You who have several sound systems, what do you listen to the most?

[frogmeat69]

I have a 5.1 setup with Infinity speakers, a Pioneer Elite AVR, 2 Oppo Blu-Ray players and a sub not worth mentioning the name of, lol.
Most of my music listening is done at my desk, I have a Topping D90/A90 stack, JBL 305P monitors on stands and JBL sub, or using one of my many headphones, with my Drop version of the Dan Clark Aeon opens being my favorites.
The music comes from my PC with a NAS filled with around 4TB of FLAC rips and downloads, using Foobar, or streaming with Tidal.

 

[radix]

My office system gets the most use: RPi/Volumio or USB to RME ADI2 DAC to Neumann KH80/KH750. I also have some headphones for it, but since I moved to a new house with a more private office, I don't use the headphones.

The dining room system gets the next most, as we pop it on frequently when in the kitchen or at the table: McIntosh MR74 tuner, B&O 9500 TT, RPi/Volumio, C32, MC2205, JBL L100.

Finally, the living room system actually gets the least use, though it has the best sound: RPi/Volumio, Rega TT, CD player, Anthem STR preamp, 2x AHB2, Revel F228b e, Arendal 1723/1S + SVS 3000 Micro.

There's also a home theater system (denon, KEF, SVS sub).

On the streamers, it's usually Spotify or Roon/Qobuz from a Synology NAS. Next is the MR74 tuner on a jazz station (KCSM) or pubic radio (KQED), or vinyl on the B&O.

 

[MacCali]

Yeah, absolutely.

To expand slightly farther (not that anybody asked) my audiophile-ish systems are for active listening. That's my favorite kind of listening, but unfortunately isn't the most common.

(Also, people can laugh at them, but the Bose QC headphones sound pretty good to me. I mean... they've got active DSP and Bose aren't dummies. It would be more surprising if they didn't sound good. I know Bose is a joke in the audiophile world but these headphones are right in their wheelhouse and they're popular for a reason.)

Yea I got you the thing with Bose is they try to serve main stream sound, even before I became an audio enthusiast I didn’t like them. Just my personal taste, and same with Sony and Beats. I did like the beats iems, and not that the audio performance was amazing but they lasted a really long time on calls.

I got me a pair for 70 dollars in 2018, I think they were 250 at the time and the place I bought it from put them on sale again and I bought a second pair lol.

Before this I had a 60 dollar JBL headphone that was BT and a Flip 4. That was my audio setup.

When I became an audio enthusiast I bought a few audiophile brands, and it really changed my perspective. My JBL’s were done for and I needed something for BT even though I had a portable setup. After revisiting all the brands I mentioned none fit the script for what I expected from wired headphones.

The only two I found were the Beyerdynamic Lagoon/traveler, both being the same exact headphone minus color scheme to my understanding. Also the M&D MW65, and I settled on that one as it provided, outside of sonics, a few more pros but again cost 500 new but I did not pay that much

 

[MacCali]

I have one main setup - a stereo-only, audio-only system in a dedicated room in the basement that serves as my listening room, study, and hobby area. I don't subscribe to a streaming service. I listen mainly to locally stored files on a computer-based music server, and secondarily I listen to physical CDs and the occasional music DVD, on the same system.

My "secondary system" is just that same stereo, but with me listening at my desk, a few feet back and to one side of the main listening position, while working or messing around with hobbies.

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 650s I like a lot, but I almost never listen with headphones, as I vastly prefer speakers.

My wife has a nice system in her study/hobby space, with gear that used to be my primary gear. Occasionally she'll come down to my space and we'll listen together for awhile, or vice versa. We also have a pair of AudioEngine A2s in the kitchen/great room area for background music when we have people over, for music while cooking, etc. And in our TV room we have a tiny SMSL stereo amp and a pair of tiny 1980s Mission stand-mounts that sound shockingly good for what they are. I sometimes will listen to music there, via the Smart TV's YouTube app - for some reason I've always enjoyed YouTube as a sort of manual music-discovery tool.

Sometimes I listen to music in the car, via my iPhone plugged into the car's USB port. But for some reason as I've gotten older, I prefer NPR in the car and I like to reserve my music listening mostly for home.

Overall, I would say I do 90% or more of my music listening in my listening room with my main setup. I feel very fortunate to be able to do that on a daily basis.

Very nice, the pandemic is what got me here and unfortunately being back to work and having good cash flow has its issues for me. Now my systems have gotten far more extravagant and I feel comfortable purchasing whatever I want. Which was the complete opposite during the pandemic but I had all the time in the world.

From 10 hours a day to now roughly 10 hours in two weeks if I’m lucky. Trade offs, the only thing fortunate is it is by choice.

Not certain which one was better, having time and being broke or not having time but have the means.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

Such a difficult post for me, as things change so often.

At the moment, I listen to my music most whilst on the move - to and from work, usually - and very little at home.

The lack of home listening is due to a seemingly constant state of flux in room usage in my house.

Latest news - possibility of the garage being converted to my office/listening room. NICE!

 

[JohnBooty]

Yea I got you the thing with Bose is they try to serve main stream sound, even before I became an audio enthusiast I didn’t like them. Just my personal taste

Objectively: Bose's QC headphones (with built in DSP engaged) have solid distortion measurements and conform quite closely to the generally accepted target response curve, as measured here on ASR. They are objectively pretty good. But of course we are humans and not robots and we listen to music, not measurements.

Subjectively: I totally respect your opinion! I (obviously) like them but definitely don't think they're perfect. For example I find that they are lacking in detail compared to some other headphones. I have other headphones that outperform them in various ways.

I understand that there is a lot of residual hate for Bose from back in the 70s/80s/90s when they refused to publish specs and pushed some underpowered gear with wacky exaggerated sound signatures. However I don't necessarily think that stuff is really relevant today when we are talking about something like headphones. Also, given that manufacturers really game (fudge) those "specs" to a fraudulent, I don't even know if I can blame Bose for refusing to play that game back in the day.

 

[MacCali]

Objectively: Bose's QC headphones (with built in DSP engaged) have solid distortion measurements and conform quite closely to the generally accepted target response curve, as measured here on ASR. They are objectively pretty good. But of course we are humans and not robots and we listen to music, not measurements.

Subjectively: I totally respect your opinion! I (obviously) like them but definitely don't think they're perfect. For example I find that they are lacking in detail compared to some other headphones. I have other headphones that outperform them in various ways.

I understand that there is a lot of residual hate for Bose from back in the 70s/80s/90s when they refused to publish specs and pushed some underpowered gear with wacky exaggerated sound signatures. However I don't necessarily think that stuff is really relevant today when we are talking about something like headphones. Also, given that manufacturers really game (fudge) those "specs" to a fraudulent, I don't even know if I can blame Bose for refusing to play that game back in the day.

Very valid. I was born in the late 80’s and none of those are a factor to me.

I have a friend who is hell bent on bose HT like 5/7 channel set ups they sell in a box. Honestly never had any bad thoughts on the product and with my friend being a demo artist of the line it wasn’t really that bad just definitely no visceral presentation like my current set up.

But also my reply is I got no clue what I heard. Not sure which model it was or what aspects it had, I’m sure Bose too has different tiers or reiterations. I’m just being particular of the one I heard, which we don’t know which one it was.

I think the only negativity I have towards Bose is from what I understood in the last few years that they sue people or issue cease and desist orders on people who criticize the product with a mass audience

 

[jhwalker]

I tend to both work from and sit in my living room, where the "big rig" is and listen to it primarily.

I also have headphone systems in both my office and beside my recliner in the living room, but I VERY seldom listen to them because I'd much rather not have something strapped to my head.

I also have a Sonos HT setup in my bedroom, which I use occasionally (not often, because typically when I go to my bedroom it's to sleep, not to watch TV / listen to music) and Sonos speakers in my kitchen (used VERY seldom) and out by the pool (used daily during the summer).

Source is Roon server, either my own local library or Qobuz, + Apple Music if I'm listening through Sonos or if I want Atmos recordings (given Roon doesn't yet even support passthrough of Atmos, have to use my AppleTV for that).

 

[JohnBooty]

I have a friend who is hell bent on bose HT like 5/7 channel set ups they sell in a box.

That's definitely interesting. I would expect that soundbars and Bose HT gear are squarely targeted at people who are not "fanatics"... I would expect them to appeal to people who want an upgrade over TV speakers but don't want the size or complexity of "real" HT gear. But it's a big world and there are all sorts of people.

Ultimately I'm a believer that at some point there's no replacement for displacement. I agree with you; you can never have a visceral sort of experience with tiny satellite speakers. But there is some value there for people who can't or don't want something more involved.

I think the only negativity I have towards Bose is from what I understood in the last few years that they sue people or issue cease and desist orders on people who criticize the product with a mass audience

Wow, that's a new one to me. Casual Googling didn't turn up anything for me besides decades-old stuff plus a patent lawsuit with Beats. If you have links to anything more specific I'd love to know about it.

 

[MacCali]

That's definitely interesting. I would expect that soundbars and Bose HT gear are squarely targeted at people who are not "fanatics"... I would expect them to appeal to people who want an upgrade over TV speakers but don't want the size or complexity of "real" HT gear. But it's a big world and there are all sorts of people.

Ultimately I'm a believer that at some point there's no replacement for displacement. I agree with you; you can never have a visceral sort of experience with tiny satellite speakers. But there is some value there for people who can't or don't want something more involved.


Wow, that's a new one to me. Casual Googling didn't turn up anything for me besides decades-old stuff plus a patent lawsuit with Beats. If you have links to anything more specific I'd love to know about it.

Definitely he is not an audiophile. I haven’t spent any time at his place since the pandemic and that’s when I got into home audio. I’m sure if he came over to my place he would be like damn that’s a rip.

I just recently upgraded to a full 7 channels, from 5.0 and I was very satisfied with just 5. I just got the rear surrounds and 4 Dolby speakers. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to use it yet -_- but I don’t doubt it’s going to be far more phenomenal.

My recollection of this Bose bs was brought to my attention in the audioholics forum. I started over there just before I joined here. That’s the info I got from a user on there, let me see if I can log in and get you that info.

Not a shock, this is like stereo file and these companies that pay huge money to get reviews. They pay for good reviews only and publicity

 

[DanielT]

For many who posted in this thread, this seems to be the case:
Most, quantitative, listening via various desktop solutions.
Less time listening to "main system". But that does not mean that the less time with more qualitative experiences automatically draws the shortest straw (vs desktop solutions).Quality time is what it is.

Maybe something to think about. To invest a little more money on your desktop solution if you still spend most of your time there listening to music? That at the expense of the main system. Just a thought.

 

[radix]

For many who posted in this thread, this seems to be the case:
Most, quantitative, listening via various desktop solutions.
Less time listening to "main system". But that does not mean that the less time with more qualitative experiences automatically draws the shortest straw (vs desktop solutions).Quality time is what it is.

Maybe something to think about. To invest a little more money on your desktop solution if you still spend most of your time there listening to music? That at the expense of the main system. Just a thought.

I'm very happy that I got a good near-field system (KH80) for my desktop. I also got VESA mounts for the speakers with clamp-on stands, so it takes practically no space.

 

[Pablopbb]

I have to admit that pure music listening is most frequently done in the car, but I do love to spend some time actively listening in my home theater which has both a 7.2 setup for audio/video (4kUHD disc, Oppo universal disc player, Laserdisc, Roku, S-VHS player, Internet Radio) and a 2 channel setup with analog sources (vinyl, Reel to Reel, compact cassette, and 1970s FM tuner). The 2 channel setup is a lowly Kenwood KA-3700 integrated amp (the AM/FM tuner is Kenwood KT-5500 tuner) that I just love the look of, and right now its driving a pair of ADS L400 (original wood box Braun design, not the metal ones, with Peerless tweets), but I like to change up those speakers all the time (DCM CXs, older JBLs, Celestions, B&Ws, AR, Coral, etc). I also have my collection of headphones (on ear and over ear assorted models) that I drive off the old Kenwood headphone jack. That 2 channel system feels so right and warm, and I have that whole component stack on the Left side column of the home theater. I use the tape record output of the Kenwood to run the audio over to the right sided stack (Denon AVR-X4700H with Rotel RMB-1066 amp for LCR) as an anaolg input if I ever want to blast those old analog sources into 7.2 channel upmix with my late 1990s Paradigm Monitors setup. As you can see my sources of music are all over the place, but I do have many LPs, tapes and CDs I like to listed to in this room, and sometimes I'll explore new music with streaming options (internet radio, Amazon music, Deezer Flow, Spotify) or even some from my FLAC ripped library.

With teenagers at home, they mostly tell Alexa to play stuff on the Echo Show in the kitchen (Prime Music and Spotify), and I also have an echo Dot similiarly used on our main floor connected to in-wall speakers in the great room and kitchen driven off the A and B speakers of my Onkyo Integra AVR Ive also connected Apple Airport express's on the main floor and in the basement and their bedroom systems for them to use Airplay (they have iPhones). When the kids hide from us to party in the basement, their music is over airplay to a reclaimed NAD 2200 PE (with matching NAD 1130 preamp) to a set of nice Celestion 5 (there is also an old Kenwood knockoff of the Bic 20z turntable for spinning some vinyl if they want). That setup is SOOOO clean powered, and the speakers do such good volume that we hear it thumping through the kitchen floor, and no one can believe all that sound comes from such a small setup.

Curious that I've seen Roon and even Plex endpoints mentioned in this thread a while back (and I use plex for movies), but does anyone use any LMS/Squeezebox for their local/networked/endpoints for music? I've dabbled with it, and even have some legacy Logitech hardware endpoints and LMS running on my linux NAS, but I've been interested in building a RPi squeeze endpoint after seeing info at Darko audio site.

 

[MacCali]

For many who posted in this thread, this seems to be the case:
Most, quantitative, listening via various desktop solutions.
Less time listening to "main system". But that does not mean that the less time with more qualitative experiences automatically draws the shortest straw (vs desktop solutions).Quality time is what it is.

Maybe something to think about. To invest a little more money on your desktop solution if you still spend most of your time there listening to music? That at the expense of the main system. Just a thought.

That is true, I am fortunate enough to live in a two bedroom and I made the master bedroom into a theater room. Which incorporates all my audio.

I got my main listening speakers for stereo optimally set up. My 7 home theater channels and I just bought 4 Dolby. My desk sits in the middle of the room where I have all my headphone amps dacs etc. getting the idea from Zeos I bought an audio stand which I’ve had for over a year and have not set up strictly for my headphone gear so I can access all my headphone gear right next to my desk. However I’m rarely listening to headphones.

But also I got a stereo set up in my bed room and kitchen. The kitchen one points direct at the dining table so I can listen to music while eating or working on my laptop and being in the sweet spot.

Also got a second 3 channel ht in my living room for that TV. I can’t crank the volume crazy in the living room since I live in a duplex and my neighbors wall is adjacent to the living room and other bedroom which is why it’s only a 3 ch ht

I think I’m taking this a little too seriously

 

[DanielT]

I see it as something completely natural that many people who have sound as a hobby have several different systems. It's fun to have different stuff to alternate with. In addition, if you, for example, buy and sell used speakers, you quickly find out what a reasonable market price is. Then you can buy and sell speakers at basically the same price (for me it's plus or minus zero in the wallet in this regard) and try what you like.
Well-known brands and models are the easiest to test this with. Same thing with the amplifier. If you want to test some vintage ditto, you will quickly find out what a Kenwood KA-3700 (just to take an example) that Pablopbb mentions in #93 costs on the used market.

Video of such a little KA-3700 beauty below. Which also shows what you need to think about when buying old electronics. It may need to be repaired, serviced, recapped and so on.

 

[MacCali]

I see it as something completely natural that many people who have sound as a hobby have several different systems. It's fun to have different stuff to alternate with. In addition, if you, for example, buy and sell used speakers, you quickly find out what a reasonable market price is. Then you can buy and sell speakers at basically the same price (for me it's plus or minus zero in the wallet in this regard) and try what you like.
Well-known brands and models are the easiest to test this with. Same thing with the amplifier. If you want to test some vintage ditto, you will quickly find out what a Kenwood KA-3700 (just to take an example) that Pablopbb mentions in #93 costs on the used market.

Video of such a little KA-3700 beauty below. Which also shows what you need to think about when buying old electronics. It may need to be repaired, serviced, recapped and so on.
View attachment 300162

Absolutely. I buy new on occasion, but honestly at one point I had 12 pairs of tower speakers in my place and only so many setups.

I tell people this, especially since I started home audio during the pandemic when I was furloughed at work, buy from authorized retailers open box and demo items. Even B stock would work too, as long as it is covered under manufacturer warranty as a new item.

I bought my marantz 7013 from bestbuy open box rated at the worst ‘fair’ the unit didn’t have a scratch or scuff on it for 1050 and msrp was 2200, average was 1699 it was on sale for 1499 and on is always cheaper. I got the full three year warranty just for peace of mind.

Unit had no issues and is still covered to this day.

I suggest this to people who want to buy things and have a limited budget. If you are so concerned contact the manufacturer and ask them. Manufacturers website has authorized retailers even online sellers too.

Ask them do open box and demo items have full warranty coverage from this retailer, this is the serial number. If in the future they deny warranty you have correspondence and they now have to honor it.

So you save money and protect your investment from costly repairs.

Also TMR has been great. If you see what they post which sometimes is on eBay or audiogon and it isn’t on their website you can contact and bargain down the price with the same 15 day returns and 45 day product reliability protection. Clearly since they must pay to sell on those other websites. 600 dollar amp on eBay they sold to me for 500. You must pay return shipping though.

I always give this advice out to people

 

[Multicore]

The one on the desk that I use for work.

 

[DanielT]

Absolutely. I buy new on occasion, but honestly at one point I had 12 pairs of tower speakers in my place and only so many setups.

I tell people this, especially since I started home audio during the pandemic when I was furloughed at work, buy from authorized retailers open box and demo items. Even B stock would work too, as long as it is covered under manufacturer warranty as a new item.

I bought my marantz 7013 from bestbuy open box rated at the worst ‘fair’ the unit didn’t have a scratch or scuff on it for 1050 and msrp was 2200, average was 1699 it was on sale for 1499 and on is always cheaper. I got the full three year warranty just for peace of mind.

Unit had no issues and is still covered to this day.

I suggest this to people who want to buy things and have a limited budget. If you are so concerned contact the manufacturer and ask them. Manufacturers website has authorized retailers even online sellers too.

Ask them do open box and demo items have full warranty coverage from this retailer, this is the serial number. If in the future they deny warranty you have correspondence and they now have to honor it.

So you save money and protect your investment from costly repairs.

Also TMR has been great. If you see what they post which sometimes is on eBay or audiogon and it isn’t on their website you can contact and bargain down the price with the same 15 day returns and 45 day product reliability protection. Clearly since they must pay to sell on those other websites. 600 dollar amp on eBay they sold to me for 500. You must pay return shipping though.

I always give this advice out to people

Good tips!

Speaking of buying newer used products. Right now, if I didn't have too much stuff, I would probably have bought a pair of 8-month-old Polk ES20s that are out for sale on a used HiFi site. The seller is asking $145 for them. A fairly reasonable price I have to say BUT the warranty comes with the first buyer of the speakers and it may not be valid if someone else buys them. Even if the warranty, on paper, appears to be valid. Then you need to check with the store that sold them to the original buyer and find out how the warranty works. It is not certain that the warranty automatically follows buyers of them at a later stage, so to speak.That's how it works in Sweden anyway.

Polk ES20 nyskick

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hifitorget.se

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Polk Signature Elite ES20 Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Polk Signature Elite ES20 bookshelf speaker. I purchased it from Amazon for US $349 a pair including shipping. I really like the look and finish of this series from Polk. Despite budget pricing, it looks nice and purposeful as you can tell...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Pablopbb]

I see it as something completely natural that many people who have sound as a hobby have several different systems. It's fun to have different stuff to alternate with. In addition, if you, for example, buy and sell used speakers, you quickly find out what a reasonable market price is. Then you can buy and sell speakers at basically the same price (for me it's plus or minus zero in the wallet in this regard) and try what you like.
Well-known brands and models are the easiest to test this with. Same thing with the amplifier. If you want to test some vintage ditto, you will quickly find out what a Kenwood KA-3700 (just to take an example) that Pablopbb mentions in #93 costs on the used market.

Video of such a little KA-3700 beauty below. Which also shows what you need to think about when buying old electronics. It may need to be repaired, serviced, recapped and so on.
View attachment 300162

I really like the internet find on this info as an example.

I'm an electrical engineer by education, and started tinkering with my parents broken Magnavox console system before I was 10 years old (in the 70s). Reason I mention this as background info is b/c that Kenwood/Trio KA-3700 was purchased at a Salvation Army "recycle" center (its regionally where items go after they don't sell in the Thrift store, and right before they dismantle them to dispose of them or e-cycle them, they sell some bins of items by the pound). There was a 1980s style Pioneer stereo cabinet (cheap press board, tinted glass front and top with Magnetic latch) that all of us oldies probably remember, and the cabinet was in the laast-chance furniture department for $10. Reeked of tar and nicotine. Inside was the Kenwood amp, tuner, turntable (rebadged Bic 20z) and I think it was a a toshiba cassette deck. Basically, they were selling the cabinet for $10, and all the other stuff happened to be in it for free. I rolled that cabinet near a power outlet, plugged in each item individually and saw the power lights work on each (but could tell they all needed some work). Amp just needed the internal fuses replaced (the ones shown in the video linked above from DanielT), BIC turntables have a habit of grease hardening, but youtube shows how to fix that with a heat gun or soldering iron to melt it, then I replaced the belt and Voila worked fine [well, works at 33 1/3 and not as a changer], even had a microline cartridge/stylus! Tuner worked fine as it was, and the tape deck was irredeemable with all the belts, pinchers, rollers gooped up and melted and the heads looking pretty charred, so it got ecycled by me. I don't have a 'scope, just a basic mutlimeter at home, and sometimes the repairs are REALLY basic (resistance showed the blown fuse in one channel). In the past year Ive happened upon a Pioneer SX-626, Sansui Model 2000 (same problem, fuses), Kenwood KR-710 and Sony STR-7055, all for $20 or less (you don't want to know which ones were curb finds). Only the Sony was beyond my repair abilities. I still treasure the Crown D150A I thrifted years back, and used it to power a passive sub for years. Now, if I ran these on the bench with a signal generator and an Oscilloscope, it might not look pretty, but to my ear I got them sounding "not so wrong" (ok, the Sansui perplexes me bc one channel seems to have the treble go in/out sporadically). Just picked up two Southwest Technology Products 60/w monoblocks his week (Tiger model 207 A) as a freecyle.... box has spare parts too. Unfortunately, I heard these are not as quality as Heathkits so gotta be careful

Didn't mean to morph the thread, but Im sayin this hobby can be done really cheap too, sometimes you just have to take a chance and be willing to roll your sleeves up a bit. I haven't even mentioned my journey with the speakers....

 

[stevenswall]

Almost always Spotify due to its search facilities, suggested tracks & playlists. If I’m listening jazz or classical albums then Apple Music lossless.

As soon as Spotify offers lossless I will cancel the Apple Music subscription. It has awful UI. Unlike the accepted belief Apple doesn’t care about UX.

Same but I need Spotify to have Dolby Atmos. as that is my favorite feature of Apple Music.