March was not a good month for my project. On one hand, I bought a battery-operated digital radio (and a used analog one) because I couldn’t find a used one. Given the current situation, that might still be understandable. However, less understandable is the purchase of a new amplifier and CD player. There’s a little story behind this, and it’s related to the fact that I (finally) cleared out the basement:
March was not a good month for my project. On the one hand, I bought a battery-powered digital radio (and a used analog one) because I couldn’t find a used one. Given the current situation, this is probably still understandable. However, what’s less understandable is the purchase of a new amplifier and CD player. There’s a little backstory to this, which is tied to the fact that I (finally) cleared out the basement:
As you can see, it was a very successful decluttering session, and while doing so, I came across my CDs. Does it make sense to have them in the basement? No. What do I want with them down there? Hope that they’ll eventually be worth more money? Some of them really hold great memories. I’m not entirely sure that I’ll still listen to Nick Cave with The Birthday Party, but occasionally…
Well, I no longer have a CD player (which makes having the CDs in the basement even more ridiculous). A year ago, I bought a new turntable from a specialist shop (I had no idea and wanted advice) and retrieved my vinyl records from the basement. However, I wasn’t entirely happy with the amplifier I bought with it (a NAD Amp 1). So, in the living room, I ended up with two large Apple HomePods for streaming music, Apple TV, two Hi-Fi speakers for vinyl, plus the unloved amplifier and the turntable.
The turntable seemed like a good idea because Vodafone had left us offline for at least three days twice last quarter, and fairy tale records still fetch a lot of money on eBay. The Apple HomePods weren’t much use for that. However, Apple TV didn’t really work well with the amplifier either. In total, it was too much clutter and hassle. I wanted less. Back to the store. Told them about my “problems.” I ended up choosing a more expensive device that could do everything I wanted and would give me peace of mind for the next 20 years. Sold the Apple HomePods (they went within two days for the price I wanted), and the old amplifier was taken back for its original purchase price (after a year, another reason to buy from a specialist store).
What does this have to do with minimalism? Spending so much money on a Hi-Fi system? Initially, nothing at all. Sure, I could have gone the used route (if I had known more about it), and I could have listened to music with a lesser system. But minimalism doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life. On the contrary, music brings me immense joy. Maybe not the piece from The Birthday Party above (though I still think it’s great), but I listen to a lot of music, and sound quality is important to me. Right now, I’m very into Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. I listen to various interpretations, from Gould/Karajan to Gould/Bernstein to Zacharias/Gewandhausorchester. And yes, a good system makes a difference. And I also learned something here: I thought I could get by with the minimal setup, but in the end, I bought twice (fortunately didn’t spend more thanks to the store’s goodwill). I also learned that there are children’s CDs available at the local public library. The first CD I played on my new CD player was Drache Kokosnuss.
I also received a new book in March. I had ordered it in February 2021, but the author had apparently missed multiple deadlines. I nearly forgot about it. Also, the bike holders I needed for the basement were only available new.
In total, I spent just under €1,000 in March, after deducting the things I sold. Overall, I’m actually quite satisfied with that.