what to display, equalizer, time zone, programabable with remote etc. I love the analog controls combined with a digital display.About 10 years old now and works perfectly. A great radio if you can fine one used at a good price (were a bit costly back then--$140).