Do We ALL Position Our Best Audio Gear Where It Gets Used The LEAST?

[Gary.D.Olson]

Greetings.

 

 

I hope y'all aren't feeling the heat today like us here in sunny Southern California. It's supposed to hit 103 here today.

 

Yesterday, I fired up my main audio system to hear Claudio Arrau performing Beethoven sonatas. A few minutes later, just as I'd begun pondering how superior the big 3-way Canton's render the sound of a piano vs. all our other speakers, my lovely wife walked in the room and asked in her sweetest tone "Would you mind turning it down just a little bit? I have a really bad headache." Empathy lead me to turn it off completely, but the moment I hit the Power button on the Luxman R-117, I was struck for the umpteenth time how little I actually use and enjoy my very best audio gear. I mean, it had been more than a month since this system had even been powered on.

 

My questions to you are:

 

1. How many of us here at Computer Audiophile actually listen to our best audio gear more than any of our other rigs - excluding the one in the car?

 

2. Of those who don't, what are your thought about it?

 

 

Gary

[Jud]

I do listen to my main system more than the desktop system, or Pono while I'm mowing the lawn (kind of a corollary of listening in the car). *But* it definitely leads to negotiations with my spouse, for whom having the television on as background is a perfect accompaniment to daily activities. The other complicating factor is that when I play stuff she likes, which happens not infrequently, she wants to sing along. If I ask her to stop that ruins her enjoyment, and if she doesn't it unfortunately ruins mine. (My wife is an enthusiastic singer who cannot carry a tune in a bucket.)

 

So I probably wind up listening at low volume after my wife's gone to bed nearly as much as I listen at regular volumes.

[ericuco]

For years now, I typically have listened to at least one album just about every night. Listening pattern is definitely tied to games of local sports teams or sports playoff series. I have 50" TV between the speakers which I know is not great for SQ but it is a compromise that I can live with ... good music is MUCH better than the stupid sports announcers.

[tmkirst]

Given the needs of work travel my "best" system gets to stay in my home office, but it gets a weekly workout on Fridays when I'm home. But I gotta say, my Mon-Thu system (iFi nano, iPod w/HF Player, Etymotic ER-4) really makes it okay. Now with TIDAL running through it is downright fun!

 

I think I actually appreciate my "best" system a little more by being away from it. I'm not so anxious to upgrade as I otherwise might be either.

[wanta911]

I "work" from home and there is no-one else here. My neighbours are apparently deaf as I keep asking them if they are bothered by my music but they insist that they don't hear it. My setup gets a good workout basically every day and I don't know why I bother keeping my headphone amp plugged in because I never use it.

 

So I guess my situation is pretty much the polar opposite of the OP's

[orgel]

My neighbours are apparently deaf…

 

Sweet!

 

I guess I'm lucky in that my good system is in the listening room (i.e., the one space in the house over which I have control). I have what's technically known as a crappy system in the living room (aka lounge), and if you have a separate room available for your good system, I strongly advocate this approach. The system in the living room only gets used for background music, so it really doesn't matter that it's not that great.

 

Most weekdays, I get in an album's worth of listening in the listening room, with more listening time on the weekend. I'm a better person for it.

 

--David

[Cycleman]

I. Am. So. Lucky.

 

Our main system is in the living room, because while she's not into the equipment, my wife also loves listening to music. Plus she has heard the SQ improvements from most of the added gear (added over the past two years), so no pushback from that.

 

And the TV doesn't interfere -- it's in another room for appointment viewing only.

 

Dave, who has bought most of the components online but the two of us really enjoyed going to various audio stores where we eventually picked out the Brooklyn-made speakers

[wwaldmanfan]

Interesting topic. My main rig is in our den. It sounds great, of course, but I have to sit on the sofa in, basically, one spot to fully enjoy it. There's also a TV in the room, so that gets viewing time instead of the audio system.

Lately, I've been using my desktop rig more (OWC 2TB FireWire HDD > iMac > Audirvana > Parasound Zdac > Sennheiser HD600) while surfing the internet, which I do incessantly, and unwinding in my easy chair before bed. I was actually thinking just today about switching the REGEN to this rig, at least temporarily, until I get around to ordering a second one.

[bluesman]

it definitely leads to negotiations with my spouse, for whom having the television on as background is a perfect accompaniment to daily activities

That's why there's no TV in my main listening room. For 42 years, I've been trying to understand why my wife has to turn on a TV as soon as she enters a room. We have a set in every room in the house except the bathrooms, the laundry room, the living room and the library (where my main system is located). And since she got an iPad, even the bathroom isn't a safe haven.

 

When I get home from work (she retired a few years ago), we sit in the library and talk while listening to music, often with a glass of wine or a drink. So our main system is used almost every day for its intended purpose. But when we sit down for dinner, she'll turn on the news most days.

[Blake]

My answer is "no", my best gear gets listened to the most.

 

I suppose I have three audio setups: (1) car, (2) office system at work, and (3) main home system.

 

1. I've probably only listened to my car system 2 times this year. I much prefer listening to the glorious and evil snarl of my V8, to listening to the dumb car radio.

 

2. Office- I can shut my office door and rock out without bugging others, but most of the time it is background music.

 

3. Main system- I listen to it probably 4 days a week on average, usually listening sessions last 2 hours or so.

 

My wife generally hates my music. She calls it "the sound of whales humping".

 

Fortunately, her dislike of my music resulted in me getting a dedicated "music only" room. Awesome sauce for me.

[lmf22]

I don't have a wife or girlfriend so things are easier. My main system is in the living room and I don't have large furniture or TV that gets in the way. Music is a great way to de-stress, so I try to listen to one or two albums every night.

 

My secondary systems include office iPod Touch and Bose IE2 (planning to get Oppo PM-3), car (Bose system, iPod Touch using a tape adapter), and headphones (Audeze LCD-2, Oppo HA-1 headphone amp/DAC).

 

Home system is Dynaudio Contour S3.4 speakers, Octave V70SE tube integrated amp, Bryston BDA-2 DAC, Aurender X100L, Running Springs Elgar power conditioner, Wireworld Electra 7 power cords, Nordost Heimdall 2 interconnects and USB, and Transparent MusicWave Super speaker cables (Heimdall 2 speaker cables coming next week).

 

[Foggie]

Interesting responses in that I would assume if one has a "best system" why that wouldn't get used the most. However, I understand life is, well, life and time is at a premium for many (myself included).

 

Funny, I used to use my HT system a lot for music (still a great system for movies, music - marantz/KEF), but since I have become overwhelmingly a passionate two channel devote, I hardly use the HT system anymore, only for movies with the kids.

 

I have a dedicated two channel space now (no TV, just two channel components, treated room) and would use it daily if I could, but can maybe squeeze a couple hrs during the workweek. BUT, come Fri-Sun I'm all in!! Literally.

 

I have an awesome car system (focal spkrs, processor, amps, subs etc..) for my 2hr commute each day so that keeps my mental astuteness in check - exercised so to speak.

 

My office system is fairly simple as it's used for, well office stuff. Basically used for discovery, but does sound good for what it is (Yamaha receiver, Infinity monitors, VDAC II, Sub)

 

So between my environments:

 

"1. How many of us here at Computer Audiophile actually listen to our best audio gear more than any of our other rigs - excluding the one in the car?"

 

Two channel space dominates, no question. Would sleep their if I could!

[Foggie]

I don't have a wife or girlfriend so things are easier. My main system is in the living room and I don't have large furniture or TV that gets in the way. Music is a great way to de-stress, so I try to listen to one or two albums every night.

 

My secondary systems include office iPod Touch and Bose IE2 (planning to get Oppo PM-3), car (Bose system, iPod Touch using a tape adapter), and headphones (Audeze LCD-2, Oppo HA-1 headphone amp/DAC).

 

Home system is Dynaudio Contour S3.4 speakers, Octave V70SE tube integrated amp, Bryston BDA-2 DAC, Aurender X100L, Running Springs Elgar power conditioner, Wireworld Electra 7 power cords, Nordost Heimdall 2 interconnects and USB, and Transparent MusicWave Super speaker cables (Heimdall 2 speaker cables coming next week).

 

 

Excellent setup.

[Evo1668]

I have a few systems - office/study, kitchen, car, personal player for travel.

By far my main system at home is listened to every day for on average at least a minimum of 3 hours.. The great thing is the whole family listen - music filling the home. And yes we do share the genres. I must admit I struggle with some of my son's requests,but hey I even have learned to like some of his music.

 

Both my son and wife have started to like Jazz, even so far as making specific requests, for certain artists/tracks..

 

so I am polar opposite to the OP then?

[mdw]

My wife generally hates my music. She calls it "the sound of whales humping".

 

Blake,

 

I've unsuccessfully tried to figure out what you're listening to that might fit that description. Please clue me in.

 

Mark

[Teresa]

...My questions to you are:

 

1. How many of us here at Computer Audiophile actually listen to our best audio gear more than any of our other rigs - excluding the one in the car?

 

2. Of those who don't, what are your thought about it?

 

 

Gary

 

Hi Gary,

 

I have no other audio rigs, the one in my studio apartment is my only audio/video/computer system. I'm retired so I listen to it a lot every day.

 

I don't own a car, I ride the bus.

 

I'm single so I don't have worry about a husband wanting to watch sports when I want to listen to music. I hate sports with a purple passion.

[Allan F]

I listen to my main system in the living room every day. While I can access my music library from my desktop in the bedroom as well, I listen to it infrequently, mostly to monitor what I have just ripped or as background music when I am engrossed in something else.

[Gary.D.Olson]

Excluding the car:

 

#1 used rig sits on my desk at the office desk (PC - Schiit dac - Pioneer SX-1250 - small Pork Audio's)

#2 is the the bedroom rig which serenades me to sleep as my wife watches TV in another room (PC - ethernet - Airport Express - Marantz 2330B - Infinity RS-325's)

#3 is the home theater rig between TV programming (HTPC - Oinkyo HT-RC270 - Canton Karat + 12" Velodyne s/w)

#4 is a small but effective rig situated in my practice studio (below) which I use for private critical listening (PC - ethernet - Airport Express - Yamaha M70/C70 - B&W 685 S2's via speaker channel "A")

#5 is a loud rig I use while practicing along on my drum kit (same as #4 but utilizing JBL floor-standing speaker via speaker channel "B")

#6 is my main audio system (below) in the Living Room (Marantz CD6004 cdp, Hitachi TT, Lux R-117, Canton CT-800's)

#7 will be setup soon in the garage (PC - ethernet - Airport Express - Pioneer SA-8800 - JBL L20T's)

 

I hope to enjoy my best gear much more with these configurations:

 

1. Give up on having a rig in the Living Room

2. Move B&W 685 S2's to Rig#1 at the office

3. Replace Rigs 4 & 5 with the Luxman R-117 and big Canton's which can be used both for critical listening and playing loud enough for drum practice.

[Jabs1542]

That's why there's no TV in my main listening room. For 42 years, I've been trying to understand why my wife has to turn on a TV as soon as she enters a room. We have a set in every room in the house except the bathrooms, the laundry room, the living room and the library (where my main system is located). And since she got an iPad, even the bathroom isn't a safe haven.

 

Looks like you need to get a TV in that laundry room

[Jabs1542]

Main rig - several times a week, at appropriate volume levels . We have a bit of a schedule, and now that everything on TV can be recorded on the DVR that schedule got much easier.

 

Unfortunately the most listened to audio system is in the car, commuting around the city in support of that day job (which is a bit of an inconvenience but it does have its advantages).

[r_w]

My rig is where it belongs... in the lounge.

 

My missus is where she belongs... sitting next to me listening to loud music in the lounge

 

WAF is for those who perhaps have not achieved optimal wife selection.

 

;-)

[emidalla]

WAF is for those who perhaps have not achieved optimal wife selection

 

+1

[Foggie]

 

WAF is for those who perhaps have not achieved optimal wife selection.

 

;-)

 

How is that process done - double blind / ABX

[emidalla]

How is that process done - double blind / ABX

 

As you know, a TRUE audiophile has to test HUNDREDS of different setups

[Foggie]

As you know, a TRUE audiophile has to test HUNDREDS of different setups

 

Yes, it really would be helpful if you can test in your own environment first. Hmm, I wonder if The Cable Co. could that as a new option