If you could start again with a blank page...

[MajorFubar]

...would you take a different route? I think if I was sarting from fresh I'd probably go for an active setup with just my Mac Mini as a source, but there are obviously more routes than just that. Maybe you've invested a lot in transistor amplification but if you had it to do again you'd go valve. Maybe you've got an expensive CD transport but if you had it to do again you'd buy a streamer or computer instead. This doesn't have to be a regrets thread: maybe your requirements have changed and so now you'd approach the hobby differently.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Nope 🙂

 

[plastic penguin]

Same as David. Wouldn't change anything from the set-up I have now i.e. separates.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

As David & PP. Pretty happy now. Might have chosen a different room/house but not system. Taken 40yrs tho!

 

[chebby]

I did start with a completely blank page 17 months ago*. Still happy with it.

*Ok, I am still using the same optical cable that I used in my old system.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Yep, finally got the TV I have always wanted to go with my system, went back to the amp I originally wanted and very happy. Got the TV and speakers for a very good price too. I will only down grade in future, unless I win big on the lottery. Even then I will probably only want the Panasonic 55vt50, which would have to be wall mounted in my mansion.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I think I'd go Linn - as like the two speaker approach, but with HDMI switching. Maybe in the next house ...

 

[Overdose]

My system is now effectively a blank page setup from my earlier passive system. It's what I bought to explore the active side of things. Once I'm in a more permanent situation house wise, I'll be upgrading my system to something similar, but more up to date, ie newer Mac mini, new preamp/DAC (possibly) and new speakers (Event Opals looking favourite so far, with the new ADM9RSs close behind).

This will give me an unobtrusive universal digital format setup that can be made to be almost invisible, bar the speakers.

 

[BenLaw]

...would you take a different route? I think if I was sarting from fresh I'd probably go for an active setup with just my Mac Mini as a source, but there are obviously more routes than just that. Maybe you've invested a lot in transistor amplification but if you had it to do again you'd go valve. Maybe you've got an expensive CD transport but if you had it to do again you'd buy a streamer or computer instead. This doesn't have to be a regrets thread: maybe your requirements have changed and so now you'd approach the hobby differently.

I'd like a similar setup Major, with active ATCs. And I'd do this with DAC rather than CDP. But I couldn't achieve what I wanted for the same cost as my present system, so I'd see it as an upgrade rather than a different route. In hindsight I might have held fire for a little longer, saved more money and gone the active route, but I'm so happy with what I've got I have no complaints. Plus the journey is nearly as fun as the destination! 🙂

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

I'd skip on buying my TEAC Reference 600 with Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 and then Dynaudio Focus 110 and went straight to what I have now. thus saving myself some cash (which could have been spent for buying even bigger Magnepans >) ). but then again, through every subsequent purchase I was learning what hi-fi ( ) I want to own and listen to.

 

[Andrew17321]

About 8 years ago I did start again from a blank page keeping only my 45 year old Thorens turntable. Now I have too much invested in my current system, complicated as it has become with DACs and other add-ons, to consider another fundamental change. However, if my house burned down, …

I would redesign my house with a more accustically designed listening room.

I would go entirely digital to the speakers. Class D amplifiers for each unit in the speakers with pulse width modulated output, all cross-over, room accomodation, room equalization etc done by digital filters. The speakers would be fed wirelessly from a single small controlling (digital) preamp which had inputs from the internet (for radio), from my NAS (for music), and from a FreeSat box (for TV sound).

Yes, I would ditch the TT (frankly too much bother to use much now) and FM radio (Internet radio better quality on the right stations, eg BBC Radio 3 on 320 AAC).

Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is not a suitable preamp currently available, but then again, my house has not burned down, and hopefully won't.

Andrew

 

[relocated]

My different route would have been to have never bothered with 5[6&7].1.

Since purchasing AVI ADM 9.1T actives I binned off the 6.1 system that I had. My love of listening to my music returned and the 'loss' as regards film is negligible, the fidelity of voice is particularly better.

Right now I am about to embark on recording my music to hard- drive for streaming via ATV. If I had the money I would move on up to AVI ADM 40, after demo to confirm whether every other owners superlatives are warranted.

I suppose a larger screen would be ok, 65 inch as they are the price now that I paid for my first 42 Pana plasma, but I'm not that bothered. I don't need to get a new house as neighbours are well out of earshot and I wouldn't change the view for anywhere.

So all in all I'm quite a contented little soul. :cheers:

 

[richardw42]

I'm kind of in the middle of the process right now. I've sold off my traditional multi box hi fi and got a pair of AVI ADM40s to pair with a Sonos.

I now want to simplify my AV too. So I'm selling all my Monitor Audio 5.1. I'll keep the Yamaha RXV3067 to use as a processor. I'm moving the 40s in to the AV. I still haven't made up my mind on 4.0 or 2.0, I've got a pair of AVI Neutron to act as rears. So it'll be Active front and passive rears.

Ill then make up my mind if I really need rears and then might get some AVI ADM9 for a full active 4.0

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Major

I did start with a blank sheet, and ended up with what I have......and the only possible modification I would make is a Projector. This won't happen any time soon as I don't have the space, or the budget ATM.

For a mix of AV and 2 channel, there is nothing I would drastically change.....now if I had two seperate rooms.....

 

[hoopsontoast]

I did this last year, back to where I was ( or where I wanted to be) bought the speakers back, and added the valve amp I was after.

Would not change a thing. Not really interested in the streaming / active route.

 

[Gusboll]

My different route would have been to have never bothered with 5[6&7].1.

Me too; I bought an Arcam AVR for a lot of money at the time and it sent me on a home cinema wild goose chase until I saw the (Cyrus) light!

Currently listening to: Radio Paradise

 

[professorhat]

Would have bought a Sonos system earlier had I known (rather than messing about with Airport Express units). Other than that, very happy with my current setup now - only faults will cause replacements any time soon.

Of course, if the blank page comes with the kind of cash which would allow me to buy a big house, then a projector would have been on the cards...

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Seems to be a number of us in the "would not have bothered with 5/6/7.1 and would have started and stuck with 2.0/2.1" camp. Interesting?

 

[DocG]

Seems to be a number of us in the "would not have bothered with 5/6/7.1 and would have started and stuck with 2.0/2.1" camp. Interesting?

Reassuring to me anyway! For our new house, I've been struggling quite a while on this matter, and finally decided to drop the idea of a home cinema. I chose a telly, with sound going through the stereo, into 2 speakers. So I'll have half the budget per channel, instead of 1/6. Quality over quantity!

 

[shafesk]

I love my setup but I would go for more tube friendly speakers from audionote and keep everything else.

 

[shooter]

I would keep my MSB front end and transport but run some valve mono's and some friendly speakers, tbh that probably will be my next move after actives. 8)

 

[steve_1979]

What would I have done differently?

I would have built my PC to be almost silent. It was built for gaming before I was interested in hifi but if I did it again I'd spend a little bit more on a sound proofed case, a quieter hard drive and a quieter CPU cooler. My current PC isn't excessively noisy but I can occasionly hear it when the music goes very quiet.

I'd also have spent less money in other areas of my life so that I could have afforded to buy some ADM9's + sub instead of the Neutron system.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I'm starting from a blank page 😉 , as i didn't have a stereo set up, my amp for hi fi and HT was my AV Yamaha, and my cd player always was my DVD or blu Ray player...

I start my hi fi set up by the Rega DAC, then SBT and this week ( YES!!!! Finally!!!) i'm going to pick up my Brio R.

After the Brio R i've to buy new speakers.... But that's another story...

And no my road is the same as i have start with, for the buget, i think i'm doing the rigth buys... 8)

Do you?