OK - I just came back from my friend who owns spectacular system where we had a chance to compare the $650 Stein Music The Perfect Interface Pi Carbon Signature to my $30 Teac Washi.
He has amazing system in the large - dedicated room - The beauty of his set up is that the TT is set behind the listening chair so whoever operates it, is out of sight the person who listen.
Great set-up for experimentation!
He uses SME 30/12 with 12" SME V arm and Soundsmith Hyperion cartridge. Dartzeel pre-amp with built in custom tune phono stage and Zeel's mono blocks feeding Wilson Alexx speakers.
So I brought over my el-chipo Teac asking him to switch mats without telling me.
My job was to identify any differences with a hope of getting consistent results and point to the specific mat.
It was refreshing to realize that neither me nor the owner of this high end system could hear ANY difference!!!
Once again, we have proven that most justification for more expensive product happens in our brain and rarely is based on the actual superiority in quality improvements...
he was quite disappointed with the outcome....BUT he is a well prosperous lawyer so he will live....$650 - cheap change...
Me, on the other hand, super happy that I scored bargain.....mat GAME OVER!
He has amazing system in the large - dedicated room - The beauty of his set up is that the TT is set behind the listening chair so whoever operates it, is out of sight the person who listen.
Great set-up for experimentation!
He uses SME 30/12 with 12" SME V arm and Soundsmith Hyperion cartridge. Dartzeel pre-amp with built in custom tune phono stage and Zeel's mono blocks feeding Wilson Alexx speakers.
So I brought over my el-chipo Teac asking him to switch mats without telling me.
My job was to identify any differences with a hope of getting consistent results and point to the specific mat.
It was refreshing to realize that neither me nor the owner of this high end system could hear ANY difference!!!
Once again, we have proven that most justification for more expensive product happens in our brain and rarely is based on the actual superiority in quality improvements...
he was quite disappointed with the outcome....BUT he is a well prosperous lawyer so he will live....$650 - cheap change...
Me, on the other hand, super happy that I scored bargain.....mat GAME OVER!