I was trying to figure out how a rotary phone fit into the project. Even a touchtone phone doesn’t offer much of use to a stereo system.
This isn’t all that minimal. What we have seen is people tossing out their speakers and the rest of their stereo system, and replacing with “docking station” that has puny speakers and intended for close operation. Gone are the ability to play CDs or even cassettes, and no radio. It’s one thing if someone’s starting out and goes with the minimal system, plenty of people used to get by with boomboxes, but tossing out the old is a retro step.
Big speakers will always do well, and they can get by with a cheap small amplifier. It amazes me that some buy “computer speakers” that are junk, rather than buying some speakers and an old stereo receiver at a garage sale for less than the “computer speakers”. The legendary Radio Shack Minimus-7 speakers will do better than low end “computer speakers”, I paid ten for my pair. I’ve seen plenty of other “clones” of those speakers, even cheaper on the used market. Small amplifiers (as in physically small) are less common, but there re plenty of those old stereo receivers, likely from people who “downsized” their stereo systems.
Of course anything with speakers inside could be improved by opening them up and wiring decent speakers to the unit, though, some amplifiers may not be loud enough.
Now that’s some harsh. Oddly enough, I was playing the Philip Glass Ensemble’s Retrospective album (on my wonderfully real stereo; -) as I was loading up BB. Wouldn’t you know, The Grid started playing just as Rob’s article scrolled into view.
(And when I’m done with that album, I’ll listen to Keene’s Satyagraha…or maybe Akhnaten…there’s no knowing what us natural-born Americans will do next!)
So is this a series about how if you have enough money you can “own nothing,” and still have whatever you want, whenever you want it, with a roof over your head every night?
