Incoming!

[bluegrassphile]

Just a brief progress report...


Very noticeably opening up. The richness and sweetness of this system is really starting to shine through. It's sounding so good I don't even know how to describe it. I've been leaving the entire system running since I first switched it on last week. I've also been playing it at a "medium loud volume" (45 to 55 on the INT 250) even when I'm not listening, to hasten break in. Anyway, it's sounding just superb. And I've just started the break in process. Now I remember why this hobby is so addictive.

I don't understand why every musician doesn't have a great high end audio system. Most don't. A good high end audio system is great for mixing down home or studio recordings. Some great audio systems may be a little too colored for mixing but many systems are perfect for it. Just depends on the components.

But I couldn't be happier with my system. It's a rather simple one...integrated amp, DAC, and server. That's it. But that's exactly what I wanted. Well, I'm going to go put some music on before I have to go to work this afternoon. Thanks for putting up with my gushing. But it sure is fun.

[Shadowfax]

Tom, So glad to hear that everything worked out for you after such a long wait and journey. I also had my eye on the Pass but it was out of this round's budget. It should continue to get better over the next few months but out of the box it is an awesome setup.

Nothing like good tunes. My new Lux has made everything sound better and it is also still breaking in.

[UltraFast69]

Good to hear it is setting in.

May be simple to you and us, but not to everyone else

I don’t know what musicians use or don’t, but more curious on what they hear in the studio.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Randy Myers]

Glad you are finally able to enjoy your long awaited system! And just think, it will continue improving for some time still!

[bluegrassphile]

Brian, not a darn thing wrong with Luxman. It's top shelf stuff and every bit as good as anything out there. I auditioned a Luxman 509x and was VERY impressed with it. I'm bettin' your 505ux MkII sounds just as good. That sound is what your ears prefer. 'Nuf said. If it sounds good, it is good! I too followed you as you purchased your Lux and was very excited for you. Since I'd auditioned the 509x I had a pretty good idea of what your 505ux MkII was going to sound like. I knew you were in for a real treat.

[mep]

Just a brief progress report...


Very noticeably opening up. The richness and sweetness of this system is really starting to shine through. It's sounding so good I don't even know how to describe it. I've been leaving the entire system running since I first switched it on last week. I've also been playing it at a "medium loud volume" (45 to 55 on the INT 250) even when I'm not listening, to hasten break in. Anyway, it's sounding just superb. And I've just started the break in process. Now I remember why this hobby is so addictive.

I don't understand why every musician doesn't have a great high end audio system. Most don't. A good high end audio system is great for mixing down home or studio recordings. Some great audio systems may be a little too colored for mixing but many systems are perfect for it. Just depends on the components.

But I couldn't be happier with my system. It's a rather simple one...integrated amp, DAC, and server. That's it. But that's exactly what I wanted. Well, I'm going to go put some music on before I have to go to work this afternoon. Thanks for putting up with my gushing. But it sure is fun.

You ever heard the phrase "starving musicians?"

[Shadowfax]

You ever heard the phrase "starving musicians?"

I have some art on my walls from Starving Artists

[mep]

I have some art on my walls from Starving Artists

I'm not talking about rock stars that hit the big time. I'm talking about the average musician that would gig anywhere for a check.

[bluegrassphile]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. However, bluegrass musicians do make tens of dollars.

[mep]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. However, bluegrass musicians do make tens of dollars.

And that’s my point. You could go to any of your local music stores and ask for names of local bands looking for gigs. Guaranteed you could make a few calls and arrange for a band to play a private gig in your house for $500.

[joeinid]

Would be a lot better to have weekly home gigs than buy new gear. Adopt a musician.

And that’s my point. You could go to any of your local music stores and ask for names of local bands looking for gigs. Guaranteed you could make a few calls and arrange for a band to play a private gig in your house for $500.

[bluegrassphile]

The overwhelming majority of musicians that play in bands more often than not have day jobs. Playing in a band is just a supplementary job for most paid/professional/semi-professional/whatever you want to call them, musicians. Like mep said, I'm not talking about big name musicians or A list session musicians. If a full time musician is able to purchase high end audio systems it's usually because they have a day job. There are certainly exceptions. But if what you're saying is people who are full time, road musicians, usually can't afford expensive high end audio systems, I guess I wouldn't argue with that. I was one on many occasions over the years. I just play in a part time, for fun, albeit very talented bluegrass band right now. If I had to depend on what I make as a part time bluegrass musician to buy a high end audio system I'd only be able to dream about it. I'd never be able to afford a single component.

But I remember a time when virtually every musician owned some kind of stereo system. In many of the bands I was in all the band members had some kind of stereo system or high end audio system. That was a time when there were mom and pop audio stores in almost all towns of any size. Most systems were made up of very well designed and constructed Japanese (usually) systems. But they sounded very good for the times and were priced well within the budget of John Q Public. As those stores have disappeared over the decades so have high end audio hobbyists. And so have musician audiophiles. Prices for high quality audio components have increased significantly, even taking inflation into account. There were a lot of factors regarding the decline of the high end audio hobby. But it seems to be making somewhat of a comeback. I hope it continues. I just made my contribution.

[Randy Myers]

But I remember a time when virtually every musician owned some kind of stereo system. In many of the bands I was in all the band members had some kind of stereo system or high end audio system. That was a time when there were mom and pop audio stores in almost all towns of any size. Most systems were made up of very well designed and constructed Japanese (usually) systems. But they sounded very good for the times and were priced well within the budget of John Q Public. As those stores have disappeared over the decades so have high end audio hobbyists. And so have musician audiophiles. Prices for high quality audio components have increased significantly, even taking inflation into account. There were a lot of factors regarding the decline of the high end audio hobby. But it seems to be making somewhat of a comeback. I hope it continues. I just made my contribution.

I 100% agree with this. Back in the day, before the chain stores (crappy stores like Best Buy) forced most out of business, there were a ton of Stereo Stores selling affordable equipment that normal hard working people with good jobs could afford. Yes there were higher models, and there were specialized brands. But nothing of ridiculous levels that seems to be the norm today.

While I appreciate an article on ultra-high end products sometimes, I believe these should be the minority. Yes, there are good reasons for these products but it is very rare that a person could afford any of these and certainly not a hard working person with a good job.

Just recently I read a magazines which had a vast majority of its pages filled with products that cost as much as many peoples houses, or certainly more than most anyone's car. A $263k speaker, $235k amplifiers, $70k turntable (without tone arm and cartridge), a $50k tonearm, a $60k DAC, a $32k phono stage.... all in one magazine. Really, I mean really.... maybe one or two of these items but many more on affordable items. Otherwise our hobby, our passion's long term viability is being damaged.

And we wonder why we are not getting many new people in our hobby. Imagine someone thinking about getting a nice system and grabbing an audio magazine to browse. Seeing this in the magazines they very well might decide that they will never be able to afford it and just grab their crappy sounding iPhone and a pair of Beat headphones think that is all they can afford now.

Yes we all know it is possible to put together a more reasonably priced system. But you could never come to that conclusion looking through these magazines. Even if they find a forum such as AS they see so many insanely priced components that they might again sadly think it is out of their reach. We all know that this is not true of course.

I know we have a thread for Thrifty Audiophiles. Honestly, the threads are not for "Thrift", the posts are for cheap. These are two different things. I propose a thread put near the top so new people see it for value equipment. Discussing reasonably priced gear that hard working people can actually afford. Not for items that cost more than most people's cars, but for items that are good quality but affordable. Just a thought.

[Calvin]

We need a magazine - or at least a dedicated section in the present magazines - called, "The Affordable Audiophile." Good systems for 10k and less.

[joeinid]

http://www.audiodrom.net/en/integrat...s-labs-int-250