Correlation: Money and Good Sound

I need to follow the advice here, because I'm one of the suckers spending more and more every time I upgrade.

Slappy, your post started out sounding like one Sean's. I had to read the author's name to make sure I wasn't seeing things. What's gotten into you?!! I expected a quote from you somewhere along the lines of...

"Who knows, maybe the pinnacle of audio nirvana is a $10,000 a year ex-Army dude connected to a $50 hooker."

Ellery has shown that even a well to do doctor can appreciate a second hand DVD player.

Ellery911 actually I thought that was pretty funny. So many people on AudiogoN seem to think they have almost the best system they can get and anyone who spent the money to buy that $14,000 amp or $16,000 speakers is just stupid, because they could have gotten something as good or better for 25% of the cost.

The point is well made that we can all justify what we spent while those who spent more are of questionable intelligence. Sounds like class envy! Maybe we should have a massive redistribution of HiFi gear, so there are no more systems that are not up to some illusive, but predetermined level. This is too similar to the people who castigate others for using SS when they have determined that only tubes can reproduce music at the appropriate quality level.

I would guess the Sherwood thing was a joke, but many down on their luck audiophiles (slappy for instance) have had to live with gear that would not comprise their dream system. Maybe there is a good reason that uppermidfi has a Sherwood receiver now. That doesn't mean his comments aren't valid, or maybe he's just a Bozo, since you know, we're all bozos on this bus.

Wow... so, I have a Sherwood S-7300 I think I'm gonna post here at auction, after reading this.

Money's not enough. You also need knowledge. There are units with comparable sound and widely different prices, and the reverse exists too--widely different sound with similar price tags.

If you've never heard what you can get for little money, you think you have to pay a lot. Getting to hear it all is difficult, though, and potentially somewhat expensive. It helps to have friends with experience. Longtime hobbyists, or people in the business. And it's surprising what good advice you can get from a manufacturer, if you write and ask what goes well with their gear.

Even used equipment can be a poor buy. I can name five or six pieces that are utter bargains, but what do I know about all the rest?

Yeah Ellery, give Uppermidfi a break, just cause he made a stupid statement. After all, it takes a long time of being an audiophile to realize that the BOSE WAVE RADIO is the absolute Pinnacle! HA HA HA HA
Actually i agree with nrchy, i think he was kidding around.

Gunbei, hey, it actually did look like something he would say, except less informed... and less coherent... and less technical... and less intelligent.. and less thought out...

I think the problem is my utter lack of my primary food source.

See, i had a filling fall out of my molar the other day, and i had to get it put back in. well, i ended up needing a root canal and they decided to do a deep cleaning on my gums and put me on a regiment of antibiotics.
Well one of the antibiotics i am taking has a HUGE warning in the damn BROCHURE that comes with it, and it states that while taking this drug any achohol consumtion may cause "Severe nausia, vomiting, shaking, and hot flushes"

Good times. Good times.

My experience showed me that mixing and matching certain older and newer components (some were big bucks, others not) correlated to my desired sound without going totally broke.
I have listened to many well-matched, top-flight systems over the years on different ocassions for extended periods of time.