Downgrading your system

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by btf1980, Sep 18, 2014.

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  1. btf1980

    btf1980 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    You know, when audiophiles talk about their systems, the conversation is usually centered around upgrades. "When is your next upgrade?" or "What are you upgrading to?" are usually the questions. There's even a current discussion thread about upgrades. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with contentment with your system either. I'm content.

    However, something I rarely see is the downgrade. Oh, I know it happens, but there is rarely talk about it. 5 years ago, I wouldn't have seen myself living the life I do now, or making the same decisions, but I'm here. What interested me then doesn't interest me now. I also don't listen to my system as much as I used to in the past because I'm not around to because of work and travel. In addition, smaller systems with small footprints are really appealing to me as time goes on. It may sound like heresy for "serious audiophiles", but I'm simply not interested in big giant amps and a gigantic everything else. Something about a nice Bel Canto integrated or a Rega Brio really appeals to me. On the tube side, there is Leben. A nice, small and simple system. I'm leaning in that direction.

    Has anyone here intentionally downgraded or scaled down their system? If so, please feel free to share.
     
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  2. norman_frappe

    norman_frappe Forum Resident

    Yes I did. Although I put my larger system in storage for a period of time and now am using it once again. When I moved in with my girlfriend now wife I didn't have the space for it. I went out and spent $600 on a vintage system. Receiver turntable speakers and just used the DVD player to play CDs. And also got a DAC to stream music. At first I thought I was going to be really bummed out but you know what I really really enjoyed that system a lot. Not the greatest in terms of resolution but got the job done and got me through a couple years trouble-free not bad for 600 bucks and when I moved recently I sold it all for what I paid for it. So now my attitude is a little bit different having to downsize is not the end of the world you can still really enjoy things. In some ways it's really refreshing you don't worry about the quality of various recordings and wires etc.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2014
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  3. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Just went from floor standers to monitors and stands because I can more easily deal with moving them around. Just dowgraded my speaker cables as well.
     
  4. ThmsFrd

    ThmsFrd Forum Resident

    Converted all my lossless digital library to AAC using iTunes Match, to try the Apple TV. Don't do it.
     
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  5. btf1980

    btf1980 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    That's not what I meant by downgrading. :D
     
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  6. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Scaling down? Yes, I have way too many sources! Some will definitely be deleted.
     
  7. Digital-G

    Digital-G Senior Member

    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    I've scaled down too (not sure if that's the same as downgrading). I used to want to have every piece of gear I owned hooked up and ready to use. But eventually I realized I never used my turntable. Or my cassette deck. Or my second CD player (a Denon from 1987). I also had a parametric EQ (Rane THX-44), that I decided I really didn't need when I got a new receiver (and subwoofer) with Audyssey.

    So, I've simplified and never looked back.
     
  8. PROG U.K.

    PROG U.K. Audiophile-Anglophile

    Location:
    New England
    Not hardware, quite opposite. However, I've thinned the software herd (CD's) to some extent.
     
  9. j.t.k.

    j.t.k. Senior Member

    Location:
    Wheaton, IL, USA
    I did. I went from Emotiva separates to a Yamaha receiver & Schiit DAC (the cheap one), a Denon streamer to an Airport Express, and tower speakers to bookshelf speakers. I can honestly say I don't miss the Emo stuff; it was massive overkill for my listening. I still have the tower speakers, they were just too big for my current room. I will either sell them or use them when I have a bigger room. And I'm very happy with the replacement bookshelf speakers also.

    I'm happy with the changes.
     
  10. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    Having sold high end audio in an earlier life I never upgraded past a small competent system although I've replaced stuff over the decades. I knew I didn't want to get into the game so many audiophiles play. A simple IA, small monitor speakers, CDP, and turntable works fine for me. I consider myself an audiophile even if others don't. It's fun to read about the uber systems but I've never found myself willing to devote the time, money, and energy to creating one. If you can avoid the need to try and wring out the last few percent you can spend much more of your valuable time enjoying the music on a simpler system. Boutique separates, wires, turntables, CDP's, and accessories? No thanks. $2000-4000 will buy a killer system for those of us either without golden ears or the time and energy to constantly fiddle with gear.
     
  11. reb

    reb Money Beats Soul

    Location:
    Long Island
    Set up a second smaller system, give it some thought. That might be the way to go.
     
  12. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Took my power hungry 7.1 Onkyo AVR out of the mix, hooked up a 15 watt DAC/Pre, removed my sub also, trying to cut my electric bill in anticipation for another horrible Michigan winter
     
  13. sberger

    sberger Dream Baby Dream

    Went from all new, multi thousand dollar rig to all used, vintage. Allowed me to stop listening to my system and get back to the music. Connected me to feelings I had when I was a kid that I feel I had lost. Much happier now.
     
    Done A Ton, ejman, Pericles and 13 others like this.
  14. Wardsweb

    Wardsweb Audio Enthusiast

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    With over a decade of building my systems, I have settled into a mode of "good enough" and started listening to my own mantra of " serenity comes not from what you have but knowing what you can live without". To that end, I have started selling off gear, reducing the number of systems I have and focus on listening. Time to de-clutter.
     
  15. Steven Martinez

    Steven Martinez Member

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Changed from technic 1200, akai aa-1175, sansui sp-x8s to Dual 1229, HK730, Polk Audio 7 Monitors
    Polks don't enhance as well as the sansuis but have a better bass. HK730 is not as powerful as the Akai but has a smooth sound. The dual is almost an upgrade to me.
    Downgraded because I really couldn't blast my music with my baby boy in the house.
     
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  16. robertawillisjr

    robertawillisjr Music Lover

    Location:
    Hampton, VA
    I am thinking of scrapping all my electronics in favor of one of the Devialet integrated models.
     
  17. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    I don't know if it's necessarily a downgrade, but I went from a modern solid state amp to vintage tube amps for my primary listening. I acutally alternate between three different tube amps, so I definately haven't simplified my system!

    The sound is like likely less "accurate" through the vintage tube amps...especially since I'm pumping it through some inefficient Advent speakers...but the sound is pleasing to my ears, being warmer and richer than my previous system.

    Arguably, I have sacrificed accuracy and neutrality for coloration and distortion, but I don't care. I like the way it sounds. And that's all that matters.
     
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  18. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    :righton:
     
  19. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    I could be wrong, but I believe that is what it is all about ultimately... ;)
     
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  20. Ken Clark

    Ken Clark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago Suburbs
    I did. When I added a $1700 phono cartirdge to a $10K 2-channel & headphone system I had I started worrying about who my use it in my home, potentially damaging it. At the same time I realized I listened to music far more on my old crappy garage system where I tended to spend more time. I realized this was nuts and went through a process of downgrading my whole system to something everyone could use and if some got broke I wouldn't cry. Several years on I don't miss what I had.
     
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  21. btf1980

    btf1980 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I've been down that road before with a damaged cartridge. See here - http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/kids-and-hifi-dont-mix-there-goes-my-dynavector-cart.326880/

    I'm at peace with it now, but I was pissed when it happened.
     
  22. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    To me a $1700 cartridge (or more) is a message that it's time to revisit the whole audio thing. I'm really glad I never traveled that path. But, like I said earlier, after having sold this stuff, my eyes were opened.
     
  23. Further

    Further Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Wow, can I ever relate to that. My feelings exactly. It is SO nice to stop obsessing and just throw on a great record and groove.
     
    Tommyboy likes this.
  24. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I've done a lot of this recently since buying my first home and for better or worse no longer being able to have the "Well maybe one day I'll have the perfect room for all this stuff" attitude. At the same time, I became tired of the optics of so much gear and wires everywhere, and began to think of ways to unplug some things without too much compromise.

    Upstairs I changed my preamp and sources to a McIntosh D100 that serves as both the preamp and source (technically the source is an out of sight mac mini I suppose). This was actually a sonic upgrade but simplifies things a ton and removed a rat's nest of cables and a much more discreet appearance.

    Downstairs I moved from separates to an integrated, dropped the second turntable and its phono stage, got smaller speakers, and pretty much went physically smaller across the board. I don't really felt I gave up much in this system either, I think I enjoy it more overall in fact.
     
  25. sami

    sami Mono still rules

    Location:
    Down The Shore
    When I started to get back into vinyl seriously, I wanted a simple vintage system that would produce nice sound and make listening to records sound the way I remembered it, and I have that. I did just order a M91ED / Jico SAS combo that I'm very excited to hear!

    To each his own, but I couldn't be bothered with chasing 'perfection' and listening to a system instead of music, and I certainly wouldn't spend the money necessary to attain that 'perfection' whether I had it or not.
     
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