Words From the Wise

My top five... thats a tough one...

1) Always have a reference point.. I mean, your favorite recording or track or whatever. This will let you find likes and dislikes with changes or tweaks in the system as you go.

2) Dont be afraid to ask questions. Audiofiles are more than happy to go on for hours about technical aspects of gear and supply more than enough info to get a good education.

3) Do some serious listening...find a system somewhere ie. local hifi or high end store that knocks your socks off.. maybe it costs 100k but then you have a point of reference and something to strive for in your own sound room.

4) Treat yourself every now and then... if music is your passion then dont hesitate to spend that extra couple of grand on a super piece.... most people die in debt anyway.

5) Have fun... it is true that most will not care about your latest tweak and tell you that it sounds the same but, it is your hobby or passion... and if having a 500.00 power cable and dedicated circuts with hospital grade plugs makes you happy... then that is all that matters...
Happy listening!!!!

Audioman,

Those that die in debt live their lives as you suggest, spending money they don't have on things they don't need. I have spent quite a bit of money on this hobby, but what I have is paid for. You will enjoy your system a lot more if you own it rather than worrying about how you will make the next payment.

These are supposed to be "words from the wise." Wise men do not borrow money on things that go down in value.

To Herman...
Assuming that I do not have my system paid for is not wise on your part as well... Assuming as they say makes an ass out of u but in this case not me. I simply suggested that one should be able to enjoy the finer things that this technological world has to offer and if price is a barrier... then thats unfortunate. People need something to be proud of... I never liked the philosophy that "someday I will buy that amp I have always wanted or that car or that whatever..." Well, in my short years on this earth, I have learned that things change in an instant..ie sept 11... so that some day may never come. Enjoy yourself! I wasnt suggesting that one takes a second mortgage on the house to have a Fabioesque system... just that they should live a little...
I have 36k in gear in my home and it is all paid for.. and truthfully I think it is a waste of money... 36k could have been invested in much more sensible way, but I do feel a certain sense of pride and joy when I listen or even stare at my rig. Anyway, I am babbling.. and to each is own.
If you would like financial advice Herman, I would be glad to discuss the term Leverage with you!!

Great input already but I suggest buying lots of mucic that you want to listen to and keep looking for new material. My system changed over time becasue my musical tastes changed with age and exposure to new material. It also changed as my career changed and I had more disposable income. There are plenty of systems that sound great without the high price and plenty of high priced gear that is now available to you via the net that was unavailable when I was growing up. Take advantage of others who are searching for the ultimate. And always remember it is all about the music not the equipment.

Oh Yeah, the single most important thing to remember is, NEVER, I mean NEVER, tell your wife what you are paying for this stuff! Got It!!! Tell her you traded something else for it. Works for me.

Happy Listening!

1. Store all of CD tracks that you like as WAV files on a 60GB computer hard drive. Write information about the track in a data base for sorting purposes. Make a backup hard copy of the CD using a CD burner. Sell the CD on amazon.com, half.com, etc. The above steps will allow you to make compilations of the music that you like, and provide extra money for the equipment that you need.
2. Buy the best high efficiency speakers you can afford. This will allow you to put all your money into an excellent low watt amplifier. Low watt high-end amplifiers cost half as much as their high watt brothers, but have the same quality of sound.
3. High efficiency speakers will also allow you to use a less expensive passive linestage preamplifier instead of the typical powered active preamplifier. High-end passive preamplifiers using Vishay resistors, are as good as the best active preamplifiers, but cost thousands of dollars less. Search for this preamp on the internet, stores don't sell them.
4. Be creative. You don't have to follow patterns set in stone by audio stores, magazines, and other audiophiles. Items 1-3 above are examples. Here is another example: Klipschorn speakers can only be positioned in corners, right? This won't work in a square room. A solution would be to build a baffle out of two 4 by 4 foot dense particle boards (use two or more layers glued together if you like).
The only thing that matters is that you get the SOUND that YOU want.
5. What you hear in your system should simulate a live presentation. Listen to your system for hours on end. If your ears are ringing, you are playing your system too loud. In the long run, you will enjoy music more at natural levels. If you become fatiqued listening to your system even at normal listening levels, then it's time to upgrade your weakest link. If you find that your systm has the bass slam, carity, and detail that you always wanted, it's time to start enjoying the music and (may God strike me dead) stop upgrading.