joessportster Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 So I have been giving my future and my listening some thought and am curious what some others may think I see my future after I finally settle my injury as being bleak when it comes to available funds as we pretty much lost everything through this and given my limited abilities for any future employment and considering what we will have to spend so much just to have a home again and a reliable vehicle I am struggleing to see any scenario where we will have any fun money for hobies etc....... I know I or my wife will have to do something I just dont forsee anything above minimum wages for quite some time................. Through this 32 month stretch with the injury I have been using headphones as my main / only means of listening. I will admit I find some aspects of headphone listening to be superior to open air speakers, on the other hand I do miss soundstage A LOT. My personality is such that I am never satisfied in any hobby and I know if I attempt to put together another open air system I will spend upwards of 7000.00, I have wanted to build another system since selling off all my gear to support our family. Frankly I already have it planned out in my mind exactly what I would want to see ( A bi-amp system consisting of a Kenzie amp for mids and highs, with a decent SS amp running bass, an Emotive Audio Sira pre-amp for control, a Marshand Electronics active Crossover taking control of sending the proper freq to the proper drivers, and a 2 way horn speaker system by my calculations buying almost everything used is right up therer at 7 G's investigating the Headphone avenue I have found that 3000.00 further investment will garner me what a large percentage of the headphone crowd believe and have indeed reviewed to be one of the best headphone rigs on the planet. that being the Audeze lcd-3 paired with my existing Kenzie Headphone amp and upgrading my dac to something like the metrum octave 2 (I want to stick with NOS dacs but would like the capabilities to play hi-res up to at least 24 / 192, my current havana will only do 16 / 96) I am leaning heavily towards upgrading and staying with headphones as stated i feel they outperform speakers in some respects, and taking into account the space they save, and the money I have a hard time justifying building another system, I could even add a pair of small amplified monitors to the mix pretty cheap if the boys were of a mind to listen Again I was only curious what some of you may think / do cheers Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 A junction box and two or more pairs of headphones. Box coming right out of a pre-amp. ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) A junction box and two or more pairs of headphones. Box coming right out of a pre-amp. ?? Have not looked into that type setup, sounds interesting but probably not worth the effort expense. at 7 and 8 years old the boys attention span is good for 1 or 2 songs at best funny side story, I loaded some music on joeys DS and he now knows all the words to I dont Wanna Stop by Ozzy.............so cool to hear him sing along getting the lyrics correct I sure it wont be long b-4 he hates my music and I hate his in return Edited May 16, 2015 by joessportster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 honestly, the system I have now. I'm going to stop reading reviews, stop swooning over newly released gear, and start listening to music through the perfectly suitable system I've cobbled together over the last year and a half. 2010 MacBook Pro, currently testing Roon Schiit Gungnir Tube Fanatic (maynard) custom SEP amp Cornwalls with Aletheia crossovers. I always think I've got a "noob" system when I hang out with all of you guys, but looking over this list while listening to music through it I realize it's quite a special (and revealing) little system.. which is exactly what I want. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Well Joe, that is a tough one......but for me it would be like this... On a tight budget I would go all used equipment......Hell 90% of my gear is used cuz my family is on a budget... But the best bang for your buck to build a big sound stage is Chorus II's and a big Carver amp "imho" Why 1st "imho" the Chorus II's ROCK....kick a$$ 2nd you can find them cheap found mine for $150...yea did need some cone work and I got my Chorus I's for $27 bucks..yea they needed some work. But I have seen nice sets for $500-$700 buck 100% working. 3rd you don't need alot of power 101 db but they can take 1000 watts.... Like most of our Klipsch just a few watts gets em bumping..but I tell ya you put a big Carver at em and you will have a BIG sound stage. Next the Amp... Carver is my amp of choice for most of my Klipsch TFM55 or 55X TFM 45 or 42 The Carver line seems to drive those speakers like no other...those amps put out 375+ watts @ 8 ohms They run cool....they bring big bass out of the Chorus... The price for those seem to be all over the place.. I saw a nice TFM55x go for $499 on e-bay last week....that was cheap..most of the time those Carvers go for $650+ and you know this stuff is getting old.....but it's the stuff I like Anyway that's just my 2 cents for ya..... Best of luck to ya MKP:-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Bum Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Cans are great and all, no room issues to deal with, but speakers rule. Get the whole family dancing. And I like the suggestions so far. Chief Snark's system is a perfect example. Chorus II, or my favorite the forte II, a slammin' ss amp or one of Maynard's cake pan amps (preferably one of each), a KISS front end, and voila, lots of musical grins for minimal outlay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I'm down with that Ski Bum MKP:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 I hear all of you believe me the only issue is my personality, I will not be happy with anything less than what I know / feel would be the most resolving system I could put together. I put some really respectable systems together in the past and had as much as 20K tied up and still was not satisfied, set up a whole basement as a listening room, literally took over the living room a couple times I have been down the path many times and once the compulsion starts I loose my control and its off to the races (audiogon in this case) My hands shake very bad now and though I know it would be HELL setting up a TT I would be looking for one and back looking for MFSL, 200 gram, and 180 gram audiophile pressings. it is a slippery slope for me, I have an addiction once started I feel the need to upgrade I learned alot through my audio passions, and I know exactly what type system I would build, I learned alot about myself as well and feel like it would all start again the infinite quest for the next best sound It's funny I know there is no end game, there is always something better out there yet even with the praise of peoples judgement I trust emphatically I could not force myself to leave well enough alone There is no doubt that I would enjoy a speaker system again for awhile, but the joy gets sucked out of it when I start obsessing I loose site of the music and start listening to the gear, and now that I know the kind of detail that is possible with headphones I would always be listening for that in speakers I look at this as therapy without the cost of the analyst, I can say / type my thoughts to people that know where I am coming from as we all love music, My Wife (god lover her) just agrees with me whatever you want Joe But she does not feel the same way about music and I think she just gets tired of listening to me go on and on I really respect your opinions and your apparent ability to stop and enjoy what you have with out the obsession I have, I really feel like Headphones will limit my ability to obsess because there simply are not as many options and I know I will only have the $$$ to do 1 last setup I would hate the idea that I settled which would make me regret my system and loose interest in listening. I think I am un-diagnosed OCD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2015 It's funny I know there is no end game, there is always something better out there yet even with the praise of peoples judgement I trust emphatically I could not force myself to leave well enough alone There is no doubt that I would enjoy a speaker system again for awhile, but the joy gets sucked out of it when I start obsessing I loose site of the music and start listening to the gear, and now that I know the kind of detail that is possible with headphones I would always be listening for that in speakers True, there is no end game, so maby it's time to put together something reasonable and forget it, and listen to the music without worrying about if it could sound better. Of course it could sound better, everything can be improved if you look enough. Enjoy the music and forget about how it being played. I probably spend as much time listening to a pair of heresy's as much as anything else here and it sounds good. Don't obsess it makes it hard to listen to the music. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyOwn Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Joe, here is an option you may want to consider http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent/Masterpiece.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 Joe, here is an option you may want to consider http://www.transcendentsound.com/Transcendent/Masterpiece.html Sure looks like a nice little amp, I had the SE OTL monos a couple times and they were great amps for highs and mids, but in my obsession I had to move to Joule Electra Grand Marquis...................which although sounded wonderful they were like mini furnaces and would raise the room temp to an uncomfortable level. My current headphone amp http://ampsandsound.com/products/custom-amps/kenzie-headphone-amp/ delivers superb sound and I find myself very happy with it so much so I have built up a stash of tubes that would last a lifetime I certainly appreciate the link, I get the transcendent news letter (for years bow) but I dont recall seeing that amp before Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 True, there is no end game, so maby it's time to put together something reasonable and forget it, and listen to the music without worrying about if it could sound better. I think that is the statement we all could live by. It is tough especially when you are coming into better paying jobs, or you see what you have all ready accomplished. This is one of the reasons I get impatient and have more money wrapped up into my basement system than I should have ever. Joe good luck on your journey, I wish I had any easy answer for you. The only advice I could give is what Dtel all ready stated, good luck to you man. It never hurts to have fun and think of these things, just don't let it get to your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thats where I am currently, no money so can only dream, (and no way of knowing when or even if the injury will settle.....................then no way of knowing what I might end up with I am pretty much talking myself into sticking with mainly headphones in order to conserve $ if the future offered an opportunity to rebuild a system that would be grand, I just dont want to expect to be able to build and have that great let down when / if I cant 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2015 Well I would think most people here understand the money part, I sure do, I would love to change out a few things but mostly because there really outdated. Like a AVR that has no HDMI or the ability to process the BR soundtracks, but other things are more important so it has to wait. Maby after everything settles a pair of something and simple electronics to fill the room , and keep your headphone setup ? No it wouldn't sound as good as the headphones but the headphones can't fill the room for everyone to enjoy either. Like you said there is no end so why chase it, you know whatever you get it will sound better than what the average home has just because you have knowledge about what's junk to be avoided. It will work out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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