Would You Pay to Listen?


Imaging the best sounding system you've ever heard. My question is, would you pay (say on an hourly basis) to listen to that system. You bring the music, friends, refreshments, etc. and you have the use of a state-of-the-art system in a professionally designed acoustic space.

Possible reasons to pay to hear such a system:

- unlike the local audio salon, you could listen without the pressure of a salesman trying to sell you equipment

- you could use it as a reference to your home system

- you could use it as a refuge, a place away from the spouse and kids where you could truly experience dedicated listening

To be honest, I'm not sure I would pay for such a service, but then again if it were cheap enough, occasionally, maybe I would. What's your thoughts?
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I would definitely try this at least once, for all the positives listed above. It would be nice if there were many different brands of equipment that one could swap in and out just to see how components match up. Ahh, but how would the pricing be structured?
This is a good idea. Count me in. Especially if you get equipment options that can be set up for you in advance. I am also interested in music selection, a lot of you know a lot of nice sounding CD's in areas I am unfamiliar with and having those available with a short description (and what to listen for) would be cool.
in case you haven't noticed most good concert halls have very good equipment....right from radio city hall to the kodak theater.....and we do pay money for the tickets....

Say a performance is recorded on good equipment, so good no one can tell it apart from live.
Then why wont you pay for a audio performance so good that you can't tell if it's live or not....how do you care if it's live or simulated....you listen with your ears, right?

actually...just kidding....i would not pay if they wanted me to audition a final recording...no matter how good the studio was


No I would not. I had the "privlege" the other day at the local hi-end parlor to listen to the Linn (dig) Levinson (pre/amp) with B&W 801 and it left me scratching my head wondering why does it look so good and sound so unengaging? I stepped outside and listened to their Monarchy Audio Bronze, through Rotel and MSB dig front end and I was tapping my feet again. I honestly feel, that musicality can be had for far less than what most audiophiles are willing to spend. Go figure!