Poll: How do you primarily listen to audio at home?

[Neel]

Mine looks better than it sounds
View attachment 340164

Looks really cool! What speakers do you have in the ceiling?

 

[Futility]

Looks really cool! What speakers do you have in the ceiling?

They are some leftover Infinity TSS-1100 HTIB speakers that sound decent for what they are. I just used them as a placeholder to try out Atmos (before committing to cutting holes in the ceiling). They are clearly mismatched to my mains but I can still get presence/height effects every now and then in better mastered movies. I'm in the process of moving to our new home and will start with just the base layer of 4 speakers you see in the picture (sans center).

 

[DualTriode]

Thanks, we have about 30 years at same location and know moving is a pain. Making slow progress on getting all our kids stuff out but the tougher part is thinning your own.

While I can foresee that issue in some locations, in my case, would get better amenities (swimming pool, workout facilities, party room, etc.) than have even in my current home. My woodshop would be another victim and speaker testing would be over (barely tolerated now). My kids will get first shot at the audio stuff so expect at least one will have a home theater and maybe some of my shop equipment. Along with the wedding, the tight market may slow us down. We are not in any huge hurry.

Rick, sounds like you have more going on than picking out your fav set of speakers.

The kids have moved on, the wife passed. The new wife bought a house, she gave me a cave. I sold the old fam home I am really glad the pool is gone, I miss the photo lab. I did get rid of a lot of stuff.

I bought a vacation home at the beach.

It is all about transitions, do what makes you happy.

The 2-way Purifi stereo speakers plus 12 inch sub are a really nice compromise and do crank up pretty loud sometimes.

Do learn to say "yes dear" and mean it.

Thanks DT

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[NegativeEntropy]

I answered multiple systems:

By pure hours, the 3.1 system in the living room, because it covers the main floor (as background music or when the TV is off and we have music on for the evening).
Folding Laundry? smart speaker
Serious video or music listening: basement theater (9.3.4).

 

[PoorishDecision]

my setup is pc based, smsl su8 and sh8 dac and hp amp running sony mdrv6s headphones. run the smsls xlr into a rotel ra1572, and a rotel rcd02 via coax into a littledot dac2 running rca into same amp. speakers are the much maligned totem rainmakers with a svs sb2000 subwoofer. i play tons of games and music and I'm overall extremely happy with this 2.1 rig, was happy with 2 channel but my partner bought me the svs as an anniversary present.

 

[Platypus20]

I must be one of the few here, who does not use headphones. I have not used them in probably 20-25 yrs, I move my Grados a couple of days ago and the foam ear pieces turned to dust with the movement (replacement pads on order). Live alone in a house where the closest neighbor is probably 100 feet away, can listen to speakers all the time. The system runs about 12-14 hr/day.

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks for all those who have voted so far! Was not expecting so many system posts but consider it an added bonus.

Originally thought it might take longer for us to get to 1000 or more responses. Also appears the rate has plateaued so plan to go a couple more days and then will close the poll. The thread will remain open for as long as the staff wants!

Once this poll closes, will summarize and discuss next steps.

Happy New Year!

Rick

Excellent! Nice approach

 

[mhardy6647]

I must be one of the few here, who does not use headphones. I have not used the in probably 20-25 yrs, I move my Grados a couple of days ago and the foam ear pieces turned to dust with the movement (replacement pads on order). Live alone in a house where the loser neighbor is probably 100 feet away, can listen to speakers all the time. The system runs about 12-14 hr/day.

Perhaps one of the few, but not the only.
I don't like using headphones, full stop. I've owned a couple of decent-not-great pairs... and as in your case, the 'pleather'/foam disintegrates as they sit on a shelf on in their box(es).

 

[Wizard509]

My desktop system is 2.1 and the one in my shop is vintage stereo - Cerwin Vega AT-15s with Harman Kardon 670 Twin.

 

[Great Sun Jester]

I've lurked for years and have finally bitten on this post, with my first post (multiple systems). I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Amir and to everyone who populates this community for all of the suggestions and help which I have received over the years.
--Joe

 

[MattHooper]

My 2 channel stereo system by far

Then:

Music in my surround system

And

I enjoy music on my iPhone 13’s speakers - convenient and surprisingly satisfying

 

[Jim T]

This is an updated follow-up poll to my September 2022 one. Was asked to see whether much has changed since then. Also deleted the active or passive options to simplify the poll.

As mentioned previously, the forum software limits the number of choices to 10. A final edit glitch also limited my ability to modify the responses without deleting the entire poll. So, the last couple of responses are out of order.

Thanks for your participation!

P.S.
Casting an intentionally inclusive net, wanted to include home theater and home theaters that are used for music listening. So, if you feel you are limiting your response, you likely should choose the Multiple systems option. For example, I have Amazon Echo speakers, a stereo system and a home theater. Which I listen to primarily is more a matter of convenience, so I fit the Multiple Systems case even though I barely use the home theater for video anymore.

If you are not sure how to answer, consider which equipment you use most. I do not want to edit the thread title at this point, but my hope is to help Amir with which equipment is most interesting to members.

I am 76, a former broadcast engineer and a music lover, but not necessarily a audiophile. I listen on headphones mostly due to my hearing loss. I have loss over 7KHZ. So, the key to me is to have whatever headphones you use must compliment your hearing loss. Some younger people have listened to loud music and have it to. I now use my AKG K701 most of the time, and recording I use 2 pair of AKG K721 closed back cans. I also have an older pair of Sony MDR 7506's and about to buy a pair of the new Sony MDR-MV1's which have quite a tipped up high end...perfect for me, but not for someone with excellent hearing as they would seem too bright.

I also like the fact that I am not bothering anyone else with my music intruding on their lives. Headohones.com and their YouTube channel offers some good headphone info.

 

[pseudoid]

10 then.

ummmm.... would that not be 8.2, then? (I had to use my HP11 to come up with my answer.)
I have 4 systems in the house: None make use of a "decimal-point" in the channel count.
2 of the hardware can do at least 5 channels.
3 of systems use passive speakers (2 of which are desktop variety).
Vandersteen-2s for main system; fed by Rotel separates and KEF-LSX2s for the missus' setup.
FosiZA3 and a BRzHiFi are currently on rotation in the garage and in my SoHo PC setup.
5TB music NAS, a portable DAP, few streaming services, cable music-channels and SiriusXM prevent the house from ever going silent.

 

[mhardy6647]

I have 4 systems in the house: None make use of a "decimal-point" in the channel count.

I have a couple here that require irrational numbers to describe using the modern format.

 

[pseudoid]

An observation:
I usually find myself quickly searching for the proper response when someone tells me their home sound system is Sonos-based.
The few of those Sonos setups that I have heard were not exemplary.
Thus, my first thought is to reply with a "yuck" but I usually choose "wow"... only because that is what most owners expect as a response to the word Sonos.

 

[Descartes]

I never met a single person who found downsizing was as good an idea as they imagined it would be. You don't save much money, real estate transactions eat up a bunch of money and most end up with a smaller house, less resources and not that much difference in bills. And if you are downsizing in a big way, you have a ton of stuff to sell, give away and take to the dump. Not a small task. Good luck.

In addition if you own a home and it has appreciated look out for the massive taxes once you sell!

I think when I am ready to downsize, I will probably go all with in wall speakers such as KEF so that I don’t have a bunch of boxes and cables on the floor, or potentially on wall with monitors like Genelec Ones if I have enough budget!
But not yet as I have an other 10 years at least before thinking about retiring.

 

[Descartes]

My wife and I bought a big family home in the suburbs as our first place together, and we never ended up having any kids. It took 13 years for us to figure out the house and neighborhood didn't make sense for us, so we downsized to a luxury 2 bedroom apartment downtown in the city with all the amenities, and then some. We sold/donated/tossed half of what we owned. It felt and was fantastic, for a while. However, as suggested in another post, downsizing was not at all what it was cracked up to be.

For me, any shared walls/floors/hallways were found to be the ultimate killer of joy in this hobby, and it turns out I just don't like sharing space and amenities in with other people that much, and all the stuff that comes with that life. If you don't know this about yourself, I highly recommend renting something first for two years to see if you actually like the lifestyle.

After 2 years we were back in a home, about the same size as the last one, except this time we were way smarter about it and built a house for just the two of us instead of buying a home that was built for the average family. A wood & hobby workshop, a 12x16 yoga space with a built-in sauna at one end, a soundproof theater, and dedicated offices for each of us all take up space that is used quite differently in a typical home in our neighborhood. It turns out it wasn't so much the amount of space the was making us want to "downsize" last time, so much as it was how that space was used.

Something to think about anyway. You have plenty of time. You should start a thread.

So true I grew up in an apartment with sharing walls, I would never do that again! The noise from the neighbors was unbearable.

 

[pseudoid]

I think when I am ready to downsize,

Why not downsize (and de-content) now, and invest the remainder to start making it your audio dream-house before your hearing (most likely) declines in about the time you are ready for that retirement?

 

[Descartes]

View attachment 340132View attachment 340133

Fantastic those Genelec The Ones 8361

 

[Descartes]

Why not downsize (and de-content) now, and invest the remainder to start making it your audio dream-house before your hearing (most likely) declines in about the time you are ready for that retirement?

Ha, ha, very true, but we are very happy where we are living now, in addition I would have to give the taxman too much money!