Audio Coma

[Davemcc]

This is my first post on this site and as an introduction, I'd like to explain how I lost over twenty years in an audio coma. Back in 1983, I had a pretty cool system with Nikko black rack mount separates, top of the line Onkyo cassette, hi-hi stereo VCR, some kickin' Sansui 4-way speakers with 15" woofers and my crown jewel, a Bryston 4B. Not a bad set-up at age eighteen.

Then came marriage (at 20), a string of low paying jobs, 2 kids, divorce, student loans, remarriage and more school. The next time I even thought about audio was about 1995. By that time, I had sold my equipment to my brother long ago and was listening to junk that nobody here would take for free from a yard sale. I had a decent job then, and like a coma patient flickering his eyes, I saw how bad things had become. I found out there was a new thing called home theater and picked up a Technics SA-EX 500 and five cheap speakers before I relapsed.

At the end of 2005, I woke up again. I found myself watching a 19" Citizen TV with the same Technics system exactly as it had been 10 years earlier. The catalyst was a Best Buy flyer. I finally said "DVD players are $99. Why don't I have one?" This set off a flurry of activity, kind of like the random thoughts that might flood into a coma patients mind as he rediscovers the world around him.

I got a cheap DVD player, then a 27" TV. I discovered that I didn't know what S-video was or how to use it. New TV needed better sound, so I got some Athena AS-B1's. Didn't help, so I added a cheap Sony sub. Then I realized that I could only get surround sound in simulated mode and discovered Dolby Digital. I needed a whole new system. About this time, I also discovered LCD TV. With a flat TV, I reasoned, I could get the TV into my 12" deep bookshelves and off the floor, so I got a 26" Samsung LCD HDTV. But my other equipment didn't fit into the 12" deep shelf, so I was off to find a tiny receiver, hopefully a 2.1 to get rid of the wires and speakers in the the rear. Got a Sony DAV-X1. Hated it, took it back for a Bose 3-2-1. It worked out OK. Then I got an HD cable box and discovered DVI/HDMI, digital coax and optical inputs. Needed tunes for the car, got a whole Rockford system, 4 6x8's, 2x10" subs, p3001, p4004, and a JVC KDLH-550 head unit. My car had better tunes than my house and I still hadn't really replaced the Technics. I got a Denon AVR-686 and put it in the bedroom with the Athena's, Sony sub, the center and surrounds and the whole system sounded better. Just before this last Christmas, I added a Samsung LNS 4092 and moved the 26" to the bedroom. Even this is just a partial list of what I bought, returned, gave away, etc. I spent a fortune at BB/FS with no real idea or plan (or thought really).

Then I found this site, where I've been lurking since just after Christmas. I feel like I have truly reawakened after a long audio coma. I've read so much and learned so much, I've rediscovered the passion for music and equipment that I had lost over 20 years ago and didn't even know it. Now, I know (in general terms) what I want to listen to and how I want to hear it. Part of this passion drove me to order a PB12-plus out of sheer lust. I'm fully awake now and my wife better look out because the budget's going to take hit after hit until this audio craving is satisfied (or I die first).

Dave.
(Sorry for the life story. I had to get it out.)

 

[Dan]

Welcome back to the world. I know the feeling though I have not suffered the angst you have. I'm about five years older so I know how things were then. Much has changed. I remember those old Onkyo cassette players. The best one had a built in oscillator for bias correction and was great. I had a cheaper model that went bust two weeks after the warranty.

You won't find 15" drivers anymore except on subwoofers. Anything over 8" is a rarity now. Good speakers are much better now thanks to computers allowing fine tuning of crossovers and much better tweeters. Power is now very cheap compared to 1983. Home theater has reawakened the beast in a lot of us.

 

[JoeE SP9]

Glad to hear you've been re-infected. Have fun getting your new system together. Nice post.

 

[davo]

Glad to hear you got your itch back, just be cautious how hard you scratch it 'cause you might hurt yourself!!(WAF, budget, kids need shoe's etc... )

 

[Sheep]

Best. First. Post. Ever!

We need more stories like this!

SheepStar

 

[Davemcc]

I remember those old Onkyo cassette players. The best one had a built in oscillator for bias correction and was great.

Dan,

This is the model that I had. I forgot about that feature, its been so long. I think my brother still has my Bryston 4B and is not using it. I might be able to get it back.

Dave.

 

[highfihoney]

I agree with sheep,best story ever,being that you've been out of the game for so long be sure to read up on everything in sight especially all the hype surrounding "tweaks" like jars of stupid little rocks that make your system have better bass or special cables & power cords that will bring out the best in your system,alot has changes since the 80's,the gear got better for the most part & so did the con artists selling vodoo nonsense,there are lotsa sharks in the audio market nowadays.

 

[MDS]

Welcome back from your long slumber. You will find that things have changed drastically (mostly for the better). 'Good' equipment isn't outrageously expensive anymore, but beware of the b.s. stuff highfihoney mentioned. Fortunately, most of us here are highly skeptical of that junk and will try to steer you towards things that really matter.

Although I do think that a jar of 'brilliant pebbles' will look great on your fireplace mantle. They just won't do diddly as far as improving the sound goes.

 

[Geno]

Welcome back to this mental illnes..er hobby. I, too had about a 20-year hiatus, but my fever is back with a vengeance. The other posters here have described the situation nicely - there's a lot of great stuff out there, but also a lot of BarbraStreisand, so read some of the great info available on this site...especially exotic cables and other snake oil voodoo.

Of course, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong

 

[masak_aer]

I agree with sheep,best story ever,being that you've been out of the game for so long be sure to read up on everything in sight especially all the hype surrounding "tweaks" like jars of stupid little rocks that make your system have better bass or special cables & power cords that will bring out the best in your system,alot has changes since the 80's,the gear got better for the most part & so did the con artists selling vodoo nonsense,there are lotsa sharks in the audio market nowadays.

I still have the suspenders for the receiver if anyone interested. It eliminates the hum, noise and unwanted vibrations, it replaces the need of a a/v rack. I will sell for cheap.

 

[stratman]

I still have the suspenders for the receiver if anyone interested. It eliminates the hum, noise and unwanted vibrations, it replaces the need of a a/v rack. I will sell for cheap.

How much you want for those? You have any extra large ones to hold a plasma over a bath tub?

 

[masak_aer]

How much you want for those? You have any extra large ones to hold a plasma over a bath tub?

The one i had i'd let go for $1K each, it's only for AH members. If i sell them on ebay, i'd ask for $4K each. The extra large ones are sold out . One guy bought 12 of those to suspend her 240lbs wife in the living room for better sound when she yells.

 

[dd24skater]

Nice post!

" Coma " I like that!

 

[Davemcc]

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome. The best thing about this site is that it makes me slow down and think about what I'm doing. For example, when I found this site, I had a set of Klipsch Quintet II's on order, but backordered. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the more I thought about it, I realized that they would be just another short term fix so I cancelled the order.

I'm starting to think that the WAF is actually a good thing in disguise. It turns out that my wife really won't say no to very much (in terms of audio). Case in point, I visited a couple of stores recently to listen to speakers and the only ones that I really liked were some Thiels. She didn't blink at the price, so I had to blink for both of us. It turns out that she also wants a killer audio system. I get to fall in love with the equipment, but its also up to me to deny it to myself because she won't. It's almost scary think of the trouble that I could get into if I don't stop myself.

Dave.

 

[JoeMae416]

This is my first post on this site and as an introduction, I'd like to explain how I lost over twenty years in an audio coma. Back in 1983, I had a pretty cool system with Nikko black rack mount separates, top of the line Onkyo cassette, hi-hi stereo VCR, some kickin' Sansui 4-way speakers with 15" woofers and my crown jewel, a Bryston 4B. Not a bad set-up at age eighteen.

Then came marriage (at 20), a string of low paying jobs, 2 kids, divorce, student loans, remarriage and more school. The next time I even thought about audio was about 1995. By that time, I had sold my equipment to my brother long ago and was listening to junk that nobody here would take for free from a yard sale. I had a decent job then, and like a coma patient flickering his eyes, I saw how bad things had become. I found out there was a new thing called home theater and picked up a Technics SA-EX 500 and five cheap speakers before I relapsed.

At the end of 2005, I woke up again. I found myself watching a 19" Citizen TV with the same Technics system exactly as it had been 10 years earlier. The catalyst was a Best Buy flyer. I finally said "DVD players are $99. Why don't I have one?" This set off a flurry of activity, kind of like the random thoughts that might flood into a coma patients mind as he rediscovers the world around him.

I got a cheap DVD player, then a 27" TV. I discovered that I didn't know what S-video was or how to use it. New TV needed better sound, so I got some Athena AS-B1's. Didn't help, so I added a cheap Sony sub. Then I realized that I could only get surround sound in simulated mode and discovered Dolby Digital. I needed a whole new system. About this time, I also discovered LCD TV. With a flat TV, I reasoned, I could get the TV into my 12" deep bookshelves and off the floor, so I got a 26" Samsung LCD HDTV. But my other equipment didn't fit into the 12" deep shelf, so I was off to find a tiny receiver, hopefully a 2.1 to get rid of the wires and speakers in the the rear. Got a Sony DAV-X1. Hated it, took it back for a Bose 3-2-1. It worked out OK. Then I got an HD cable box and discovered DVI/HDMI, digital coax and optical inputs. Needed tunes for the car, got a whole Rockford system, 4 6x8's, 2x10" subs, p3001, p4004, and a JVC KDLH-550 head unit. My car had better tunes than my house and I still hadn't really replaced the Technics. I got a Denon AVR-686 and put it in the bedroom with the Athena's, Sony sub, the center and surrounds and the whole system sounded better. Just before this last Christmas, I added a Samsung LNS 4092 and moved the 26" to the bedroom. Even this is just a partial list of what I bought, returned, gave away, etc. I spent a fortune at BB/FS with no real idea or plan (or thought really).

Then I found this site, where I've been lurking since just after Christmas. I feel like I have truly reawakened after a long audio coma. I've read so much and learned so much, I've rediscovered the passion for music and equipment that I had lost over 20 years ago and didn't even know it. Now, I know (in general terms) what I want to listen to and how I want to hear it. Part of this passion drove me to order a PB12-plus out of sheer lust. I'm fully awake now and my wife better look out because the budget's going to take hit after hit until this audio craving is satisfied (or I die first).

Dave.
(Sorry for the life story. I had to get it out.)

Did your 1983 system look like this?….

 

[JoeMae416]

That photo is my system…… Funny, I went through the same thing you did!….. I’m buying more vintage audio now than I did back in the 80’s….. I’m loving and enjoying it too….