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Impressing friends with your rig

I don't have any friends into hi-fi so it was a rare occasion when I had a musician friend over who loves music but has no clue about "stereos" or formats or equipment AND who wanted to hear the system.

First off, they were very impressed with the fact that some of my gear is vintage. That the slate plinth weighs 70 pounds, and that the table, speakers and amps are over 50 years old. They were intrigued by the tubes, blown away that a 6SN& could cost $150, and stunned that the cartridge replacement cost was around $2000.

After showing and explaining the equipment, I demoed a few tracks on some 60s analog vinyl. It was pretty cool to watch their reaction when the needle dropped. Live jazz with lead trumpet, female blues vocals - you know the drill!

All they could say was how real it sounded, how they’d never heard anything like it. It was also one of those days when the rig sounded really good.
What experiences have you had like this?


128x128noromance
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noromance's avatar
noromance OP
9,888 posts
 
@elizabeth At least they don’t think they’re heating radiators like my Quads.
I take it that your Maggies play excellently at low volumes.
abucktwoeighty's avatar
abucktwoeighty
1,079 posts
 
I have one friend who regularly stops by to get out of the city.  When he comes, he asks me to turn my system off so he can just listen to the silence.  He does appreciate my system, but he is just as happy listening to his mid fi system.  He loves the JBL L-166 speakers I gave him that he powers up with vintage Sansui gear, of which he has quite the collection.  My other friends couldn't care less.  One of them has around 7000 lp's.  They like music and vintage gear, but my gear doesn't impress very much.  They tell me it sounds nice.  That's fine with me. 
lohanimal
659 posts
 
@elizabeth 
Your comment makes me think of Spinal Tap - the band with the loudest reputation with volume level 11.

I must say that most people who do listen think its 'all about the bass' but then they realise it is the enveloping 3d sound staging and how they can listen into the music. They usually start of listening to one track and before too long have heard around 10!

I can't lie when I say I take real pride when somebody hears what I hear so to speak
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 
I don't get to show my system off very often.Most visitors are content with background music.One exception was the father of one of my son's school mates who also happened to make his living in his younger days as a rock musician.He noticed the equipment and asked to hear something.He was astounded, literally.He declared it was the best system EVER and nothing could be had that could better it(hahahaha!)Right.Whenever I run into him or his wife they always mention that evening.
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