2. best-of
  3. 141143-122649

Since my sabbatical

For family reasons - I have been away from audiophile interests for over 15 years. I now have the ability to again restart.

My last real reference for published reviews / opinions that my hands on experiences matched was The Audio Critic (a long time ago). I have a stack of previously SOTA components that need professional restoration as well.

My current attempts at re-entry into reading Audiophile-ism related pubs has left me flabbergasted and confused.

Am I in the right Forum to start a dialog on connecting my real world experiences with the market pubs / beliefs / etc. now?

Questions abound!

PWK maven

128x128pwkmaven2
pwkmaven2's avatar
pwkmaven2 OP
3 posts
 
Is this posting in the wrong category? Very limited responses so far (1). Maybe my ramblings need some coherence.

Thanks Lou for bring things into a clearer view regarding investment and return. You are correct, sir.

Others out there please give me a hand with what I see today as an assemblage of opinion disconnected from years of previous research / observations. Costs are obscenely high for equipment and what is 'heard' not in alignment with what I have learned to date (albeit w/ a 15 year gap).

Help me get back up to speed or at least understand.

PWKmaven2
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 

I can't believe it's a sound investment to put any money into the CAL, because the transport will give out sooner rather than later, and then it will be unusable.  Better to invest in something new(er).

So general advice w.r.t. that and other components: start new thread(s) posing specific questions in new terms.  E.g. looking for new or used CD player between $X and $Y. OR: recommendations for someone to refurbish my amplifier manufactured by ABC.

boxer12
1,703 posts
 
"Q#1: Do I refurbish an old California Audio Labs Icon MK II CD player or simply buy a new unit? If restore the Cal Audio - by whom? If the new route, which one and why?" 

I agree with twoleftears in not putting money into the CAL. If it were me, I would pick up a NEW (or at least one not more than a couple years old) DAC & use the CAL as a transport for however long it lasts.   
rhljazz
1,117 posts
 
The most amazing thing to experience is a streamer plus a Tidal Hi Fi subscription.  Having an almost unlimited music library is mind boggling.  Imagine being able to listen to virtually any artist or piece of music that you want to.  Then decide if you want to change other parts of your system.
lou_setriodes's avatar
lou_setriodes
414 posts
 
Hi rhljazz,

What does something like a streamer and Tidal Subscription cost?  Is that anything like a Squeeze Box?  I'm very old school myself with a vinyl, CD, and Cassette collection - no 8 tracks though - Ha!  

I've noticed that since I got rid of all the cd jewel cases and have put them into case logic notebooks to take up less room, that I don't listen to cds as much.  I also have Spotify Premium on an old Iphone that I use.  How much better is Tidal then Spotify?

I'm using a very inexpensive Oppo DV970 dvd/cd player that sounds really great.  For $99, you can't go wrong and I've heard that the Oppos are indestructible.  


More to discover