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How to listen to the good stuff?

How is one able to hear some of the 100's of great systems described in review after review?

There's been six or seven high-end dealers in the local area and I've been to a few out of state, and among all the auditions I've listened to at these places with all sorts of different speakers and electronics, from systems costing hundreds of dollars to systems costing many tens of thousands of dollars, only one system ever sounded 'great', and only one or two I would consider barely 'good'. The vast majority have sounded quite poor to awful.

The funny thing is, even with the awful sounding systems, the dealers will gush about how great it sounds, how it sounds so live, and use all the usual audiophile superlatives and descriptions to describe what I'm supposed to be hearing. Yet it sounds nothing like that to me at all -- poor sound, little emotional connection with the music, no PRAT, nothing like live music, and almost always boring. It doesn't come anything close to what I hear at home, or anything like the descriptions in so many reviews. Yeah, I know it's their job to talk about everything in glowing terms, but that is the point I'm trying to make. If all of this stuff sounds like crap at the dealers, how do I find speakers I might like better than the ones I have? How do I hear a great SET amp or an exotic horn system?

I want to hear some more of these setups that are described as being able to image a full size orchestra right in your living room and you can pick out each individual player, etc., etc.

The descriptions I've read of all the different audio shows over the years make it sound even worse than auditioning at a dealer. Crowded rooms with little chance to sit in the sweet spot. Systems setup the day before in a crappy hotel room. Poor selection of music. etc. And I don't know anybody with a high-end system, let alone the high-high-end stuff, and the audio 'club' (society?) is pretty much dead.

Do you guys think most of the dealer setups you've heard sound good? How do you guys listen to some of the more exotic stuff? Pretty much going to shows, or do you live in L.A. or N.Y.?

(Some of the speakers heard at dealers: Magnapan 1.7, Sonus Faber, various B&Ws, Wilson X-1 and Sasha ?, Joseph Audio Pearl, Linn, Vienna Acoustics, Totem, various Martin Logans, Thiel, ...)
bdhgon
david12
1,454 posts
 
Hhiggins Thats an interesting perspective and true when you think about it. Reviewers are divorced from the business of actually paying for the kit. You get that feeling from High End magazines. I am thinking particularly of HiFi+ in the UK. I have lost count of the reviews ending with "this 8 watt tube amp is a bargain for £20000"

You end up thinking, what is this guy on, whatever it is, I want some.
finsup
289 posts
 
I asked the OP about his room because ultimately, as Hhiggins just wrote, he needs to hear the equipment in his room. I think it is important to eliminate the room's effects as much as possible.

The OP wrote he had two "incredible" systems in his home already. I infer that he probably has done something to treat the room and he has achieved good synergy with his components. When he swaps out equipment, he probably will be hearing that change more so and not the effects of the room.

With good synergy in place already, where should he start: With the Source or the Speakers?

To answer his question, since local audio clubs are out of the question, and it really is difficult to audition in someone's home, he first should think about going to RMAF. As has been stated already, if he can hear something he likes in what is a very challenging listening environment, then he has his jumping off point for the next part: Identifying dealers that other members have been to before where the dealer has made the extra effort to set up a good room or two in his business and who reps the equipment he is interested in and then go visit them.

Will that cost more? Yes, but depending on his location, maybe not that much more expensive than using a hit or miss approach buying/selling equipment off Audiogon without having heard the equipment somewhere else and just relying on professional or user reviews.
rleff
1,065 posts
 
I also agree with shadorne;for me it was actually meeting a dealer in st.paul minnesota who actually took time with me to listen to several pieces of equipment and never jammed the gear down my throat to make a sale;I eventually bought from him although the gear was used;he never slammed me or treated me any different;one postive was being able to meet Ralph from atmasphere in the shop and talk with whom I believe is one of the top designers and manufacturers in the audio industry.I probally learned the most from this dealer and his business practice that drew me into the great hobby foir which I can say I am learning still after some 27 yrs.Probally my best tip is to bring your own music and better yet see if you can audition the gear in your own home.
bdhgon OP
10 posts
 
Finsup wrote: "I get the sense from reading your posts that you probably have your systems dialed in but just want to be sure"
This is exactly the heart of my question. What if there are speakers or other componants out there I would like far more than what I currently have? How do I find them?

While of course I agree that listening to a piece of equipment in your own home and with the rest of your system is best, it's not exactly practical repeatedly buying, selling, crating and shipping $15,000, 300 lb speakers for a lot of people, me included.

From the responses so far, it sounds like the best thing to do is try and go to a show.

As far as doing in-home demo's of expensive speakers, what's the usual policy for something like scratching the speakers while setting them up or boxing them back up?
finsup
289 posts
 
From the responses so far, it sounds like the best thing to do is try and go to a show.

Going to a show, even some of the smaller regional shows, is probably the best bang for the buck. If you can find something that appeals to you at the show, then you have a good place to start.

If your budget is $15K for speakers, though, after going to a show, I might allocate some of that to visiting some reputable dealers whom have demonstrated care in setting up their showrooms, even if it means buying a plane ticket if nothing local is promising.

In a sense, you have it harder than someone just starting out since you already have two dialed-in, synergistic systems. Do you look at your source and amps and then research compatible speakers, or do you find something in the chain you can replace to get even more performance from your speakers?
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