Words From the Wise

Coltrane1, the only problem with what you say is that without people like us buying gear new, there is no incentive for manufacturers to design and build new product. There is also the problem that it puts the few remaining small specialty audio shops even more at risk so there are fewer opportunities for us to check out gear before buying. Those same shops supply levels of service that are non-existent when buying used.

Additionally, the expertise of people who have spent their entire careers in the field is invaluable in many ways, not least of which in that it can at least warn you against making foolish purchases.

1a. Use BIG, sensitive floor-standing speakers.

1b. Don't get speakers that go too low for your room.

Listen to more systems than your own.

Listen to different types of speakers- stats, cones, horns,panels.

Same goes for amps, tubes, solid state, SET, Class A, Class D.

Listen to properly set up vinyl systems and digital systems.

Keep an open mind and an open ear.Don't be afraid to try something new to you just because it falls outside your realm of knowledge.

Always try before you buy.
Buy only if it's better not just different.
If you need less rolled off highs, don't add bloated bass as a trade off.

Seek out a system that has balance.In other words no extremes that draw attention to themselves-ie too bassy.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Realize that your tatses will change as you progress in this hobby.
You may start out as a bass freek, and end up being being something quite different.

Never assume you knowitall, that it's as good as it gets, or that it's all snake oil.

If you feel it is all snake oil, or old hat, then it's time to find another hobby, the enjoyment is gone.

Listen to what others have to say but always make up your own mind about what you feel is right for you.

Forty years in the hobby, almost fifty years as a musician and I'm still learning.
And proud to say I haven't heard it all.

"System Matching" and cables. Read and understand the spec sheets. Consider all matching cables like Mogami Gold. Know the differences between cables - analog, and digital 75 or 110 ohms. Use something like DeOx-It Gold to clean and treat sound and power cable connections.

Listen to the individual musicians' cadences carefully when setting up and balancing a system. When tuning a sub, turn the sub up higher than the Main's to better hear and match the rhythms and cadences together for high/low passes, phase, and roll-off "orders", or, number of octives.

When you add 6dB's, it doubles the sound pressure level. Reducing the distance 50% between a speaker and the listener, the sound pressure doubles, too (obvious, but good review).

Musical octives simply double (or split in half) the hertz or frequency points. That means a 550Hz signal or musical note, has harmonic octives at 225Hz and 1100 Hz and so on, up or down the musical range. If 550Hz is a A note, the others are harmonic octives.

Consider a certified audiogram and adjust your system to your ears if you have any age or noise related hearing loss. Use a analog sound level meter occassionally when adjusting your volume controller. That "resets" my ears to a standard.

To warm up speakers, tune in "smooth static" on a FM tuner and turn it up to about 90 dB's a couple minutes. It should still sound "soft" yet warm up all but the lowest frequency limitations on your tuner. Pink noise disks work better. I found the tuners' pink noise between stations works great, too.

'Never assume you knowitall, that it's as good as it gets, or that it's all snake oil.

If you feel it is all snake oil, or old hat, then it's time to find another hobby, the enjoyment is gone.'

A better piece of advice would be, Seek the truth, tell the truth, recognize the truth when you hear it, and be governed by it. BECAUSE, if it is snake oil, then there is nothing wrong with saying it, or thinking it. And a person can stay in the hobby and coexist with the snake oil, just tread carefully.