I'm here for the enthusiasts, not the snobbery


Couple of threads have shown up lately. "Should you be an audiophile if you..." either have a certain type of gear, have a certain amount of money, or don’t make your own.

I personally reject all of that. I’m here for the enthusiasts, and those who suffer. That is, people who are enthusiastic about listening to music via electronics and those who are suffering with problems who need a little help. That’s how I try to build a community.

Also want to point out, again, that this hobby was built by hobbyists and tinkerers. The range included backyard self-electrocuting iconoclasts to scientists in acoustics and electrical engineering. I’m happy to welcome them all.

Laslty, I want to say something about the Porsche metaphor:

1 - All Porsches are ugly. This is an indisputable fact no one wants to talk about and means all debate needs to stop right there.

2 - Any motorcycle is more fun and exciting than any car.


Thank you for reading this and I’m glad I had a chance to nip these conversations in the bud. << evil troll laugh >>
erik_squires
Sokogear check out the Eagle GT, the most beautiful car ever made on steroids. 
Eric, check out the Singer 911, the greatest sports car ever made. The 911 is an endearing car for several reasons. People love the fat ass, women love the cabs, they are very tough little cars, you can keep them going forever, they have a scream like nothing else, the motor is in the right place. When you floor it at the apex it squats down and rockets out like no other car. It is the most practical sports car ever made. It has roof racks, you can stick your wife in there with a weeks worth of luggage, bikes on the top and actually go somewhere. Try that on your bike.
If I put you in a GT 3 I could scare the crap out of you every bit as good as you can do on a motorcycle. And now you can even get them with a great sound system. not so with a bike. I am sure bikes are a lot of fun. I particularly like riding around on Sundays going no where burning fossil fuel. The obesity rate is something like 20% now. The next time a group of motorcycles passes have a look. The obesity rate is 80%.
I'll take my bicycle any day and yes geoffkait I do wear a helmet. What pisses me off more than anything is when a motorcycle passes you they frequently gun it just to destroy your ears. I have a very long middle finger for them.
sokogear,

Zuffenhausen delivery has been around for a while, at least 20-ish years but possibly more. It does not depend much on the dollar strength, I think. Some manufacturers have such arrangements (BMW, Mercedes, Audi), too. Usually, the final price is a few thousand dollars lower than if you picked it up at your local dealership, but do not quote me on that. Mercedes used to give you two weeks insurance, hotel, etc. but I think that is gone now. Some used to give you airline tickets, too. The car is the same one you would have gotten at your dealership, no grey zone there.

Unfortunately, these days Porsche has suspended the included factory tour so you will need to time the delivery of your next little one to when they reopen it.

Could one even be a Porschephile without having walked the hallowed grounds of the car factory? Of course, not. Those who drive a Porsche and have not been there and done that are just snobs. We have to agree to agree on that.

https://www.porsche.com/international/accessoriesandservice/factorycollection/factorycollectionatzuf...

Check the PDF at the bottom of the page for details. Your local dealer will guide you through the process.
GT3 is insane. Surprisingly comfortable off the track. Just drove one for the first time last week and it made my GTS seem slow, and it's only about a half second or so slower 0-60. It's light, and the engine only has about 45 more HP, but they get every bit of power possible out of it and the exhaust is so loud it makes your think you're going faster. I would get one if I could get a sunroof in it and the engines didn't blow up that year 2014.....after that I couldn't/wouldn't afford it.

Eagle GT is certainly beautiful, but if it is anything like the Singer 911s, they are WAY out of my price range. You'd be better off finding the older model 911 you want and having a shop fix it to you specs. Plus I think the Singer waiting list is years, as it is the "in" thing for the movie star and Silicon Valley tech guys who live in LA and SF where 911s are a dime a dozen.
I can't afford new ones, so I guess I am not a true Porschephile since I never had a factory tour. Haven't even been to the new US HQ in Atlanta with the track package that is supposedly a great thing to do. Maybe one of these days...
sokogear,

Oh man, you have some catching up to do.

Take Zuffenhausen delivery of some hybrid model. Drive to Zell am Zee (pass by Schüttgut) and then Gmünd. Enjoy Tauern Autobahn views. Pick your way through Germany, take the loger way through Schwarxwald, to Maison Blanche at Le Mans and be careful while there. Drop it off somewhere. Pick it up in Charleston, SC, right there close to Porsche Boulevard. If you insist, you can go to  Atlanta and check the track, but it does not have any history in it. Drive across the continent (avoid Interstates), and find your way across Texas, Marfa included, to Cholame, CA. Take a picture. Send it to your friends with a caption "Little Bastard" (the car, not you, but they will understand).

It is simpler than it seems. It may appear snobbish, but it ain't bragging if you can back it up. You and your own car at those spots.

You could skip Zuffenhausen delivery, but you could bring your current car and do, more or less, all of it with it.

I am not making fun of it. It may be a little project, but I promise you will like it.

While you are doing it, slow down. The life you save might be mine.