My musical taste, like I am sure most people on here are all over the board. I love blues, , jazz, solo voice and then I might want to listen to EDM. When I was younger, late 70s early 80s I heard some electrostats. I have had that sound implanted in my head since then. Thus the maggies. Yes, i know they are different then electrostats but I did get to compare some Martin Logans with maggies. So what is pleasing to me is detail and soundstage. Again, I am just getting back into my hobby and am trying my best to explain my thoughts. In hindsight, I wish I would not of skipped 25 years. I have vinyl, a ton, but also would like to stream. My room is medium size ( 20x14) and empty, so I can do what I want in there. My initial thoughts are to pair a tube preamp with a SS amp. So many variables it is overwhelming , however I figure I need to start somewhere lol. I must say I have watched so many stinking video reviews and spent hours on the forum. I agree to extend regarding storefronts. Limited brands, push their agenda ect. How often do you guys send stuff back that you buy direct? I do appreciate the input and patience in your responses, I know some of this is now second nature to you.
Bad recordings and high end audio
Hello. Have decided that the kids are out of the house and I can dedicate some space and money to my long ignored hobby. What is different now is there are so few audio stores. I firmly believe in listening to products so thus I start this great new chapter of my life. The first 2 stores I went to the people were very patient with me and I listened to a ton of combinations. They asked me did I want to hear anything else and I said yes, ummm,.. how about Led Zeppelin? I received the same response from both stores which was “all Led Zeppelin recordings are horrible” except for this one version of Led Zeppelin 2…blah blah. So I said what happens if I am at home and i have a desire to play Led Zeppelin or another perceived poor recording? They did not have an answer for me nor did they play Led Zeppelin lol . I ended up ordering a pair of Magnepan 3.7i’s from a different store. 13 weeks until I get them, ouch. I am going to guess that people do listen to poor recordings on great systems because you just want to hear a particular album, right? Or am I missing something? Just looking for a bit of insight. Yes, I know they want it to sound the best so I will buy it but is that the only motivation. Or maybe they hate Led Zeppelin, lol.
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Yes so many choices it can all be very confusing. You came to a good place here though to get a good sampling of what is possible. Maybe others here who live not far from you might offer to let you hear their stuff if you message them including myself. Also there are audio shows starting to go again now it seems and those are one of the best ways to get a wide sampling of what is possible in a short period of time. |
@daydream816: "My initial thoughts are to pair a tube preamp with a SS amp. So many variables it is overwhelming , however I figure I need to start somewhere lol. " I don't know what your budget is but if you do not have unlimited funds, something you might want to consider is a Wells integrated. Jeff Wells designed his integrateds with the "SS amp + tube pre-amp" sound in mind. He sent me a demo unit (Magestic) to try out at home and he might be willing to do the same for you. http://www.wellsaudio.com/ As far as buying direct (or buying from sellers who offer trial periods with a return policy) and sending stuff back, I always do extensive research before buying anything and have kept most of what I've bought, including my Wells integrated, Simaudio transport and Aqua DAC. Be aware that some sellers will penalize you if you return items in the form of restocking fees on subsequent purchases. Yes-- I'm talking about you, Music Direct! There are quite a few options for buying cables direct and there is also The Cable Company. The latter will send you already burned-in cables to try out (whatever brand/model you're interested in). |
It is not hard, unless you make it hard. Experts here lined up to help! Audio has improved so much in 25 years you can throw a rock and hit something better. Even the Maggies. But then we get into the making it hard part. If you buy speakers that are highly sensitive and easy to drive this is such a huge advantage you cannot believe. This opens the door to very affordable yet incredibly high quality sound like a Raven Blackhawk. If you want a speaker that sounds every bit as good as a Maggie, and then some, AND is super easy to drive, listen to this guy. https://youtu.be/7RxRTFx6Cd0?t=342 Bear in mind he loves Maggies. |
There are lots of trustworthy Maggie dealers. The one I frequent carries 20 ish brands of speakers in 8 large showrooms. Ditto for electronics. Dominant in his large local market, a true music lover with > 20 k records and blessed with good musical sense - he has access to any brand. Is he my only dealer relationship? No. Like most things, a mix of dealer, used and direct is the right answer. The maggies require a strong well designed amplifier, suggest you get good advice on that. Without a general budget the conversation is limitless. Best to you on your renewed musical journey. Jim |
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