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We've recently downsized (considerably) and I'm in a predicament. Currently getting stuff out storage and it's hifi time. Before anyone says it yes, I'm a dinosaur. I've a big collection of vinyl, cds and cassettes. A 7 piece separates set up with a pair of E50's and a Bose speaker system I used as "filler" when playing at lower volumes. I can no longer belt stuff out because of neighbours, so the E50's will be wasted. I'll be restricted to the conservatory (aesthetics!) so not a lot of space really. Looking at the whole lot got me thinking...my phone and a blue tooth speaker system could probably replace it and save a lot of grief around cabling, positioning etc.
I'm going to regret it, aren't I?
You can have a great little system for playing vinyl, my office set up is just a Denon DM41 DAB, Rega P1 turntable and little Q Acoustics speakers, so can handle vinyl, DAB radio, bluetooth and CD's - maybe have a good sort out of your physical media and just keep the best?
Headphones would sort my volume fix I suppose.
Have you particularly missed it while in storage? How long has it been there? I'm a bit fan of a good chuck out* and can't think of a time I've really missed stuff once it's gone. My HiFi stuff went 7 or 8 years ago.
*Probably a sale rather than just binning it in this case.
I got a network amp a couple of years back, bluetooth, airplay, dab/fm, turntable etc.
Airplay the only thing that gets used.
convenience beats absolute sound quality I reckon, I’ve listened to more music since having it than I did for the previous decade.
I feel for you, when I moved into a smaller place after marriage break up, I kept all my old hifi stuff, lovely big B&W 602s, all sat there looking pretty, occasional blasts but so underused. 10 years later, I've downsized to a Denon streaming system and some nice Q Acoustics speakers, with a direct drive Pioneer turntable. Quite expensive (well, comparatively, not really in the hi-Fi world!), but seeing as I bought all the old stuff in the er, 80s or 90s, I felt ok splashing out again. The Denon is excellent, means I can still play CDs and has input for TT as well as all the modern streaming shite. But hey, still used mostly with headphones.
No idea what E50s are, but I'd say decent kit, support and speaker positioning will show up low bitrate streaming or mp3 pretty easily vs a decent source. To me there's also pleasure in hearing a whole album vs FFWDing which I end up doing with the latter media. If the room /use means decent set up is difficult, headphones may do the trick, but I've not gone down that route.
I'm going to regret it, aren't I?
Yes. Though you might be able to streamline your 7 separates setup. I don't know what E50s are.
I've gone the other way recently, got fed up of dipping into streamed stuff, via bluetooth speakers. I had kept vinyl (and cassettes!) but had no way to play them, having got rid of my separates. (To my shame, I actually binned an Akai cassette deck and Teac Dolby, and now have no way to play them).
I can now play my vinyl, having acquired a Garrard turntable from a friend, and a CD and amp (CA and Onkyo) from ebay, with some Cambridge Audio speakers (small, but adequate for me), also ebay. I get more pleasure from the vinyl, or a CD, and play them more, than I have for years.
E50's: Dirty great Wharfedale Electrostatic 50ltr speakers. Really efficient at even low volumes, but mahoosive.
Whats your budget? I got rid of my physical media some years back. sometimes miss it - theres a joy in browsing physical stuff that's not there picking music from an app - but balance that with everything on tap and much less storage space taken.
But I'd not be rid of the separate amp/speaker systems (AV Amp in kitchen with ceiling speakers and BK subwoofer/ AV amp in TV room with Monitor Audio Radius speakers/BK Sub / TEAC mini-hifi with MA radius speakers and MJ acoustics sub in office) even if the source is either an internal or external streaming device on them all.
Small speakers inevitably sacrifice low frequencies. Subs do a good job of putting it back, but it's a bit of a myth that location is irrelevant)
convenience beats absolute sound quality I reckon, I’ve listened to more music since having it than I did for the previous decade.
Sadly, I'm inclined to agree. I spent decades amassing media and obsessing over things like speakers and interconnects. Today my CDs are in a mate's loft, my DVDs went to CEX (and were depressingly worthless), my cassettes, VHS videos and Laserdiscs all ended up in landfill. My amp, separates and speakers are stuffed in a cupboard, they haven't been wired up since I moved house in 2020.
The uncomfortable truth is that my hearing isn't getting any younger. My primary music source now is Spotify over either Echo devices, headphones, or 5.1 Creative PC speakers without the surrounds. The only thing I regret parting with is the Laserdiscs and player, that was a mistake but it was a decision made hastily when I moved.
The uncomfortable truth is that my hearing isn't getting any younger
This. Years of working with woodworking machinery in my 20’s before being enlightened about using ear defenders means that I find only very subtle differences between Bluetooth and CD sources of the same music through my amplifier, although I can still distinguish more easily between different speakers attached to the amp. So I end up listening to more through the iPad than using the cd player simply for the convenience
I would suggest that adding a Wiim streamer, in whatever form, is a great addition to old hifi.
Even just the Wiim Mini adds loads of functionality.
I've in a similar position to the op, new house and old hi fi. I've really enjoyed setting it up again and listening to my modest vinyl and cd collection, it sounds lovely to me old ears and I'm fortunate to have no neighbours.
Does it sound better? No idea
But I really like the sound of it, the little pops and crackles on the vinyl too. Lately I've been listening to some vinyl Benny Goodman, some John Lee hooker, some Leonard Cohen and I love it.
E50s:
I'll 'ave 'em!
