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I've been blogging as the audio beatnik for the last 12 years. My wife Becky has managed web pages for corporate 500 companies for the last 20 years. She has tired of 60 to 70 hours per week. So she has taken early retirement and decided to take my blog and make it a full blown website.We are going to take lots of trips to shows, to visit manufacturers, audio and record stores, as well as going to visit and report on audiophile and music lovers systems. There, of course, will be album and equipment reviews, but we want to also put together suggested systems in different price points.
So I want to ask your help, please let me know what price points you would consider a bargain or beginner system; a low priced system and a dream system for a middle to upper-middle-class person.
I would really appreciate some help here. I would also love to invite you to like and subscribe to theaudiobeatnik.com and like our Facebook page. Thanks, guys!
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
Edits: 04/28/17Follow Ups:
When reviewing a music reissue (vinyl or digital) please compare to an original issue.
If a piece of music is mentioned in an equipment review- include a link to Amazon, or include a list of "all music mentioned in this issue" in the TOC or at the beginning of each new edition.
Review restored vintage equipment in the context of fitting it into a modern system.
Investigate optimizing monophonic playback of both vintage and reissue content.
A monthly column called "It's Grand" featuring components with a retail price of less than $1000. This column serves 2 purposes. 1) to highlight low cost/budget components that sound great 2) allow listeners to slowly create a moderately priced system over time, using the components featured in this column.
Reviews of vinyl and vinyl equipment given the same editorial emphasis as reviews of digital content and equipment.
Reviews of tube equipment given the same editorial emphasis as reviews of SS equipment.
Review of convergence pieces.....powered speakers with DACs controllable by apps; DAC Preamps; mulit function media streamers.
Reviews of HT components in the context of audio reproduction. Many can not justify the cost of 2 separate systems (HT and 2ch) and must use a general purpose system for listening. There are many HT components that can compete with dedicated 2ch components, and I believe readers would enjoy discovering these components.
Price points:
<$1k budget
$1k-$10K entry level
$10k-$25k next step
$25k-$50k limited high end
$50K+ high end
I would characterize the basics of my current system as somewhere between "next step" and "limited high end". Just about everything was purchased used, but replacing everything at retail price would be about $20-$25k. I can hear improvements compared to earlier and more modest system components. And I am aware of areas for improvement.
Good Luck.
Thanks for such a great post.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
LAAS coming first week of June.
Visit room 533 and see what entry level / budget / looks like and costs like.
Too much is never enough
.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
Well, for all websites I got this advice :1. Do not require cookies.
2. Do not require the installation of software.
3. Do not require Javascript.
$. Do not nag viewers to update their browser.I like my old browser, I finally know how to use it, plus the fact that every friggin time I update anything they take away a feature I want to use.
And having non-current Javascript saved me from a virus. It used to nag me on reboot, but then it started doing it every five minutes, even less. Come to find out AVG detected a threat, as far as I can see the new virus or whatever required newer Javascipt than I had. Well well.
I want to run a Win 98SE PC now. It had features that XP took away. These days a modern virus probably would not run in it. Am I going to listen to a virus prompting me to update my OS ? I think not. The problem is the manual configuration for the network.
One of the major things XP took away is the ability to confine a search. Through my fairly extensive music library I used to be able to do a search with one word and in milliseconds it came up with all songs that had that word in the title or artist. It was a matter of confining the search one time and putting in * as the search term, then "Save This Search". I called it "Search Music Index". Then you type in the word and the * disappears.
With XP that was gone, now it searches like all five harddrives and all that and takes forever.
I used the new version of Firefox at work, can't find anything. Chrome is even worse. And of course IE is dead. I still got eight, and it actually works better on some sites sometimes but sooner or later it will be totally useless.
I am not being pulled along like a piece of chattel with a ring in my nose. If the PTB at this site decide to make it mandatory to have an updated browser, guess what, I won't be here.
I can write a webpage, even a website, but I will do it all in simple basic HTML. I view source on these webpages today it is hard to even find the content. My processor has to work on all that shit before I can read a few paragraphs of text ? Bullshit. Fuck all that.
Use the KISS theory, Keep It Simple Stupid. Don't force the size of images, but you can link them to high res ones, just not on the main page. The ones on the main pages should be maybe 800 or 900 pixels wide. Do not force a scroll bar at the bottom because then some people will miss some of your content.
I have been at some websites that are so annoying that I said "Fuck you" and just closed the tab on it. If you use the most advanced tools in the industry, nag people to upgrade and all this shit, you'll have that.
That is my advice.
Edits: 05/02/17
"With XP that was gone, now it searches like all five harddrives and all that and takes forever. "Hey JURB, in XP, when you choose "Search", you have the option to search "All Files and Folders" and then choose only the drive you want to search.
On the other hand, if you want to search for a particular file type by choosing "Documents", then you can click on "Use Advanced Search Options" and it will present you with the option to select a drive to search.
:)
Edits: 05/10/17
I would love to read your suggested systems especially in the lower price ranges. What about including restored used/vintage gear?
Bargain <1k
Low 1-3k
Med 3-5k
Dream 5-20k
Thanks, and yes somehow I need to do some systems of used and vintage.
thnks,
jack
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
" dream " 20 $k ? I am in at around 200,000 and thought my system was sort of " med " I could certainly spend double that with just a few phone calls if I hit the lottery big
Wow, I guess I'm out of touch with dream reality.
My dream system Line Magnetic 518 and Devore O/93s but I'm note sure which turntable maybe restored vintage.
Components are only part of the issue in designing a good system: one has to also take the room into consideration as most rooms are not well designed for audio reproduction. You can have a million dollar system in a lousy room and it will sound, well, lousy--you see this at audio shows all the time. This is another reason why really good systems tend to grow rather organically over time as one pieces the system together, not only looking for synergy among components, but also maximizing the room itself.
Edits: 04/29/17
I agree and have already started a series of articles on set up both equipment and rooms. This is going to be available first to subscribers. No cost to be a subscriber by the way.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
The room is a part of our systems and so are we.
*
Jim
http://jimtranr.com
There's money and there's system synergy.
"There's money and there's system synergy." Let's not forget the all important tweaking.
"The Borg is the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced."
- Q, 2365
You could choose best performing/best value components at any price point and combine them in a mediocre system. The best systems I have heard have evolved over a rather long time. They are the product of a process of selecting components that sound good (to the owner) together. I have enjoyed combinations of modestly priced components, and been disappointed by expensive ones.
Much also depends on musical preferences, sources and listening environment. A system developed by someone who prefers classical music on LPs would be unlikely to please a digital Deadhead. The system that sounds good in your friend's room will not sound the same in yours.
It is my experience with the expensive components I have purchased that I have often been able to find less expensive components that fit nicely into my system to provide the sound I prefer. This has required a lot of homework, listening, patience and luck.
Tell your wife she did a great job.
It seems you have a preference for vinyl, which is fine, but just
remember there are a plethora of magnificent digital recordings out
there, artistically, sonically, and both. Don't neglect them.
I'll tell her. Yes, I do have a preference for vinyl but I will not neglect digital. I have two digital review that will be up in May and am taking a trip over in two weeks to hear a great digital system at the home of Ken Askew; the guy who introduced me to high-end audio in college.
Thanks, for your kind words.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
Complete system price points that I might consider to be
Low Budget: $2000 - $5000
Good Entry: $5000 - $10,000
Mid: $10,000 - $25,000
Upper Mid: $25,000 - $50,000
High: $50,000 and beyond
These are complete systems. My systems have been in the upper mid category in the past but that was based on LIST price but purchased at used prices (Audiogon). My most recent systems are more modest, one for the office and the other in the basement.
I have learned over the years that higher price does not always equate to higher quality sound, especially with advances in digital..... more for less is the true norm, unless you're drunk on audiophile Kool-Aid served up generously by the manufacturers and the supporting press. ;-)
I don't know about others around here but my impulse buys are typically under $600, usually much less. Looks cool, gotta have it, click buy.
I spend more time in thinking over purchases above about $1000.
Otherwise, my sweet spot for most new gear is $1000 - $3000 with a little planning.
I start to feel pain and question my sensibilities for anything over $5000, though I have spent that much or more on single audio components in the past.
I don't buy on credit anymore. I haven't in many years. I pay in full at the time of purchase, but if I do use my credit card for convenience (and points!), it gets paid down fully before the next billing cycle. This might have something to do with my buying habits and price pain points.
I browsed over your website. Very nice! I'll have a closer look.
...low budget.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
----------------------
"E Burres Stigano?"
Those are just arbitrary numbers for where I stand today. And I'm sure those numbers will plummet for me once I retire or get fired, which ever comes first. ;-)
For a beginning/bargain system, I think you can do pretty well these days for around $1,000.
For a low priced system, I would say about $5k; for a for a dream system, around $10k (depending on the quality of one's dream, of course!).
I think many of us do not achieve our dream system in one fell swoop--I think it can take many years of building a system and upgrading to finally get there (then our ears go). :)
All of this depends, of course, on the source--more money would be required if one wanted a decent turntable setup, etc.
Like your website; a lot of good information there.
After looking at your system I see your amp retails for more than a dream system, is that realistic?
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
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