Use Technology to Bridge Old With New
As somebody who loves listening to music, I wanted to share a lesson I learned when shopping for new stereo systems.
I recently remodeled my home office and wanted to replace or upgrade my 1970s-era stereo and speakers with something more modern. My needs were simple; I wanted to be able to access my digital library over my system. Having recently burned my catalog of music (600+ CDs) to i-Tunes, I had neatly organized everything on my Apple i-Mac. This update allowed me to play music for hours without having to change CDs or put on a new album. I have an external set of speakers and subwoofer attached to my Mac, but wasn’t getting near the listening enjoyment my “classic” system--which still sounds great--has provided over the years.
I went to a local audio store and found was that the 30+-year-old system I was replacing was still one of the very best available. The technician advised that, by simply adding an AirPort Express, I could enjoy my digital library over my vintage audio system. There are alsoseveral other new technologies that can bridge the gap between old technology and new, including the Sonos Connect and McIntosh Labs MVP891.
I knew the equipment I currently had was top of the line in its day, but I was shocked when the sales person at the audio store told me what my “old” system was STILL top of the line. Still not believing the audio expert, I went and checked a few websites like www.audioclassics.com and found that buying that system today (used) would cost $3,000- $4,000.
So, the lessons of the day are:
- before you look to replace old technology, make sure that you are able to replace it with better technology;
- check the value of what you are replacing, and;
- new technology can help make what is already great even greater.
Have you used technology to refresh vintage equipment? We would love to hear your stories! Please use the comment box below to share your experiences.