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why some spend $$$$$$$ on their systems

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donberry

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I've said this same thing before, but this guy explains it in a much simpler way then I have. This is why some spend so much money on their systems, not just because they have more money then sense or because it is a status symbol to them or whatever some seem to believe.

"It is within this 3D space where the audiophile lives and operates, and spends all his money. Fremer himself is the first to admit that it would only take $3,000 to $5,000 to build a system that will be deeply satisfying to most music fans. On a scale of 1 to 100 completely of my own devising, let's put this system at around 85. Now, imagine that you've tasted 85, and you want to go higher; you want Bowie's cries of kissing by the wall to inhabit the most perfect point in your system's matrix, and Bryan Ferry's back-up fly girls on "Avalon" to flank him just beautifully. That, friends, is where you might end up paying hundreds of thousands.

Our little scale, unfortunately, is logarithmic, in that going from zero to 85 doesn't take a lot of effort or money, but going from 98.6 to 99.1 by swapping out a $2,600 AC power cable for a $4,000 one becomes a justifiable end.
"
 
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IMO.. Nonsense :-)
Having commissioned (hired bespoke Pros) for *several* Mega buck (250+$k!) Home audio/entertainment systems for clients over the years (architect).

My observation is that the Bulk of such buyers are primarily concerned with latest and greatest /status.
Hey! what's the point of being wealthy if not to surround oneself thusly :-0

Other reality is that almost universally these cost no object systems simply don't produce Any better audio than My own prosaic/humble setup.
Sad but true actually.
Initially I was appalled by the realisation..
I've heard Famous brand, Exhorbitantly priced just to add injury to insult, gear with far less than claimed result.. too often.
Price is often NO guarantee of excellence... despite legions of Shills.

IMO/ experience.. there is a Large component of "Emperors' Cothes' at play.
Be careful in what you wish for ..and be Happy.
 
This reminds me of the time evolution of the charge on a simple capacitor-resistor-battery circuit:

capacitor-charge-curve.png


The vertical axis(potential across the capacitor Vc) would represent "degree of satisfaction" and the horizontal one (time) "money investment". In terms of the OP statement made above, tau here would be around 1500 to 2500 $. In that case, remember that a practical criterion to declare a capacitor as completely charged is to wait for a time of 5*tau, meaning around 7500 to 12500 $.
 
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bare said:
IMO.. Nonsense :-)
Having commissioned (hired bespoke Pros) for *several* Mega buck (250+$k!) Home audio/entertainment systems for clients over the years (architect).

My observation is that the Bulk of such buyers are primarily concerned with latest and greatest /status.
Hey! what's the point of being wealthy if not to surround oneself thusly :-0

Other reality is that almost universally these cost no object systems simply don't produce Any better audio than My own prosaic/humble setup.
Sad but true actually.
Initially I was appalled by the realisation..
I've heard Famous brand, Exhorbitantly priced just to add injury to insult, gear with far less than claimed result.. too often.
Price is often NO guarantee of excellence... despite legions of Shills.

IMO/ experience.. there is a Large component of "Emperors' Cothes' at play.
Be careful in what you wish for ..and be Happy.
Click to expand...

There is a huge difference in a "home entertainment system" and a mega buck stereo system. The stereo system is usually built with better sound in mind while the HT system is usually built with impact for movie sound tracks and bragging rights as its primary purpose.

IME, the cost no object audio systems do sound better. Of course my and any opinion is completely subjective.
 
Other reality is that almost universally these cost no object systems simply don't produce Any better audio than My own prosaic/humble setup.
Click to expand...
Of course we all have our own opinions, but I would suggest that you have never listened to a good system then, or a system that was put together well.
You can't just plop down expensive pieces of gear randomly and hope it sounds great. If only it were so easy....

Also, while I know there are those who just buy gear for ego purposes, I am of the opinion that the vast majority of people spending quite a bit more money then most us can afford on a 2 channel system don't really care what others think but are those who are seeking to get as much out of there system as they can.

As I have always said, it's easy and cheap to get a good sounding stereo, the really expensive and hard part is taking it to the next levels. If you don't believe there are next levels, I would have to think you have never heard one or have never heard one put together properly.

Even though it is home theater, personally I think if you had 250K systems put in and thought they were no better then "your humble" system, I'd be looking for a lot better contractors as I don't think your clients are getting their money's worth because for 250K, even tho it is surround, it should still do music better then most of what we listen to or someone is getting ripped off somewhere
 
IMO and at the risk of being chastised :)

Too many people have not listened to a truly High End system yet will make judgements about them

I'm not speaking about my personal best system because I dont think it is "a truly High End system" -- I'm speaking about getting out and about to Audio Salons with $50K and up systems and just listen to them... afterward being able to compare that musical reproduction to a more 'real world' sound most of us hear in our listening rooms
 
donberry said:
as i have always said, it's easy and cheap to get a good sounding stereo, the really expensive and hard part is taking it to the next levels. If you don't believe there are next levels, i would have to think you have never heard one or have never heard one put together properly.

Even though it is home theater, personally i think if you had 250k systems put in and thought they were no better then "your humble" system, i'd be looking for a lot better contractors as i don't think your clients are getting their money's worth because for 250k, even tho it is surround, it should still do music better then most of what we listen to or someone is getting ripped off somewhere
Click to expand...

+ 1
 
The best example of the snake leading the blind would be Fremer suggesting that going from 98.6 to 99.1 is a matter of a power cable. But he didn't after all, did he. How ridiculous. Get real, just a tiny bit.
 
No chastening here. While I am very happey with my HT setup at around 7K, I know there is room for improvement. While I have heard better than i own, I haven't truely heard a top end system in a couple decades.

Last time was in the mid 90's at a little shop across from the U of M. Parasound monoblocks and Alon speakers. I don't remeber the CD transport. The sound was breathtaking and immersive audio nirvana.
 
Frank Sol said:
IMO and at the risk of being chastised :)

Too many people have not listened to a truly High End system yet will make judgements about them

I'm not speaking about my personal best system because I dont think it is "a truly High End system" -- I'm speaking about getting out and about to Audio Salons with $50K and up systems and just listen to them... afterward being able to compare that musical reproduction to a more 'real world' sound most of us hear in our listening rooms
Click to expand...
Absolutely so. Even at 50k you have to do some very careful shopping and matching to get into the upper range of the possible. Most of us can't begin to contemplate such things, but at least it gives one an idea of what can be done and something to aspire to.
 
fiddlefye said:
Absolutely so. Even at 50k you have to do some very careful shopping and matching to get into the upper range of the possible. Most of us can't begin to contemplate such things, but at least it gives one an idea of what can be done and something to aspire to.
Click to expand...

That's the point I'm at... careful shopping. Anybody want to give me 20K? :yes:
 
Awesome! It has been a while since we fretted over how other people spend their money. Let's burn those audiophools at the stake!
 
i spend slightly more than i should on this stuff but if my resources were unlimited there would be Krell Krell everywhere Krell !!!!!
 
I think the quote the OP shared would be related to perfectionists of all stripes... artists never satisfied with their creation, bricklayers striving for ever-straighter lines, drivers looking for that extra bit of efficiency or speed, lawyers finding the loophole etc etc...We can all run, but we can not all compete at the elite level, not all of us have that drive/desire/strength/talent etc etc... some want sound so clear they can hear Ryan Ferry's backup singers fart, some people want to have a house that sleeps 15 people when their family is only 4. For some 65 mph isn't enough, they need a supercar that can go 200...
 
El Pee said:
... some want sound so clear they can hear Ryan Ferry's backup singers fart
Click to expand...


:D

Not joking here: Somewhere just in the last 3 days I saw a vid or read an article where the guy wanted to hear the creaking of the guitarist's chair at a certain point in a piece - that is how he determined the worth on a system
 
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