anyone ever contemplate just getting rid of everything?

[bshorey]

I rarely listen to my gear anymore, maybe once a week for maybe a 1/2 hour or so. 95% of the time it just sits there collecting dust. If you have, how much is it missed, and was it a bad or good move?

I sort of did that, once. Got married, had kids, life got in the way kind of thing. Went through this with the audio gear and the cars. Thank God I didn't sell everything, I mothballed a couple of sentimental pieces and one of my beloved cars. Years later, I got back into both hobbies, and was immensely happy that I held on to what I did. It took years to build both collections back up, however I must admit that it was kind of fun.

bs

 

[0Hz]

I sort of did that, once. Got married, had kids, life got in the way kind of thing. Went through this with the audio gear and the cars. Thank God I didn't sell everything, I mothballed a couple of sentimental pieces and one of my beloved cars. Years later, I got back into both hobbies, and was immensely happy that I held on to what I did. It took years to build both collections back up, however I must admit that it was kind of fun.

bs

I feel the same way about computer stuff. I had a lot of old gear that while not worth anything in particular, some parts could go for money and re-acquiring them now would be very expensive and time consuming.. I was building my own stuff since I was 12 or 13, piece meal etc. I wish I had held on to a lot of stuff. I've still got a Voodoo2 card that I don't even know if it works or not, I have a half finished system in the attic I need to take out and get working on too. Got a very rare sound card for free that I hope works out well.. Starting over is really painful when a lot of stuff from 30 - 50 years ago is now just becoming impossible to find

 

[Ohighway]

"...anyone ever contemplate just getting rid of everything?..."

Yes...yes I have. But when I think it through....when I make a change I'll likely hang on to a few pieces I've owned since the 60s and 70s, as well as hang on to a few of the very best pieces I own.

Anything I've gotten rid of so far I have not missed.

 

[Audiotfoot]

I have gotten rid of equipment and lived to regret it. I miss Marantz amp / receiver combo that was given to a friend.. And a my first tape deck / speaker combo - which my wife gave to her brother while I was at work. And there was a period of several years when the receiver, TT, tape deck and CD player were mothballed due to lack of room. But then the kids moved out, the equipment moved back in and now my sons' old bedroom is my listening room.
.Unless you are willing to replace everything when life gets better, store everything if it's in the way, or continue to dust it if it isn't. There's a near 100% chance that things will change and you will once again be able to enjoy music.

 

[Jayrosc]

I rarely listen to my gear anymore, maybe once a week for maybe a 1/2 hour or so. 95% of the time it just sits there collecting dust. If you have, how much is it missed, and was it a bad or good move?

Hey Mike...I agree. That said, I'm dumping all my gear right now except for a great receiver and two pair of great speakers. The stuff I keep is worth it's weight in gold, even if I only have it on for 20 minutes a day. Turntable is out. Spotify is in.
I'm near you by the way, up in Phoenicia.

 

[sqlsavior]

When I'm finally in a home that I own, and plan to retire in? After 40 years of hauling it around with me?

Nope. No way.

 

[JimPA]

A normal person.... wait, a person acting normally can have a stereo in the home for when it's needed. A person acting normally doesn't make a stereo their main focus in life or entertainment. There is a lot more to life than sitting listening to music and starring at it. It's an appliance that's there to do a job when needed to entertain you, it doesn't need to be used hours everyday to justify it being in the home.

Yes some of the time I use my furnace and at other times I use the air conditioner.

 

[mkane]

Kill your television

 

[4-2-7]

Yes some of the time I use my furnace and at other times I use the air conditioner.

I mean really how many hours do you want to sit and listen to the washer and dryer? LOL My point was that when I was growing up everyone pretty much had some kind of stereo in the house and me and friends as an adult setting up our own homes though the 80s and up. It was there for once in a while for most people, when they had company over and or parties. Some people might have taken a day out week to listen after work, maybe a little more on the weekends. It was also generally for the whole family to use, so they did the same thing with friends or while the parents where out of the house. That's what I meant by normal usage and appliance for the home.

 

[JimPA]

I mean really how many hours do you want to sit and listen to the washer and dryer? LOL My point was that when I was growing up everyone pretty much had some kind of stereo in the house and me and friends as an adult setting up our own homes though the 80s and up. It was there for once in a while for most people, when they had company over and or parties. Some people might have taken a day out week to listen after work, maybe a little more on the weekends. It was also generally for the whole family to use, so they did the same thing with friends or while the parents where out of the house. That's what I meant by normal usage and appliance for the home.

My wife enjoys when I have music on with my main system.
After 29 years of marriage she doesn't understand why I have to always have speakers playing something.
When I am in the house I usually have a receiver on which is a lesser system so I can listen to something on am or fm.

Basically I have a need to listen to something that comes out of loudspeakers not appliances.

 

[imral3]

I just rarely have the time any longer and looking at it every day just sitting there not being put to use makes me ponder the thought. Working 11hrs a day Monday-friday and having your weekends working around the house, there's just not enough time to enjoy what I've got. I feel that it should be enjoyed more than I can, and maybe it would be more enjoyed by others.

I'm sure you can find an hour a week to "force" yourself to sit, relax and enjoy listening. Don't get rid of it... you'll regret it.

 

[GD70]

Mike!
Most would sell the first born to have your system!
Don't sell it! Regrets suck when you want to hear the system you carefully assembled, but it's gone.
I listen as much as I can, but the bulk of my listening is weekends. Inside, or outside, music is on a good portion of the day, and my wife enjoys it as well.
If you had 20-30 pairs of speakers, 10 amps, 15 TT's etc... Then yeah sell and keep the best pieces.
Glenn

 

[DChen]

Music was and will always be important in my life. Until I can afford to hire musicians to play for me on a whim, yeah I'm going to hang on to my gear. My schedule fluctuate wildly over the years but sooner or later I'll have time to come back and enjoy the music.

 

[Sandstrom]

I mean really how many hours do you want to sit and listen to the washer and dryer? LOL My point was that when I was growing up everyone pretty much had some kind of stereo in the house and me and friends as an adult setting up our own homes though the 80s and up. It was there for once in a while for most people, when they had company over and or parties. Some people might have taken a day out week to listen after work, maybe a little more on the weekends. It was also generally for the whole family to use, so they did the same thing with friends or while the parents where out of the house. That's what I meant by normal usage and appliance for the home.

4-2-7 is 100% correct. Ultimately it is just an appliance. I think that most of us can tend to get "emotionally involved" with the gear we use for many reasons, nostalgia, sentimentality, appearance, rarity, collectibility, etc. but hopefully our main reason for hanging on to what we have is that it sounds pleasing to us and is there when we feel like getting wrapped up in the music.

Although I do agree with the statements regarding holding onto it as it doesn't cost anything (until you are interested in getting into it again), I can also see the argument towards just liquidating it all if it is not in use. If, down the road, you miss having that "go to" system you can always acquire something new. Most of this stuff can usually be found without too much trouble in this day and age.

It can be really refreshing, tearing something down and starting all over. The assembling of nice system can be really gratifying and fun! Then again, if you don't feel the pull to build a system again, you know you made the right choice for you! Whatever you decide best of luck and you'll ultimately know what the right choice for you is.

 

[cgutz]

I haven't given any thought to getting rid of everything...but my wife has...especially the pieces in storage.

 

[hjames]

I haven't given any thought to getting rid of everything...but my wife has...especially the pieces in storage.

Define "in storage." If its on site in your house or a shed, that's one thing,
but if you are paying for external off-site storage, best to cut that expense as quickly as possible ...

 

[cgutz]

Define "in storage." If its on site in your house or a shed, that's one thing,
but if you are paying for external off-site storage, best to cut that expense as quickly as possible ...

Onsite only. And I only have 4 or 5 pieces. I do have 3 audio systems set up in different rooms. She does like the music however.

 

[nedseg]

Yes. And No.
Before I retired, I attended a conference that was held at a seminary, and got a peek at some of the 'monks' rooms - and found the stark simplicity very appealing. Bare bones simple vs. the mess of crap I seem to have everywhere.
When I retired I was finally able to spend more time listening, and with the help & posting of 'those more knowledgeable than I', have wrung really stupendous sound out of my old system. Now I spend hours each day enthralled by many amazing recordings of very talented composers/musicians - no regret there at all!
Very glad I 'kep' all that old stuff while I was working so many hours that I didn't even have the energy to power it up!
BUT...if/when the time comes when I'm 'less able' and have to 'sparsify my habitat', I'd be pretty happy with the PC/Topping D50 DAC + JBL305 combo, and dump all the rest (well, maybe upgrade to the newer 308MkIIs?)
That plus some decent VR games I'm thinking might get me thru my 'dotage' in simple, clean & neat fashion?
Time will tell.

 

[Bob]

several really good reasons to downsize. sell to buy higher quality esp while the going is good
(think flippers wit 5 figure TOTL Marantz/Pioneer receivers), sell two buy one, etc

second: saves you from spinning in your grave as your heirs dump those copies of Aja, the
Pioneer stacks, those mint WE 300B tubes, etc or give away for $5. or worse, landfill.

there was a guy who wrote a book "die Broke" - premise is sell everything, spend like crazy and
pull the lid over...

 

[OutlawSun]

I rarely listen to my gear anymore, maybe once a week for maybe a 1/2 hour or so. 95% of the time it just sits there collecting dust. If you have, how much is it missed, and was it a bad or good move?

Sounds like burn out to me or in the very least you've got other interests that are stronger for the time being. So listening here and there is fine even passively while working on other things. I don't think you have to purge everything out. If there's gear you simply just don't use that much in general (especially before this current state) I could see pairing down. Especially to spend less time swapping gear in to justify its existence even if you don't particularly care for that piece. But overall I think it's more reasonable to step back and just do other things for a while than do anything particularly rash like purging it all. Sometimes when you love a hobby you have to take a break from it once in a while to appreciate it.

A normal person.... wait, a person acting normally can have a stereo in the home for when it's needed. A person acting normally doesn't make a stereo their main focus in life or entertainment. There is a lot more to life than sitting listening to music and starring at it. It's an appliance that's there to do a job when needed to entertain you, it doesn't need to be used hours everyday to justify it being in the home.

Yeah this is the most reasonable view. My gear is there when I want to listen to music. It's something that really interests me but it's not necessarily my only interest. I tend to be pretty cyclical in terms of what I tend to spend time doing. Sometimes I listen to music sometimes I'm busy messing with other things. But when I really want to listen to music I have a setup I enjoy for that purpose. I think it's good to have a mix of hobbies though simply to avoid simply burning out.