Hi-Fi - How much would you spend if you could?

Barry posted this link to this £300K system on another thread

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/07/1...bonkers_hi_fi/

and it got me thinking - what if some unknown distant relative dies and leaves you millions or you win the lottery or something and you have, in effect, unlimited money.

How much of it would go on your new hi-fi (to go in your new mansion, obviously)?

Would you draw the line at 300K or 500K? Or even higher? - would you just keep your exisiting set up because you are happy with it? Do you think it would be immoral to spend that sort of cash on sound equipment?

What say you?

I would keep what I have. I have heard very expensive systems at shows (perhaps not the best environment) and often feel that what I have is just as good. Others who hear it may disagree of course.

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Originally Posted by Puffin

I would keep what I have. I have heard very expensive systems at shows (perhaps not the best environment) and often feel that what I have is just as good. Others who hear it may disagree of course.

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Me too - It is my pride and joy built over years out of small funds and in my opinion it is a humble but great sounding system. If I was fortunate enough to come into some extra money I'd finish modding the Techie (£2k max) and maybe audition different speakers for curiosity at maybe another £2.5k max - If only eh ! :)

I would most likely continue from what I have with "modest" equipment budget like 50-100k. If you know what you want that should be plenty enough to get very good system. In addition I'd put significant figure to have a competent listening room including some acoustical design and treatment (=perhaps new house). Then it would be more and more just buying vinyl and listening music.. :)

I have on occasions been exposed to some very pricey Audio Note gear and as a result maintain an open mind on what constitutes "value for money". In other words, given the hypothetical massive budget, I would certainly entertain spending in excess of £100k. The moot point is at what point does extra cash merely buy bling, rather than more musical performance? The Vox Olympian speaker springs to mind as something that might be on the wrong side of that value for money line:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/livingvoice6/2.jpg

I'd focus firstly on getting the right house(s) in the right place(s), get the listening room(s) right, then have a long home trial of as many different types of system as possible.

It ain't going to happen to me and I no longer lust after piles of blingy cr@p set up as a shrine by most audiophools and worshipped accordingly.

As with cars in this position, I'd experiment with vintage top end stuff :lol: and gradually work my way up the time-lines again I reckon..

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

I would have a number of systems.I would like to experiment with valve gear for starters.As for keeping your existing set-up.I would keep it.I've worked to hard and too long to just discard it.

I would squander the rest on fast women and fast cars.:)

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Originally Posted by Blackmass

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

I would have a number of systems.I would like to experiment with valve gear for starters.As for keeping your existing set-up.I would keep it.I've worked to hard and too long to just discard it.

I would squander the rest on fast women and fast cars.:)

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This is pretty close to my answer :) Only I think I would buy a castle or an old manor house and trick it up inside to look like a Space-1999 set. Then I would tour the US and the far east going to lots of demos, buying anything and everything I fancied and shipping it back home. Probably do in a million or so on kit. Then when I got back I would experiment with all the permutations of kit I had bought until I got something that worked for me. Then sell the spare stuff off for charity (have to otherwise I would feel a bit guilty I think).

Yes, I'd have a lovely pad (or several) with a number of different systems in each, vintage, ultra modern and probably a fairly fancy home cinema and a studio filled with posh amps and guitars. I'd enjoy these when i wasnt cavorting with loose women, doing drugs and boozing... the rest of the money I'd probably just waste:lol:

I'm with Blackmass on this one I would have several systems, however I wouldn't necessary fiddle about myself - I would give someone instructions what I wanted when and let them get on with it. Probablty swap gear on a regular basis. I would have a vinyl period and then probably move on something different. As for Rich with the loose women and drugs and booze - not sure - maybe a £100k set up and a bag of winegums and a real ale brewery. We can but dream.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackmass

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

I would have a number of systems.I would like to experiment with valve gear for starters.As for keeping your existing set-up.I would keep it.I've worked to hard and too long to just discard it.

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Sounds like a plan

To choose whatever one wanted could be a daunting task. However, I think I'd be realistic and not spend just for the sake of it. I know a pair of big 'classic' Tannoys would be somewhere in the mix and a pair of big planar speakers too maybe Maggies or Quads. Amplification is where the choice becomes harder, I'd definitely investigate Nagra and Dartzeel products though.

I would buy an NVA TFS and call it a day,o and a larger room to put it in...and a larger beer fridge,job done.:D

Got one coming next week. :D

Your own dedicated, separate to the main house, audio room is a joy beyond all else. Get the room right first, worry about the equipment later.
Only thing I'd rush out to get would be Magneplanar 1.6s, and in the grand scheme of things they aren't even that expensive. The Little Dot Mk111 preamp with Jungson JA99C poweramp is a wonderful combination that I probably wouldn't bother changing, but a Nagaoka MP200 cartridge would be ordered straight off for the SP10.

Hal55

God forbid this should ever arise Martin.... My friends and relatives would instantly escalate....
Even if "I had people to do it" or the resources to buy anything required, the challenge and enjoyment DIY gives me would be impossible to replace, whether that be building furniture, equipment, whatever... I simply enjoy it.. The parts would be more affordable I guess, so don't think the budget constraint would mean a lot.... If I couldn't build it I would buy it, a turntable rig probably, that would be about it...

Aside from building houses with dedicated listening rooms, a spacious and well kitted workshop would be where my major investment would go... From there, all things are possible..... Could replace the Lambo I guess...or get new router bits for it...

Building different amp/speaker/? designs, building a V8 Morris Minor, just making things, would become a full time rather than part time hobby...
Sigh.....

I could end up spending a lot over my lifetime. Much of it due to my curiosity with building all things valve-like. I'm now thinking about building some snazzy transformers... just need to get the maths sorted and I'll be away.

In the end, DIY does save money on each item built, but there is something addictive about idea of building the next component.

Andrew

the minute the money was in my account my first call would be to these guys in korea
www.silbatoneacoustics.com about $500k should cover it

If money were no object then like others the house would be the first priority. I'd have a Huf House (i know the acoustics would be awful :-)) built somewhere remote and sunny (probably still in france, though further |South..perhaps Italy) and then create within it a space for listening. Not a separate room as I like to listen to music with my family.
Once house and room sorted i'd spend a good chunk on the hifi and lots of vinyl and cds...and an automated cleaning machine as my DIY effort is a PITA.
Would have an AV set up too for watching films.

Well, as md dream money-no-object speakers are £215,000 per pair and you're "supposed" to spend the least amount of money on that end of the chain, my bill could run into millions...

After i'd bought the isolated house by a river on dart or exmoor i'd probably get some massive horns.

The first thing to do is find/build the house and create the music/AV room(s)

Hi Tech Meridian or B and O setup in one room and Harbeth 40.1 in another.

Streamed sources only - no valves - no turntables.

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My wife was asking me he other say about what car I might choose in such a cash rich situation. My answer:

For the motorway, a modest Mercedes; for the town, a Golf would do. But would be automatics.

I'm not interested in cars.

I might buy a couple of very nice push bikes and maybe a recumbent tricycle - all three costing over £2000.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blackmass

Well......First I'd build my own house,across between a Bond villian's gaff(Sharks included) and a Frank Lloyd Wright house.Have a dedicated power plant in the woods.It would be on an island to with a no fly zone.

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It occured to me to day that the house I had described was the Thunderbird's Tracy Island:D
I would like to make small addition to my house.A harem* to polish my equipment;)


*I hope no one takes offence:)

How much would you spend if you could?

... LOTS! I could get really really daft with no problem at all. :doh:

Which is why I limit myself to an annual nett spend, as specified by swmbo. :)

First and foremost i would look after my family and friends.
I would love to have my own Museum next to my large house in the country, hifi would only be a part of it though as i have many interests pretty much all vintage and mechanically inclined.

One day Rodney we will be millionaires

If I had limitless funds I'd just be like Ghaddafi and get people to play live for me.

I'd upgrade my epsilons to deltas and my majik to a klimax ...
So, £20,000ish ... That'dd do me fine if money we're no object