The Horror


After getting  back home from “The Show” in Costa Mesa, California this past weekend, I walked over to my stereo system and turned it on. And silently wept. I had held out a feint hope that my cross-over modified 1.7i Maggies and mighty Parasound A21+, fed from a Prima Luna 300 tube preamplifier could somehow manage a slight shimmer of resemblance to the robust setups I witnessed at the SHOW. Not—- on— your —-life. Not even close. I slumped into my over-stuffed couch and stared long and hard at the thing I created: an anemic concoction of false hopes and wishful thinking. The horror, the truth: entry into serious audiophile listening begins with purchase of speakers that cost the price of the car I had to finance for 4 years, closely followed with the added expense of beefy sophisticated electronics and wiring, not a gaggle of cheap wanna-be plastic and tweeks. I so wanted to belong, but that’s turned out to be just a fever dream I’ve got to wake up from. Maybe one day, if ever I have the nerve to rob a bank, find Jimmy Hoffa, or survive a head-on collision from a sleepy Amazon driver, I might make it. Maybe. Feel free to play the violin with two fingers.

128x128audiodidact

I hear what you’re saying, and you have my deepest sympathy because I know exactly how I’d feel in the same situation.  Then I started thinking, my system isn’t anything special, but I never came home from a show feeling disappointed with my system.  On the contrary, I was happy to find I was still hearing at home most of the goodness I heard at the show.  What occurred to me was that the systems you drooled over involved speakers with dynamic drivers — hmmm.  I like and respect the sound of Maggies a lot, but that sound just isn’t for me so I find myself wondering if maybe you should try to demo another speaker with dynamic drivers in your system if possible.  Frankly, and just spitballing here, with your electronics I bet if you heard a pair of Boenicke W5s in your room you might discover a lot of what you feel you’re missing versus what you heard at the show.  I could be totally off base here, but to me the Maggies are sticking out like a sore thumb as the potential source of your disappointment (assuming they’re properly set up and appropriate for your room).  If I were you I’d buy a pair of used dynamic speakers I was confident I could resell for little/no loss and see, for peace of mind if nothing else, if all becomes more right in your world again.  Just a wacky thought FWIW.

@soix 

that may be exactly what I’ll eventually end up trying, soix.  In the meantime I think I’m going to start working on the room. Lots of good suggestions here about that.  But thanks for the tip about the Boenicke W5s. I took a look and something like that might be more possible sooner than later. 

@erik_squires

I strongly disagree with your opinion of the intent of @audiodidact ’s thread. I think that it was sincere, if a bit tongue in cheek. I also thought that it was interesting because many of us have likely found ourselves feeling something similar to what he described after attending a show. I don’t see any sign of trolling in his thread.

And I would avoid the Boenickes for sure. Lot better choices in the W5 price range

@grislybutter Have you even heard Boenicke speakers?  I highly doubt it.