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Question for the collectors/hoarders

Monad said:
should try a consignment website/ store, then just include their fees in your win/loss. imo better than having a pile in storage. it's likely you could negotiate a lower % fee, with the owner, based on the quantity/ quality of the restorations.
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yeah, one day i am going back to the lrs and talking to the manager to see if he wants to do that. i'm just too busy and it's too hot.

the gear is not hurting anything being stored in an extra bedroom.
 
I amassed so many tubes radios and all the stuff that comes along with it at one time it filled a 24x24 room. Had an epiphany one day and it all went to auction. Didn't miss all the stuff. Highly recommend having an auction. Reduces the stress and it can all disappear and leave a pile of money.
 
I fully restore the gear, so when I decide to sell I expect what its worth. A set of speakers with new foam, caps, sanded and refinished would go in 5 mins if I only asked 50 bucks.

A dual 1219 fully restored with a polished lid for $500 is a deal when you compare prices for parts units on fleebay with shipping and fixmydual.com.

The other consideration is the time it takes.

As a result I always have a stockpile or surplus of gear. My family all have free awesome systems, but I am not giving it away.
 
i don't think many hoarders/collectors have much of an exit strategy. the enjoyment and emotional connection overrules rational thinking. i've gotten a bit of sh%t on this site because i keep my eye open, esp. at my local dump, for interesting stuff, including electronics. i usually share the discovery here, and try to find out about it, which some find disengenous (like i'm exploiting members time and knowledge). much of it ends ups up quickly being listed "somewhere" as i continue to consider it. that way, i have already created a possible release scenario for that item. if i decide to keep it, i pull the ad. if not, someone elsewhere has something they desire.

one thing i do immediately is test and clean the items. i have to stay caught up. not interested in a backlog of repairable. and, if it is deemed not worthy, right back to dump it goes.
 
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Both
Semanon said:
Is there a definition or description of a ‘nice system’ you would care to share (beyond some random pics).

Reading here should make it clear that there are (at least) twice as many approaches to ‘nice systems’ as there members. It’s a hobby, and it’s meant to engage our interests. For many, that goes beyond listening.
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of those pics are systems that I would consider nice. They are totally different from each other and I know there’s a millions ways to go about it. That’s why I posted a pic of a SS and Tube gear. Another example would be if you’re sitting on 50 receivers and have always wanted a Marantz 2500. Well you could make it happen if you sold all that gear that’s just sitting there not being used.
 
Danathepill said:
Both

of those pics are systems that I would consider nice. They are totally different from each other and I know there’s a millions ways to go about it. That’s why I posted a pic of a SS and Tube gear. Another example would be if you’re sitting on 50 receivers and have always wanted a Marantz 2500. Well you could make it happen if you sold all that gear that’s just sitting there not being used.
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And your post makes the point. There are a million ways, and someone’s way may include swapping out speakers every few weeks. Your way is a single satisfying set-up.

My way is a main system with other systems in throughout the house (killer system in the garage that changes pretty frequently) Lately I’ve been replacing vintage systems in the (former) kid’s bedrooms with little streaming systems…WAAYY easier for everyone. One of these days I’ll get around to selling the big stuff, but right now I resemble a hoarder.

Maybe @GChief has it right and I should give it to a good home gratis.
 
painttoad said:
i don't collect and i don't hoard. i buy broken and i repair then it gets put away until i have time to do a refurb after which it sits until i decide i want to rotate it into a system or i find it a new home and i give it away or sell it.

>>>>>i don't have strangers in my house and even if i did, i would have anxiety attacks from wanting to punch low ballers in their mouths because everybody thinks that they deserve a deal.

my way keeps me out of jail and the unit out of the landfill.<<<<<<

i stopped listing stuff online because people can not read. when a listing says "will not separate," it does not mean to send me a message asking "how much for the eq?"
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Nailed it!
 
Danathepill said:
So once again after seeing countless pics/posts about garages, basements, spare rooms packed full of speakers, receivers et all it has me wondering why wouldn’t you sell all this stuff and use the proceeds to actually get a nice system? It would be a win/win in that Al this unused gear would be getting used again and instead of having all this stuff just sitting there you’d have a system that you could be proud of. What keeps you bringing more stuff into you’d space that’s clearly never going to get used? Does having it make you feel good or is it something way deeper? I’ve included a couple pics to represent systems that I’m talking about. One is mine and the other is a guy that I sold a Manley stingray to. Both are mid cost but something that look and sound super good.
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OP- Why do you keep such a sterile and ugly setup like in these photos? ;)
 
While I don't have rooms filled with "stacks" of gear, I do have multiple receivers, amps, turntables etc,. The whole idea of "one great system" I find very egocentric. Just because you have one system that you consider so good it negates your interest in other gear doesn't mean others approach this hobby the same way as you do. For me, I really enjoy swapping things around now and then: hearing new and different sonic signatures. Sometimes I am very pleasantly surprised by combining novel amp/speaker combinations and finding good synergy. I just combined a Carver TFM 35 amp and Carver preamp with an old set of Realistic Nova 10 speakers. This is not a speaker/amp combo I would have thought would sound good. It sounds amazing! It's fun. Also, the systems that you use as examples are very high end and way beyond the means of many. If I sold all of my gear, I could probably afford that McIntosh Amp, but not the whole system, not even close. I could never justify that cost on my budget. That being said, I do sell off gear no and then to keep things under control and to recoup costs.
 
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I mean, when does a collector officially turn into a hoarder? When you can't walk around the house without tripping on some speaker or reciever?! My rule of thumb at this point is if I bring in something new, like a reciever or set of speakers, something old has to go. That keeps things manageable.
 
fogmoose said:
My rule of thumb at this point is if I bring in something new, like a reciever or set of speakers, something old has to go. That keeps things manageable.
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Sounds like a good rule, but what’s the threshold, the tipping point? I mean, do you have one receiver and one pair of speakers at any one time, or do you never exceed 100 speakers/receivers.
goodolpg said:
I'm to the point I'm happy enough with my system that I've stopped buying new gear.
What I really need is a new (better) room.
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The cheapest improvement, IMO, is room acoustics. Dirac or carefully placed absorption/reflection control can make a huge difference for relatively money
 
goodolpg said:
I've stopped buying new gear.
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New gear or new to you old crap ;)

Just wondering as I do not see many on here rolling brand new gear. I have been doing it for the last few years because of what you have to pay of old crap.

For the record I still have some old crap in my mostly new stuff system.
 
I think two attributes stated or implied by the OP were that the piled up gear isn't listened to and isn't very high quality. Let me add, it is often NOT working or being repaired. So you hear the talk from the owners of these "piles" about how great that gear is that hasn't been heard in decades...talk, legendary BS, etc. Hey it's your life. Whatever rocks your boat, but I think the OP has a reasonable point.
 
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Danathepill said:
So once again after seeing countless pics/posts about garages, basements, spare rooms packed full of speakers, receivers et all it has me wondering why wouldn’t you sell all this stuff and use the proceeds to actually get a nice system? It would be a win/win in that Al this unused gear would be getting used again and instead of having all this stuff just sitting there you’d have a system that you could be proud of. What keeps you bringing more stuff into you’d space that’s clearly never going to get used? Does having it make you feel good or is it something way deeper? I’ve included a couple pics to represent systems that I’m talking about. One is mine and the other is a guy that I sold a Manley stingray to. Both are mid cost but something that look and sound super good.
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Did you ever take the time to stop and think they might actually "be proud of their systems" before posting such a statement?

I've had a lot of gear in the past 5 decades I've been buying equipment, Mac, Nakamichi, Amber, Belles, Dynaco, Carver, Kenwood, Pioneer, Teac, etc etc etc, it's all just gear.

We all approach our ownership of stuff in our own way, no right or wrong here, your way is no better than any other's.
 
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