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What was your first big eye opener with regard to audio?


Hello friends,

what was the most fascinating thing you did with the compilation or optimization of your system in terms of SQ or performance, that really got your attention in either a good or bad way?


what was it that actually impressed or surprized you once it was in place?


or what DIY project was it that once done really gave your audio system a big shot in the arm SQ-wise?


maybe it was simply finding out just how much some items could cost


something always seems to take place that changes our philosophies or understandings and maybe even our approach to arranging a fine audio system.


what was your’s?

 

Perhaps it was buying a quality rack, platform, or maybe a pr. of amp stands?


rolling tubes? adding iso footers?


biting the bullet and bringing in a decidedly  more expensive or merely a different electronic component? DAC? Line stage? Mono blocks? Speakers?


what amazing things could be done with as little as 8wpc?


for example, my ‘eye opening’ events came two  fold. adding power line conditioning and using upscale wires/cables, or power cords.


which of these came first I’m not sure but all of them  came with a huge amount of prejudice on my part as to them doing anything positive to the quality of the sound, but indeed they did!


other things came along with nearly the impact or mind altering impact but those were the initial items that paved the way for me to keep an open mind with respect to building an audio system and preserving its synergy.


what was or has been your epiphany? your most surprising  ‘move’ in audio land?


blindjim
ahofer
225 posts
 
I worked in a mid-fi stereo store in 1977-78 (as a 14 year-old gopher).  I got my first speakers (Acoustic Research) on salesman's concession. 

The first revelation was listening to them for long periods of time before I made up my mind.  This was an early lesson in listening fatigue that I've carried with me ever since. (another lesson in fatigue came a year later, listening to a friend's Bose 901s)

The second was getting my new speakers home and moving them around in my room.  In the shop, they set up all the speakers on top of each other in a wall. In no time at home I was way ahead of anything I'd heard in the shop.

A different kind of revelation was the exposure to the ethics of my boss and a few of his colleagues and competitors.  I felt like I'd been slimed.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jfd11
106 posts
 
ARC SP6 1978
bigkidz
3,313 posts
 
Hearing my first pair of field coil speakers.  I still cannot get over the sound!
dr_wu
9 posts
 
Biggest improvements:
Upgraded and modded vintage Polk SDA speakers and added Dreadnought
Increased wpc from 75 to 200Replaced receiver with amp/pre/phono pre
DIY room treatments
Speaker cablesICs
It's been a joyful trip, and has cost a lot less than you might think. Amazing what you can do in baby steps.
richopp
760 posts
 
Opened my shop in 1973/4 season.  Listened to 34 different brands of speakers with the same front end sources.  Realized I had NO IDEA what I was doing regarding reproducing recordings as accurately as possible with a complex system.

Learned VERY FAST...back then, big manufacturers we carried spent time educating us on pretty much everything so we could sell more.  I don't know what they do today, but B&O, Audio Research, Magnepan, Nakamichi, Sequerra, Tandberg, Sony, Marantz, Scott (remember them?), JBL, AR, Technics, Shure, Satin, Supex, AT, Revox, Crown, etc., etc. helped us immensely.

Probably my biggest personal surprises:

1.  How poorly large Advents really sounded.  We LOVED them in college, just like everyone from that era, I guess.  No disrespect to Henry Kloss, truly an audio pioneer and did the best he could for about $95.00 retail!

2.  How ridiculous Bose "direct reflecting" speakers sounded...we literally laughed out loud.

3.  How Klipschorn speakers distorted everything, especially opera.

4.  How "screechy" Crown and Phase Linear amps sounded.  Crown stuff never lasted more than a couple of hours before blowing.  Phase Linear was pretty bad as well--but, customers abused PL 700's quite a bit!

4.  How Magneplanars, even in those days before many refinements like the Tympani IV-4 A, were a revelation when compared to any box speaker on the floor.  Only close box choice would have been Fulton 100's.  (Bob Fulton--along with so many, a great audio pioneer.)

5.  Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, that the customer's ROOM was the most important "component" of any audio system and always will be.

Long time ago...huge changes in many parts of the audio game.  However, the objective remains the faithful recording and playback of live music or recorded music that adds and/or removes nothing.

Cheers!
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