Questions to Audiophile experts: How Expensive Does A System Need to Be?*?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by James H., Jul 2, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    I have a bunch of questions to ask, but I will start with one (maybe two).

    To be a true audiophile, do you have to have the most expensive sound system? I like listening to my music from vinyl through my Mac Pro, my Technics turntable, and my Klipsch THX 2.1 computer speakers.

    Music interests: Who, Beatles, Stones, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Kinks, Jam, some Sinatra.

    I try not to break the bank, but I try not to buy crap either.

    New to this website, ... Love to have any input or advice to really enjoy my listening experience.
     
  2. KDubATX

    KDubATX A Darby Man Never Says When

    Location:
    Austin
    The AudioQuest Dragonfly v1.02 is a reasonably cheap USB DAC that would help out the Mac Pro. I use one w my MB Pro and was taken aback with the improvement it provided.
    You might find more info in the Audio Hardware section too.
     
  3. Mal

    Mal Phorum Physicist

    :wave:

    If you care how it sounds then you are an audiophile.
     
  4. mdpierocarey

    mdpierocarey Forum Resident

    Please never let anyone tell you that you don't qualify as an audiophile. There isn't an official membership card or anything. Your system does not need to be expensive. Little things like placing your speakers in the right position for your ears are free. Excellent equipment is available second-hand, especially nowadays. Check garage sales and such, the best gear of the 1970s is all over the place.

    Since you like vinyl, make very sure that your turntable needle is not damaging your record. Be certain that your cartridge is installed properly. There are some great threads about that somewhere on this forum.

    Don't forget to enjoy the tunes!

    (This discussion might belong in the Audio Hardware section.)
     
    ARK likes this.
  5. Digital-G

    Digital-G Senior Member

    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    Audiophilia doesn't exist in our systems - it exists in our ears and our hearts. No, you don't have to spend a ton of money to have the bug.

    Welcome to the forum.
     
  6. Captain Wiggette

    Captain Wiggette Forum Resident

    Location:
    Seattle
    Then you are an audiophile.

    How expensive your system 'needs to be' depends only on how vain you are and who you are trying to impress with the 'size of your system.'
     
  7. parisisburning

    parisisburning Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Paris
    Not everyone is born rich. Put together the best system possible within your means.
     
  8. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Audiophile is a rather vague term in the end. There is no cost of admission for claiming the title. And how much I think you need to spend to get to the point of diminishing returns for sound quality is based on my income level. So the variables are exactly that and will vary for all. If you are happy don't post questions like this, just enjoy your bliss while it lasts. These questions have a real tendency to diminish happiness almost as much as visiting a fellow audiophile's house and listening to his system.
     
    ARK likes this.
  9. Monosterio

    Monosterio Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Florida
    [​IMG]
    "$1 million sound system."
     
    supermd and starduster like this.
  10. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    Thanks for the replies. I will use them as sound advice.

    My next question is for those who listen to vinyl: Do you like to record your vinyl to a flac file so you can listen to your music on a DAC(?) player like a Pono Player for example?
    I use Audacity to record at 24 bit 192000 Hz. I make no changes (except maybe the Click Removal) to get rid of a pop or two. Is that overkill to record that high on vinyl?
     
  11. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    Sorry, but I view such statements as silly. I can say that I have worked hard and finally got to a place where I can afford equipment that I could never dream of in my younger years. And yes it sounds light years better than the gear I've owned previously. It has nothing to do with vanity or impressing others as no one listens to it but my wife and I.

    I hear people comment on what people spend on music and equipment all the time in amazement and shock that they would buy something so expensive just to play music, yet they have $50,000 boats or campers or whatever facilitates their chosen hobby. Only you can decide what value your setup holds to you or what is an appropriate limit on spending.

    If you own the lowliest player and set of earbuds and you care about how it sounds and do what you can to make it as good as it can be within your means, then you are certainly an audiophile.
     
    Steeve and Jeff57 like this.
  12. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    As far as I'm concerned you are already an audiophile that has yet to perfect your system. All you need is to replace your computer speakers for bigger Klipsch speakers that suit your budget and get a clean used vintage amplifier or receiver to hook your TT to. What cartridge is your TT fitted with ? Is the stylus in good shape ?

    Making and playing Flac files from lps is perfectly acceptable but you might as well play the actual physical records for a warmer analog sound (but hey that's just me)

    BTW; welcome to the forum !!:cheers:
     
  13. James H.

    James H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Runnemede, NJ
    I use an Audio Technica AT92E cartridge and stylus that I replaced a few months ago. I would like to get an improvement, but I do not know what kind of cartridge to get other than the Audio Technica cartridge for my Technics Direct Drive Automatic Turntable System SL-QD33.

    What does it mean by "a warmer analog sound?" I keep seeing that phrase when people are describing the sound from analog?

    Your other statement about 'vintage amplifier.' Is that something you can hook up to the computer or is that something you add to your home system? I would like to add the turntable to my home system in the future.
     
  14. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    It is a nice enough cart, esp if you like its sound. You won't fully acknowledge this until the signal is amplified properly and pumping through a good pair of speakers, then you can decide whether to upgrade or not.

    Well some people prefer analog to digital. The sound is different in more ways than one. It as been debated to death so I can't just describe it in a couple of lines.

    It's a used amplifier made decades ago, preferrably in Japan. Most still work and just in need of minor repairs/refurbishment and offer a sound of today's amps ranking in the thousands of dollars. They can be bought for relatively little money. They do have a dedicated phono input with a quality built-in phono stage, sparing the need for a external unit. And yes you can connect it to your computer via the 3.5mm headphones jack of via an external DAC, which will provide a cleaner, richer sound than the internal soundcard .
     
  15. Being an audiophile has nothing to do with the cost of a system or the size of a collection. It's about having an interest, obtaining knowledge and sharing thoughts and opinions.
     
    ARK likes this.
  16. Paul Saldana

    Paul Saldana jazz vinyl addict

    Location:
    SE USA (TN-GA-FL)
    I am audiophile enough that I'm never satisfied with the dubs I make from vinyl to digital, despite using nice gear for the dubs.
     
    jomo48 likes this.
  17. dennis the menace

    dennis the menace Forum Veteran

    Location:
    Montréal
    First of all welcome to the Forum. To answer your question there's no specific amount of money for a good sounding system because only you know what is good for you. Go shopping and get whatever is in your budget while giving you enjoyment and fun.The important thing is to enjoy the music.
     
    ARK likes this.
  18. Paul Saldana

    Paul Saldana jazz vinyl addict

    Location:
    SE USA (TN-GA-FL)
    I would think that purchase of a U-turn Orbit or AT LP-120 turntable, a NAD or Harmon-Kardon stereo receiver, and a pair of the SP-BS22s Pioneer speakers would be "audiophile enough" - without a cartridge or upgraded cables you're only $700-750 invested, and far richer personally after the purchase!

    If you're willing to take the risk of buying used gear, which is the route I have usually taken, you can get more amplification & a more robust turntable for the same price.
    Those speakers are unbeatable at $130, however.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2015
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine