Sound Advice: 'Cost no object' on audio gear?

And using cost no object equipment to drive Polk speakers? Gimme a break!!

-RW-

@RW- My sentiments, exactly!

"03-17-15: Czarivey
professional writers just write and get $ for their work.
they do that for living."

That's outrageous. You mean to tell me they get paid for working? Someone needs to put a stop to this type of thing. The whole situation is just out of control.

So did anyone actually read the piece? He was very reasonably pointing out to someone that cost no object means different things to different people. Additionally he told the questioner what a more appropriate price range might be for his speakers. The gear itself is pretty much besides the point, I thought it was a reasonable and helpful response.

"03-18-15: Jond
So did anyone actually read the piece? He was very reasonably pointing out to someone that cost no object means different things to different people. Additionally he told the questioner what a more appropriate price range might be for his speakers. The gear itself is pretty much besides the point, I thought it was a reasonable and helpful response."

I read it, and if you want the truth, he's doing what most people do when talking about audio equipment that's beyond their experience; they guess. They also believe their guesses, and then they start assuming. They're assumptions, of course, are based on their guesses. You'll never let me leave it at that, so here's my proof.

"The best amplifier and preamplifier setup, cost no object, is probably the Xs preamp and dual mono Xs 300 amplifier (one amplifier for each speaker) from Pass Labs."

Probably. Based on what?

"It sells for $123,000."

Price, of course. Maybe if we show him what some pieces from Audio Note goes for, he'll think the Pass a bargain.

Now that he's established himself as reasonable and knowledgeable in the world of high end audio, it now qualifies him to make this next statement.

"That's a lot of money for stereo amplification and personally I think it is extreme overkill and of questionable cost-to-benefit ratio. You start hitting greatly diminishing returns before you even leave the five-figure range and audible differences compared to other high-end gear are likely to be negligible, if audible at all."

I don't know about you, but this self appointed high end audio reviewer is starting to loose a little credibility here, given that he's never had any experience with any of this gear whatsoever. And this is by his own admission. The only single, credible fact that he has presented us with concerning the Pass amp and preamp, is the price.

"Even if I had billions of dollars in the bank I could not rationalize it. I could see myself buying a Gulfstream jet or a fleet of Ferraris with my billions, but not $123,000 for amplification."

I agree. Never spend that much money on something you know nothing about.

I'll stop here because its just more of the same for the whole article.

"Additionally he told the questioner what a more appropriate price range might be for his speakers. The gear itself is pretty much besides the point, I thought it was a reasonable and helpful response."

I just read your post again and that quote stuck out, so I'll just address it now, because you'll just bring it up anyway.

He told the questioner no such thing. How on earth can that guy recommend anything, knowing nothing about audio, and having no listening experience? The simple answer is that he can't. The only reason he came up with Parasound is because he had to ask someone what he should recommend. Remember, the person asking the question has a pair of vintage speakers that are only worth a few hundred dollars. This genius reviewer then sets the bar at a ridiculous $123,000 to make some kind of silly point. Once there, anything he recommends at a price at or close to the Parasound would sound like a reasonable recommendation. You don't think he really ever listened to a Parasound amp and can make a recommendation from knowledge and experience, do you?

To sum up, I don't see anything special about this article. The world of audio can get by without its "sound advice."