I suppose thoughts to ones mortality comes to us all at different times and different ways. I’ve been blessed beyond description and pulling the wagon for many years. Until recently I didn’t give much thought to “downsizing” especially in the audio system department. Until recently.
Like many I have a pre, DirectStream Sr. DAC, mono block amps, P10 regenerator and a host of peripherals that may or may not go through the DAC and then there is of course the TV audio.\
Recently one morning during the holidays and after breakfast whilst minds and ears were crisp, I asked my audiophile partner and wife of 4-decades to turn on “the system” and play a disc from the night before.
I did sort of set it up with the DAC volume at 10 and the pre in the wrong place for a plug and play. I waited to see what would happen. 45-minutes, 3-cups of coffee and threats of a divorce later, I realized that without question I had not done my job of technical onboarding during those 4-decades and that something would need to change.
This change involves selling out the farm, the RV, the tractor (and implements), the 3,000 sq. ft golf frontage home and nearly a half century of “stuff” accumulation. We are ready for the villa or maybe the patio home but Thank God, not the old farts home! My son’s want none of the cool stuff I have accumulated. If this sounds familiar to any of you please PM me so that we can begin conversation.
Down to the point of this bleeding my heart out is a request for guidance for my specific needs or wish list. I am looking for a single chassis integrated solution that includes streaming and a host of inputs for audio. 2-channel stereo only. Must have streaming antenna, optical, SPDIF, HDMI and analog stereo inputs. Must be simple turn on, select input and hit GO LIKE HELL!
So far, a single entity has presented itself and I am ok to go with it.
https://www.ta-hifi.de/en/audiosystems/e-series/pa-1100-e-integrated-amplifier-2/
This looks to be my solution.
Why have none of the component manufacturers addressed this?
Now I have to list my system (pre and amps) and very special hand built pair of Legacy Whisper speakers… Sad but reality.
Thank you for suggestions.