Which system would you rather have?


Which system would you like better? A system that offers one or two sonic attributes that are truly just "outstanding", but which comes at the expense of another sound category that is subpar, or a more balanced across the board system that may not rise above merely "excellent" in any category, but that does not really fall much below it anywhere either?

(Or would you rather take what's behind door number 3: truly "outstanding" in Every category and all the financial ruin that goes with it...)

I will go first. For myself, I believe the longer I've been at this game maybe the more I've come to appreciate a system that is well balanced across the board - even if nothing in particular is an overwhelming standout, and I may favor it especially so once all the sonic gremlins have been successfully tamed (no small thing that, sometimes). But, in my mind at least, maybe that comes the closest to anything I can point to as my "reference sound" anymore...or short of live music, anyway. Maybe the imbalance that I'm hearing in other systems these days is because most systems are simply "unfinished" and as such are in a state of flux. I'd say we can all appreciate how long it can sometimes take to consider a system truly finished. Maybe mine is unusual in that IS completed, I dunno, but I've now gravitated somehow toward more balanced, even if it must therefore be less spectacular in some particular regard. I find the better balance distracts me less when listening, when any shortcomings are not there to remind me that I'm listening to equipment rather than the performance...and even when no particular attribute, while it can certainly be wonderful to pay attention to in its own right, may actually be working to upstage the others, keeping all the musical facets from being on the same page. More of gestalt thing, perhaps. Or maybe it's just me. Anyone else feel like this??...or disagree??

128x128ivan_nosnibor
Freedriver,

Tell me what Integrated tube amp that you can buy for 500.00 that will outperform a 10k tube integrated from 5 years ago? No offense but this seems like a pipe dream.

Door #3 .... Full stop ..... AND it did NOT encompass any assertion or aberration of "financial ruin".

I don't usually get fazed by these increasing number of provoking posts where the OP feels somehow compelled to assert his or her anecdotal and heavily biased personal opinions stretched to be alleged facts .... 

In this case, that threshold was somehow breached because I'm in strong disagreement with the OP and in strong agreement with Taters last post ... You only get what you pay for in this crazy hobby.

 Everything is built to a pricepoint (at a budget strata level, it is invariably to the lowest price-point possible .. Chi-fi anyone?) and there is no substitute or faking quality build gear, with a performance quotient that moves in lock-step.

A $500 kit versus a $10,000 kit face-to-face bake-off.... I'll take that anywhere anytime.

You only need to do the simplest math: at a $500 retail pricepoint, discount that to the wholesale pricepoint and then price-out the major parts -- E.g caps, power supplies etc... Then check out what quality Mundorrfs and quality power supplies actually cost.

Price is NOT  any comparstive yardstick in this hobby -- we  all started out -- and/or  continue -- sometime at the lower end of the price/performance strata in audio gear. This  hobby is a journey and not a destination.

I have an A, B, and a C system even now with differing price-points from $1000 to ... Well... Just call it high-end. . BUT I get that immense pleasure and satisfaction out of each them equally. 

yes, I also do have a "north of $10K " integrated amp  and matched price and build strata DAC in my A system . To somehow suggest that my entry level C strata gear somehow matches it in performance and even boldly suggest that it  bests it ... Well as Taters already  amply put it .... A pipe  dream.




I chased the audio dragon for over 40 years, though much more intensely over the last 10 years. Being a blue-collar audiophile, things, of necessity, had to be done as inexpensively as possible, though of a quality that would enable me to retire with a smile on my face.

That challenge was met using DIY where possible, and maximizing each aspect of the system to the extent possible within those parameters. I am happy to report, there is no audio anguish in my camp any longer, just long, enjoyable, listening sessions.

Life is good.
Regards,
Dan
IslandmanDan gets it.The Chinese made Boutique brands buy the EXACT same fancy Japanese Power Trandsformers, caps etc..that the big makers do, they just DON"T pay the HUGE markups manufacturers in this country pay.There’s a reason besides cheap labor everything is made in china these days.Let me also say BIG spenders are predesposed to hearing differences that are NOT there simply to justify the huge price they pay for so called better sound.This mentality is EXACTLY what keeps the status quo!As I stated,NO ONE that spends BIG $ will EVER admit how LITTLE they gain over so called entry level gear.THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS HAS NEVER BEEN SO APPARENT AS IT IS IN THIS DAY & AGE!I'll also say AGAIN, properly controlled bling listening tests are the only thing that will KILL the status quo.Why in the world do you think you never see these tests done in the audio rags,because they KNOW they would allow the truth to be exposed!!!