one week into 2019 and we already have an upgrade!

cwilson

Member
I don't post here too terribly often, so figured I should show off the system/gear here as well. This system has been an ever evolving effort, and at this point I have upgraded speakers and amps several times. My first "serious" stereo purchase was a pair of B&W speakers purchased new-old-stock nearly 10 years ago. I am on the young(ish) side for this hobby, being born in 1986. Ironically, my most recent upgrade is the same age! HAH

I am in the Chicago suburbs and travel all over the greater metro area for work. Covering such a large, densely populated area gives me great access to 2nd hand gear; I've have had good success finding local deals when the right proven winners show up. The overwhelming majority of the equipment listed is used; I find that people who spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on audio equipment generally don't smear peanut butter on their gear and/or use them as chopping blocks. Anyway, I digress...

LIVING ROOM
Polk Audio LSi25's
Adcom GFA-555 ...AS OF TWO DAYS AGO!! :D
Martin Logan Dynamo w/Auralex Subdude
Marantz SR4023 (preamp/phono/fm duties)
PS Audio Digital Link III
Pro-Ject Debut III w/Speedbox II
Ortofon 2M Blue (by now needs to be replaced)
Apple TV
WiiU
Playstation 3
PS Audio Quintet
Salamander Designs Archetype
Samsung LN40D630 (how do current-gen TV's have LESS inputs???)


room.jpg
The living room

system view.jpg
The system, now including a GFA-555

dac.jpg
The brains

GFA inside.jpg
The brawn

wax.jpg
The wax

juice.jpg
The juice

rack detail.jpg
The rack


OFFICE/"SPARE ROOM"
Sony GX-800ES
Sony DVP-S7700
Mission Argonaut
NHT SW2P, powered by a...
Adcom GFA2535


spare room 2.jpg
All components (Surface included) were 2nd hand scores found in the wild. Goodwill and other thrift, disc replay, craigslist, pawn shop, and an estate sale.

spare room 1.jpg
The two biggest highlights are the Missions and the Adcom. The speakers were found at an estate sale for a whopping $50 and had a $2k msrp in the 80s. There are a few paint scuffs on the top but are otherwise super clean. I absolutely love them, but I wish they were a bit more attractive haha. The amp was found at a Savers thrift store... for $10!! It is totally spotless and all 4 channels works flawlessly; I have used it as stereo bi-amp, and is currently using the bridged amp to power the passive sub. I would like to find a cool pre-amp (aka the Sony mentioned below), and used the Adcom to power the Missions and the sub. The Argonauts are 4ohm but 95db efficient, and for $60 total they and the Adcom are an absolutely perfect pair to build on, and are my two best scores from years of searching of far and wide.

OUT OF ROTATION
B&W 602.5S3
Rotel RB980bx ...removed as of 2 days ago
Sony STC-7000 (Currently debating on a recap, which it needs. Had a bad dose of sticker shock after getting an estimate)

past life.jpg
Somewhere halfway between the beginning and today...

Thanks for looking! I'm not a super active user here, but I love lurking and spend far too much time on all common hifi sites/forums.
 
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Thanks for the kind words everyone!! It has been a fun work in progress.

To be totally honest, I am not completely in love with the recent GFA-555. Blasphemy, I know, but I can officially admit that at this point I may have hit overkill, even by my hifi-minded standards. I feel like it is too... sensitive(?) for my needs, and my living room is only about 12'x15' HAH. All functions/sound/use seems appropraite, but this thing hardly gets warm and I know isn't getting the use it wants, and deserves. My Rotel RB980bx is rated up to 220w @ 4ohms and was just fine before I happened to find the GFA, which was primarily purchased as I just could not pass up the price.

As I was ranting about all of this to my wife, she had enough and remarked "you keep replacing the bottom shelf (read, amps) when *this* is what's annoying!" while holding the Marantz's remote control. The volume function on the remote is 95% dead... and she is right. As far as hifi standards go, that receiver is pretty obviously the weakest link. I am currently looking into/hunting around for what will replace it. That Marantz has stuck around for so long because I am always torn as to what will actually replace it. Thinking (semi) realistically, it would be super cool to get something like a Rotel 10-series pre, original gen. preachtree unit, cambridge 740, maaaybe some type of tube pre, but ideally some sort of silver-faced more minimal minded unit.

The good news is I got a helluva deal on the GFA-555, and will ideally resell it to help fund the upgrade. Should I not be able to turn it for a profit, I'll probably reach out to AK here and list it for about what I paid, which will move it pretty quickly haha.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!!
 
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