Author Topic: Is one System Enough ??  (Read 24351 times)

Offline rollo

  • Industry Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 6982
  • Rollo Audio - Home demo the only way to know
Is one System Enough ??
« on: May 18, 2011, 10:15:27 AM »
 We all have our personal likes about what we are trying to accomplish sonics wise. However one size may not fit all. Say your in a mood for a sexy sax in a dark room. Or a cerebral piece in a lively room.
  Is it our goal then to have a neutral system or a colored system. I say have both. For me a SET and say Tannoys single driver give me that warm and cozy feeling for small ensembles, acoustic Guitar, acoustic Blues violin solos and vocals.
 For Orchestral, electric Blues, Pop and rock different speakers like the Pipedreams give me what I require for those genres. SO   two systems or two different speakers. What do you think ???


charles
  
« Last Edit: May 18, 2011, 10:36:35 AM by rollo »
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2011, 11:14:06 AM »
Of course I need two systems. I have two ears, don't I?  :roll:


I know, my wife didn't buy it either.  :(
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2011, 12:43:56 PM »
We all have our personal likes about what we are trying to accomplish sonics wise. However one size may not fit all. Say your in a mood for a sexy sax in a dark room. Or a cerebral piece in a lively room.
  Is it our goal then to have a neutral system or a colored system. I say have both. For me a SET and say Tannoys single driver give me that warm and cozy feeling for small ensembles, acoustic Guitar, acoustic Blues violin solos and vocals.
 For Orchestral, electric Blues, Pop and rock different speakers like the Pipedreams give me what I require for those genres. SO   two systems or two different speakers. What do you think ???


charles
  

Seriously, this is just another set of trade-offs. Since most of us only have a limited amount of resources to devote to this hobby (in which I would include time and space as well as money) I think the bigget question would be what would you have to give up in your main system in order to get a second one and in light of that is it worth it to you. Even if you don't need to sell off any of your present equipment to pay for a second system you would still be diverting funds that could have been used to do upgrades to your primary equipment (not to mention what you would have to buy for your wife in order to get her to agree to let you have yet another room for audio equipment  :lol:) So the real question is would you be happy with two lesser quality systems that are optimized for particular  types of music or one higher quality system that is more general in nature. No real right or wrong answer here, just personal preference.

Decisions, decisions, decisions......... :duh
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline JLM

  • Obsessively Audiophilic
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2011, 02:24:16 PM »
No. 

The "main" rig is in the audio mancave.

The AV rig (5.1) is in the family room.

The second audio system is in the living room (made up of leftovers).

And I'm 2/3rds the way to assembling a 4th "spare parts" audio system (in case my son who's grown and out on his own ever wants to get into audio).

Offline Triode Pete

  • Industry Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 1466
  • Strive for Perfection, Settle on Excellence!
    • Link to System Details & Photos
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2011, 02:33:54 PM »
NEVER!

You really need THREE systems to be AudioLooney!!!  :rofl:
1. Your Main System
2. Your Secondary System
3. Your garage system (when you're "kicked-out" or voted out of the first two). Note - the garage must have a secondary refrigerator with libations in it at all times.  :beer:

Take it from my experiences,
Pete
www.TriodeWireLabs.com
WT Reference/Lyra Titan I
Quadratic Audio MC-1
Custom BorderPatrol preamp with phono & line stage
Innuos Statement Server
BorderPatrol S20 EXD w/EXS PS
Klipschorns - Volti hot-rodded
UberBUSS

Offline richidoo

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 11144
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2011, 04:46:20 PM »
Multiple systems for convenience and listening everywhere, yes.

Multiple systems for each color of the tonal rainbow no. The mood is in the music. Transparency serves the music. Dumb it down a little to battle harshness, sure, but sweeten no more than necessary lest you become addicted to the sound of the machine.

Offline Rob S.

  • Obsessively Audiophilic
  • ****
  • Posts: 278
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2011, 09:04:49 PM »
If I was single ( maybe I'll be that way soon if this hobby continues at it's present pace),  I could get by with one system in my house... since I wouldn't need to share TV in the same room.

In reality with family of 5, I need: 
1) a mancave system for complete isolation late at night- most of my resources are here
2) HT setup for family in basement next door to the mancave
3) family room system right off the kitchen to have tunes for most computer work and kitchen duties, there is battle from the family to turn it down to hear the computer games, do homework,  and also the TV, I usually lose this battle.

I need to rig up a system for top floor listening ( bedrooms and laundry room, sitting room all could use some music )   I have most of the system in storage, just need some larger bookshelf type speakers to fill it out. 

Rob S.
No new money spent on audio!!  but starting in 2012!!

Offline BobM

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2011, 05:33:39 AM »
1) man cave with a system that compliments the kind of music YOU like most
2) 5.1 for the movies
3) outside system (or at least outside speakers for music by the pool)
4) background music, for that cozy room where company chats and sips wine before/after dinner
5) something portable
6) the car
7) headphones (for when nobody else wants music playing)
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you'll have to blow your nose.

Offline rpf

  • Obsessively Audiophilic
  • ****
  • Posts: 323
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2011, 11:52:34 AM »
1) man cave with a system that compliments the kind of music YOU like most
2) 5.1 for the movies
3) outside system (or at least outside speakers for music by the pool)
4) background music, for that cozy room where company chats and sips wine before/after dinner
5) something portable
6) the car
7) headphones (for when nobody else wants music playing)


Yes, this is the ideal for space based systems. But if I ever win the lottery (unlikely as I don't play  :lol:), I can envision four systems.

1) large dynamic speakers with powerful amps to do large scale (orchestral/choral/opera) music.

2) electrostatics (Quads, most likely) for chamber music

3) horns (probably with set amps)

4) monitors for casual listening

Mac Mini>Singxer SU-1>Lampizator Amber II>Rogue Cronus Magnum>Aural Acoustics Model B.
TWL PCs; Audio Envy ICs & SCs; Purist Digital IC; PI Audio USB Cable and Buss-Stop.
Sonos Connect, iFi SPDIF iPurifier, Schiit Modi Multibit, Audioengine 5+

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2011, 01:06:30 PM »
Jeez, for some people I know one system is more than they deserve.  :rofl:

--Jerome

AcidJazz

  • Guest
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2011, 02:39:31 PM »
In small Apt. living...gotta be enuff.
Guess this Q applies only to homeowners/ Whole House dwellers.

Offline Scott F.

  • Seeking Help
  • **
  • Posts: 80
  • ...DOH!....DOH!....DOH!
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2011, 06:02:22 PM »
The answer is 42  :thumb:


I won't divulge how many systems I run but let's just say it is north of 5  :duh
My brain hurts.....

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2011, 08:29:24 PM »
Jeez, for some people I know one system is more than they deserve.  :rofl:

--Jerome

And/or more than they would know what to do with.  :roll:
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline JLM

  • Obsessively Audiophilic
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2011, 04:25:51 PM »
Sorry to say, but the older I get, the less I need different systems for different moods or types of music (settling into old fart ways).  Like Bud Fried told me decades ago (he was already an old fart), "Why would you want to further hype/distort rock music that's already hyped/distorted?"

But excellent point about not having your own quality space, and the value in having a high fidelity headphone based system.  I'm constantly amazed at the money and effort folks put into assembling really nice systems that are destined for lackluster spaces. 

Offline Carlman

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 3037
Re: Is one System Enough ??
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2011, 06:08:41 AM »
In small Apt. living...gotta be enuff.
Guess this Q applies only to homeowners/ Whole House dwellers.

Yes and no.. as someone who lived in apartments with roommates, girlfriends, alone, and in various sizes of places, I found 1 system to be adequate for an apartment... and it was always in 'my' space.  So, in a shared place, my system was in my room... If I lived alone or with people I could (sort of) trust, in my den, where I could sit in a comfy chair.  However, I always had a car and portable system during these times too... (I lived in the south, with limited public transport where you can drive a car for 1,k a year.)

So, 3 is the minimum if you have a car, 2 if you take the train or bike-commute.  So, that's 'enough' to enjoy music.  However, what's enough to explore all the different kinds of sound you want?  You can certainly setup quasi-multiple systems in one place... so, experimenting with new speakers, amps, etc... you can have 2 system's worth of gear in one place easily. 

I got tired of the cramped spaces and limitations of rooms so I changed jobs and moved somewhere I could buy a house where I could have multiple systems.  It's fun to build them.  It was a good choice.  I don't have the nice city/community feel I did in Boston, DC, or other cities I've lived.. but that's the only thing I miss... there is so much more that I'm happy to miss with this choice...
I really enjoy listening to music.