Lifestyle downsize of Hi-Fi system

I’m a Nova user for a few years now and I am using Kudos X3’s and i’m very happy with the sound.

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In my case, although speakers are hardly unobtrusive, everything else is: I’ve never gone for having the rest of the system blatantly on show, instead always having been to the side or rear of the room and in recent decades mostly enclosed out of sight. Records - LPs&CDs on the other hand were always visible - but done away with since switching to streaming - that being a downsize move, literally, with absolutely no sound quality reduction, in fact sometimes the opposite. leading to higher not lower quality!

But indeed if where once you liked it now you find your system is too imposing, then change is necessary - The challenge of course is getting a replacement that satisfies you. Certainly not impossible, I’m sure – after all there are all sorts of levels of satisfaction. I suspect the hardest thing if you have good speakers is finding something less imposing that you like.

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I can only echo the sentiments of @Innocent_Bystander.

You have an excellent system that you have been very happy with for 30 years. Dowsizing to a Nova and smaller speakers will almost certainly entail a significant drop in quality.

If you dislike your speakers for being too large then get something smaller to use with your current system. But will a Nova and LP12 etc. really be significantly less ‘dominant’ in the room than what yoiu have now? I’m sure the floor space taken up by the rack will be identical.

Then you could always make your existing set up more domestically acceptable by housing it in some form of ‘normal’ (non-hi-fi ) furniture.

Not trying to preach to you - it’s your call obviously, and you alone are aware of your private circumstances. Just be very careful that you don’t make a costly mistake that could leave you underwhelmed and disappointed.

Also do be aware that some people who advocate single box systems over multi-box ones may have circumstances that you are not aware of that may have heavily influenced their decisions. It may be the right choice for them, but that dosen’t mean that it’s right for everybody.

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Those of us who downsize may want a simpler life - less to worry about? I must say I am tempted.

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More attention needs to be given to ease of operating a system as we age. This can apply to multi box and single box systems. I chose a SN3 because it both met my SQ standards and had buttons that were easier for us to make selections than many other manufacturer’s LCD panels. Also the color of the LED within the LCD screen is crucial. Rega’s LCD panel for its CD player proved to be very difficult for us. We had no problem with the Naim CDP. I TURN OFF the screen on my NDX2 and just use the Naim App. It does not matter how good the SQ is if you can’t operate your system. User interface and disability is sadly ignored by many manufacturers.

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I’ve got a Star driving a pair of PMC twenty 5,23is and it sounds really good,
I like To have the cd player to play and rip. I don’t have a vinyl spinner.
The Star has plenty of power for me in my 20 x12 ft room.
Go to your dealer and have a listen and home trial if possible before you buy,

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Do you really about your hifi?

If you owned multiple Naim power amps and power supplies, each of which needs recapping every 10 to 15 years and you were on limited income, you may very well be worried.

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Me and my gf auditioned all three, and ended up buying the Star.

From the Atom to the Star is a huge jump, from the Star to the Nova not so much. The Star in addition had a CD drive (although in practice we’ve hardly used that), and the significant extra outlay was simply not worth the difference to us. We’ve mainly auditioned with the B&W 702s2, so perhaps with different speakers the Nova’s extra power might have made some more difference.

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It’s all very well to pontificate on the virtues of single box set-ups, ie. simplicity, unobtrusiveness, less costly etc. etc. I would love one for that. But one can’t get away from the fact that compared to a multi-box system they are a compromise. That’s a matter for the individual to dwell on. Some people can take it, some can’t. I couldn’t if I didn’t have to - and at the moment I don’t have to.

If the day comes then so be it - but let’s face that day if and when it arrives. Then we will know our exact circumstances and hopefully the best way to then proceed. I’ve no plans to book myself into a home for the aged just yet thank you.

If space, unobtrusiveness and simplicity is a top priority then buy a real one box system like a Muso.

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No, of course I don’t worry about my hifi - it’s extremely well-behaved, doesn’t give me any trouble at all (apart from the CDX2 mech, and the inevitable broken HiLine…). But, as HH put it in his usual pithy manner, agonising over whether to get this new cable or that new conditioner can distract from the music at times, and be unnecessary in the end.
That’s what I meant by a simpler life - but I certainly wouldn’t criticise those who think differently.

So don’t agonise then. Just enjoy.

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But the reality is as we get older our hearing deteriorates especially at higher frequencies.
I have hearing aids so you could say I have a graphic equaliser in my ears to compensate for loss of hearing.

Without my aids in the high frequencies are lacking.

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I have sometimes wondered about what it would be like (music wise) if I ever had to go into a ‘home’, where a conventional hifi system would likely not be feasible, even with small speakers (and Ai wouldn’t like small speakers). Assuming still with most of my marbles and some physical ability, and hearing working sufficiently, It might be feasible to have a headphone based system: Possibly swap my Mac Mini store/renderer for something like Melco or Innuos, which is on the cards anyway if/when the Mac reaches end of life, and combining that with my DAC with its headphone output, all I’d need is decent headphones. Though not the same as out loud with speaker listening I have in any case been considering getting headphones to enable me to play music when on an extended motorhome trip, so doing that would arm me with the wherewithal which in the event of circumstances going that way may give me the ability to still have music of my choice in good quality. (It would likely be too late to be able to sort out once it gets to that point,)

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My need for a simplified system came from dodgy knees and cataracts

These aren’t optional extras for getting old, they are for many of us inevitable

Naim can’t grumble , they have had one five box system and one three box system as well as single box systems

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I am finally finishing up my “marie kondo” by rightsizing my system, except for an integrated but unless Naim present a good quality integrated by the end of summer I’ll go with the Aavik (have a borrowed one right now).

I just wanted an (analog) integrated with not-too-big speakers and a flexible component digital source which now is 4-boxes (musicserver + streaamer + nDAC + XPSDR).

The above require no maintenance, sits nicely on a 4-level rack and gives intense and involving music evenings.

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Finally someone has articulated the thing which means I can’t bring myself to even listen.

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There’s also more “lifestyle” boxes to choose from that hopefully are not as obtrusive as traditional hi-fi. I’m still waiting for an alluxity int. 1 to show up to replace a fair # of existing naim boxes. I’ve chosen it in blue and it’s a new color choice. But it looks much more modern and hopefully not too sterile as a modern -sculpted box with just a touch screen. Hope fully I’ll know shortly. I have to say, I’ve had terrific customer service/ interaction with the owner and the company - despite no product yet :slight_smile:

I’m sorry to hear that. I can imagine that wearing hearing aids would mean that much of what a high end system brings is lost, since it means it is being re-amplified by another device. If this is the case then yes I can see a point in downsizing to something less ambitious. But never having experienced this for myself I’m just guessing here.

As for the deterioration of hearing with age, well that’s just a fact of life that we can do nothing about. Not a reason to junk your expensive kit. I’ve worn glasses or contact lenses all my life and have a weak right eye but I’ve thoroughly ejoyed having a projector set-up in the past and I have no plans to get rid of my TV.

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Clearly for people with specific medical conditions which may make life difficult in one way or another there is sense indeed in downsizing to a simpler system.

The key here surely is to tackle these issues if and when they happen. Only in that way can we have a clear picture of what we are up against and thus be able to determine the best solution for us.

There are any number of possible things that can happen as we get older. I’m 63 so I’m in that sort of area where it becomes a lot more likely to start getting serious health issues. But we can’t try to solve problems that don’t yet exist - before they happen. That is always a mistake. They may never happen. Or something may happen that requires a completely different solution to what we have already done by jumping the gun.

I say enjoy what you have for as long as it can bring you enjoyment. That in my view is the only sensible way to approach life. Things always change in all sorts of unexpected ways - deal with that when it happens.