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Where do you draw the line???

There are many interesting threads here about innumerable topics where people share many different opinions. If the truth be known I think many of us are still open to suggestion or opposing points of view regarding most things, but there must be some issues about which we are unwilling to budge.

In your own mind what is the concession you are unwilling to make?

For example; many people feel tubes are superior to solid state equipment. I have owned tube gear, and have several friends who I respect that still own tube gear, but I will not concede that solid state equipment is inferior to tubes.

Another concession I cannot make is the superiority of CDs to vinyl. I have a good CDP and have listened to better than my own, and in my experience LPs still are the hands-down winner for sound quality.

I have and like Krell equipment, and have been taken to task because of it. I'm still not selling it to buy another brand.

The question is: Regardless of the opinion of others what views or opinions are you unwilling to change???

Lets not fight! This is supposed to be fun!!!
128x128nrchy
nrchy's avatar
nrchy OP
2,124 posts
 
I flew into Houston a couple of months ago. The reason for the flight was a wedding in Nacogdoches. Since there is a significant distance between the two cities I arranged for a rental car. I have an American made motorcycle and an American made truck, but I don't particularly care for American cars. My wife drives a 2000 VW Passat. With this in mind i rented a Volvo S60.

Upon arrival at George Bush International I pushed and shoved my way to the rental counter. Sorry Grandma! It was one of those good news/bad news deals. They had no Volvo's. They did have, and agreed to rent for the same price, a Jaguar. I jumped at the prospect since it would be a good oppertunity to compare it to the Passat. Guess what, it got me all the way to Nacogdoches and back to Houston! What more could I want?

Oh yeah, how did it ride? It was much better than my Passat. More solid, smoother riding, better amenities, everything one would expect in a luxury car. This car cost about $30,000 More than my Passat! When I bought the Passat, I traded a Pontiac Grand Prix in on it. The difference between the Grand 'Piece o' Crap' and the Passat was as BIG as the difference between the Passat and the Jaguar. Was the Jaguar worth $30,000 more? Yes! Will I be buying one? NO!!! I can't afford it. BUT is still much better, not just different.
paulwp
585 posts
 
Onhwy's system with Harbeth Monitor 40 will go pretty deep, enough to satisfy almost anyone, and with an inexpensive but powerful amplifer, will play louder than anyone can stand. Add a good subwoofer for not a lot of money anyway, and you get you 20-25 hz bass. Really no reason to spend more money, (or nearly as much on cables). The reason people spend more for speakers is they prefer a different flavor to their sound. Some pretty knowledgeable people consider the Harbeth M40 to be sota, yet it doesn't please everyone. It does go extremely loud, however.

I have no idea why anyone would spend a fortune on amps, etc., but if that's their idea of fun, who cares.
audiophanatik
59 posts
 
Nrchy you are definatly a man who stands by his opinion and refuses to be swayed!

Jags are cool. Wish i got to drive a jag.....
some day... over.. the rainbow....
nrchy's avatar
nrchy OP
2,124 posts
 
If I ever have to rent a car in Denver, we'll go for a ride!
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,216 posts
 
I think Nrchy's car analog is a little misleading. Hi-end audio isn't a comparison between a Passat and a Jaguar, instead it's the difference between a Lexus 430 ($55,000) and a Mercedes CL55 AMG ($120,500). A well put together $15-20,000 system is like the Lexus and they are truly excellent, luxury oriented products. The M/B AMG at twice the price offers offers a little something that the Lexus doesn't, but I would be reluctant to call it superior performance. $75,000+ stereos are like that Mercedes. I think it's more a pride of ownership type thing and there's nothing wrong with that. I could be wrong, it's just my opinion.

Hey, if you don't like the earlier Harbeth based system I proposed, then consider this one:

Speakers: Vandersteen 5s
Amp: Berning ZH270
CD: Sony XA777ES or Gamut
allocated $2,500 for cables and stands

This system lists for $20,000. It goes real loud, goes way deep and offers SOTA soundstaging. You can pay multiples more, but are you really going to make a "huge" upgrade over it's quality?
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