I’m thinking I can’t be the only one here that has more stuff than they know what to do with when it comes to hi-fi.
I was just reading a thread where someone was talking about the number of speakers that they have, and having another pair just boomerang back to me - thought "maybe I’ve got too much stuff.’
Adding to that, Mrs. Finkle is getting on my case as to the number and size of the empty boxes. I may be able to economise by putting some inside of others, but that only goes so far.
It’s made me think that (1) there’s a trick I’m missing and I’m just badly organised (2) I’m a hoarder and just need to get rid of stuff, or (3) this is totally normal and nothing to worry about.
Wondering where everyone else is on the spectrum - keep everything, live spartan, or just find more storage space??
Previously when I lived in apartments, I would put all the foam packing in binliners and stash in closets etc and flat pack the boxes under or behind the sofa.
In one flat I simply had no room and chucked the lot. When I moved I bought all new boxes from Naim. It was expensive but only cost the equivalent of 3 months of a storage locker in Tokyo so actually chucking them and buying again 6 years later was the right decision.
Right now I put smaller boxes in the bigger boxes and seal them all in bin liners against dust and mildew and shove them in the garage. If you look at my profile you will realize that is an incredible number of boxes. Stacked to the ceiling.
I have this much gear (and another speaker, of course!), as well as a Muso Qb2 and a Uniti Atom. I also have an AV receiver, a Blu-Ray player, an nSub and two more pairs of speakers in the main TV room.
I have all the boxes (including for the Fraim) and they reside in the loft. I guess this makes me a hoarder as far as boxes go, but I have no surplus kit other than an old Audio Alchemy DAC.
But as for hifi gear, generally I don’t keep old kit when I upgrade, instead most commonly selling to help fund. Or sometimes give to family members. I do still have the Bryston amps I used when triamping, kept pending a possible pursuance of my currently suspended speaker design and build project (otherwise might keep one as a spare against failure). Ditto the digital AXO. And I still have the Gustard udolater/converter I used with Hugo, kept to try some time with DaveI think that’s all I have spare.
My hifi system itself is 3 boxes including music store, plus a normally unused preamp for whenever I want to link in something analogue (not to do with the hifi), and 2 speakers. Separately there’s also a surround system for movies, 8 speakers (none big) plus receiver/amp.
A brother in law has my now ~55 year old IMF RSPM speakers (my speakers before last): After 25 years with them, and just after re-capping, I swapped with him for my earlier IMF TLS50iis, that I had sold him when I changed to the RSPMs. The returned TLS50s I then gave to one of my sons, the speakers just coming up to their 50th birthday this year. Both IMFs still sound great. That son has a previous pre and power amp of mine, and another son has my remaining MF P170, but not currently in use.
In my opinion it is impossible to have too much Hi-Fi, just a house that is too small; so 3) applies or, possibly 4) buy a bigger house or 5) get rid of non hi-fi stuff - after all I bet you have a lot of chairs but fewer bottoms, carrry them from room to room as needed.
I store the surplus equipment in the original boxes (when I have them, buying second hand often means no box) in the room off one of the bedrooms (otherwise known as the loft).
I have a 300 system on two 5 shelf Series 5 solid steel racks. Pictures already posted in other threads. We have a NYC apartment with limited storage locker space. We have only kept two boxes.
I have a loft, where I keep the boxes that contained stuff that I might trade in one day. I have an old Quad 303 and a pair of Celestion speakers, that nobody wants, up there too.
Mostly I trade in gear when I upgrade, even if I get peanuts, it is better than stuff rotting in the loft.
But I have two Headphone amps and I have somehow collected 5 headphones, four of which get used still. I am torn between the HD800S and my new Heddphone 2GT. I have a pair of Shure 1540’s that I use with my portable music player.
We’ve three systems, the lounge (Nova) and office/music room (Main Rig) are used ever day we are here. We have a Star in the garage that is set up as a games room, but it has had less use than planned. It will all stay until we move.
Boxes are in a storage area under the house behind the garage, where I also have a workshop and home-brew area.
All boxes are in the loft, whole and stacked. It was not until the S600s arrived that I had to contemplate flat packing. They are simply too big to go through the loft hatch. After two months of living with these two coffins vertically stood in my study, I shall be dismantling this weekend. My only question is how to reassemble later once the copper staples have been discarded.
