At Home Systems of Hi-Fi Dealers

[Anthony82]

Without saying names or identifying anyone of course, is anyone familiar with what systems any hi-fi dealers have at home? I think it's interesting to see what choices people make when they have a whole world of options, testing, and borrowing available to them.

 

I'd never thought of this topic before, but I was considering a full cable upgrade and the dealer (who I sort of know, but not really - I live OS so they have been helping me upgrade) was talking to me about some options and went 'these are the cables I use' and whipped out his phone and pulled up his home system. 

 

DCS Vivaldi stack

ATC actives (big ones)

Chord Company interconnects

Shunyata power 

 

To be clear, one piece of the Vivaldi stack is worth more than my total system value, but I still thought it was interesting to note the choices made by someone who can make real choices. FWIW, there's a dealer in London who sells Magico, Wilson, D'Agostino, and Soulution... what I'd give to know what they have at home. 

[doogie44]

This question definitively the unspoken question:

 

What would you listen to--in your own idiosyncratic room, according to your musical tastes-- if you could spend big?

[Steever]

When I was in the trade in NZ back in the 90's, one of my colleagues had the following:

Systemdek TT/arm with Audio Technica AT-OC7 cart,

Plinius 3100 power amp and matching pre-amp

Magnat Magnasphere Gamma speakers

All Van Den Hul cabling.

 

Another colleague used a Sony ES CD player, pre and power, with Polk SDA SRS speakers.

 

And yet another colleague had a Sonic Frontiers SFCD player, SFD2 pre, Audio Innovations Second Audio monoblocks and Polk LS50 speakers. 

 

One thing to note though, with such easy access to good gear at wholesale or less pricing, changes were frequent.

[Anthony82]

Ha, I bet the changes are frequent. And I'd like to think that weekend borrowing turned into month-long boring... or until they wanted to borrow something else. 

[Ryehifi]

Yeah it always interests me.

 

I always ask “what gear do you have” when I’m in a Hifi store.

 

A mixture of answers 

[Hydrology]

I'm in the industry and my system represents the gear I like that I can currently afford. Like most enthusiasts, the journey is far from complete for me, but I also have to be mindful that I cant afford all the gear I want, yet (Wilson etc). For now, this system in its current iteration will do.

I have documented the evolution of the system over the last few years here (I've linked the most recent so those can work backwards)

 

 

 

[frankn]

I always thought it was/is interesting that many professional musicians don’t have elaborate stereo/hifi systems - they are more concerned about creating music than eeking out the last squeak from a recording or which format is best. 

[doogie44]

9 hours ago, frankn said:

I always thought it was/is interesting that many professional musicians don’t have elaborate stereo/hifi systems - they are more concerned about creating music than eeking out the last squeak from a recording or which format is best. 

 

Yes, very true. They have superior audio 'processing' regardless of any format or gear.

 

That processing is the very essence of hearing/perceiving. Surely any gear you buy must facilitate that--or it won't be relaxing or naturalistic when you listen. 

 

Equally amazing is how many products seem to help to do 'a lot of this' consistently; here is a very small selection of examples (my own experience only):

 

The Past - Quad 57 electrostatics; LS3/5A speakers; Leak valve amplifiers & tuners

The Present - Line Magnetic valve amplifiers; De Vore speakers; Koetsu cartridges; Clearaudio T/T

 

Then there's the whole world of Leben and Shindo gear --especially this--which I would gift to every musician if I were a billionaire...

 

Just my 2c worth

[PKay]

36 minutes ago, doogie44 said:

 

Yes, very true. They have superior audio 'processing' regardless of any format or gear.

 

That processing is the very essence of hearing/perceiving. Surely any gear you buy must facilitate that--or it won't be relaxing or naturalistic when you listen. 

 

Equally amazing is how many products seem to help to do 'a lot of this' consistently; here is a very small selection of examples (my own experience only):

 

The Past - Quad 57 electrostatics; LS3/5A speakers; Leak valve amplifiers & tuners

The Present - Line Magnetic valve amplifiers; De Vore speakers; Koetsu cartridges; Clearaudio T/T

 

Then there's the whole world of Leben and Shindo gear --especially this--which I would gift to every musician if I were a billionaire...

 

Just my 2c worth

Which Devore speakers do you have?

[frankn]

1 hour ago, doogie44 said:

 

Yes, very true. They have superior audio 'processing' regardless of any format or gear.

 

That processing is the very essence of hearing/perceiving. Surely any gear you buy must facilitate that--or it won't be relaxing or naturalistic when you listen. 

 

Equally amazing is how many products seem to help to do 'a lot of this' consistently; here is a very small selection of examples (my own experience only):

 

The Past - Quad 57 electrostatics; LS3/5A speakers; Leak valve amplifiers & tuners

The Present - Line Magnetic valve amplifiers; De Vore speakers; Koetsu cartridges; Clearaudio T/T

 

Then there's the whole world of Leben and Shindo gear --especially this--which I would gift to every musician if I were a billionaire...

 

Just my 2c worth

I would add that Linkwitz designed speakers & crossovers are easily in that list too. 

[doogie44]

I don't own Devore speakers. I heard the 0/96 Orangutans in an extended demonstration listening session at Maclean's Hi Fi in Gosford, driven by a Line Magnetic 219iA 300B amplifier. Talk about a goosebump-inducing audio multi-orgasm! 

[JukKluk2]

4 hours ago, doogie44 said:

Talk about a goosebump-inducing audio multi-orgasm! 

Don't think that I could, I would be too embarrassed.

[audiofeline]

On 12/12/2024 at 8:27 AM, doogie44 said:

Yes, very true. They have [professional musicians] superior audio 'processing' regardless of any format or gear...

Yes, but their audio processing is often different to the audiophiles.  An audiophile listens to the overall sonics and the journey the musicians take you, it's about experiencing it.  Musicians, by virtue of their training and expertise, and interested in how the musicians take you on the experiential journey.  They listen to the arrangement, the chord progressions, etc.  I recall when I discovered a new guitarist and I was excited to share it with a friend who was a former professional guitarist.  The emotions of the playing and impact really impressed me.  But all he could talk about is trying to work out the tuning he used on his guitar.  Musicians have a different way of enjoying their music, and it doesn't always rely on the reproduction quality. 

 

And this can play out when musicians approve mixes of their albums or remastering.  They are probably more focused on how their part comes across.  Just because they were experts in the creation of the music, doesn't mean they have the expertise on the other side of the mixing desk (although they probably think they do have it). 

[TerryO]

As most of you would know I run GC Hifi from home and have three listening rooms, in my main room I usually find myself listening to a pair of ATC 150 Actives and various front ends, recently I have really been enjoying having Subs with them for the first time.
 

I will say a lot depends on which room as to which, especially size, speakers I listen too. Stand mounts sound much better than floor standers in my third back room, yet can still fill the house with great sounding music. I prefer mid sized speakers in the in between second front room and again they can fill the house with great music, same for the well treated main room which I find I need to listen to larger speakers in, stand mounts don’t cut it in this room, having said that I seldom listen at low volume so that makes a difference.

I judge how good a system is not just by how it sounds in room but how it does/doesn’t sound throughout the rest of the house. I’m fairly lucky there though as most of the house is reasonably open plan.

 

Anyway this is our main room that we listen to more than likely about 60% of the time. First pic is the ATC’s with an Antipodes Oladra, Aries Cerat Helene Dac and Impera Ref Pre-amp, this is one very impressive sounding system.

Second pic is the ATC’s with a Linn Selekt DSM with Organic DAC feeding them and a pair of JL Audio Fathom 10 Subs which I’m really enjoying listening to at present.

Both set ups are incredibly enjoyable to listen to yet sound quite different.
 

cheers,

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8 by TerryO

[Pigpen]

On 9/2/2025 at 10:33 AM, TerryO said:

As most of you would know I run GC Hifi from home and have three listening rooms, in my main room I usually find myself listening to a pair of ATC 150 Actives and various front ends, recently I have really been enjoying having Subs with them for the first time.
 

I will say a lot depends on which room as to which, especially size, speakers I listen too. Stand mounts sound much better than floor standers in my third back room, yet can still fill the house with great sounding music. I prefer mid sized speakers in the in between second front room and again they can fill the house with great music, same for the well treated main room which I find I need to listen to larger speakers in, stand mounts don’t cut it in this room, having said that I seldom listen at low volume so that makes a difference.

I judge how good a system is not just by how it sounds in room but how it does/doesn’t sound throughout the rest of the house. I’m fairly lucky there though as most of the house is reasonably open plan.

 

Anyway this is our main room that we listen to more than likely about 60% of the time. First pic is the ATC’s with an Antipodes Oladra, Aries Cerat Helene Dac and Impera Ref Pre-amp, this is one very impressive sounding system.

Second pic is the ATC’s with a Linn Selekt DSM with Organic DAC feeding them and a pair of JL Audio Fathom 10 Subs which I’m really enjoying listening to at present.

Both set ups are incredibly enjoyable to listen to yet sound quite different.
 

cheers,

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATC - a lad from country Victoria moves to the UK and makes good - the late Billy Woodman. A colleague has the active 100s which are just magnificent so I imaging the 150s are another step up - a wonderful system/s you have there and yes, I am envious