Audio Science Review = Rebuttal and Further Thoughts

@laoman ​​​​@holmz   Unfortunately, this is sometimes true.  As a commercial real estate appraiser, I was chosen to appraise high value homes in 1986-7 in Malibu, Rolling Hills Estates, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, etc.  I noted in another forum long ago about some totally ridiculous high end audio equipment poorly placed for the purpose of playing music but looking good.  An example is a 30"' high entry foyer which could be a living room in Malibu with a pair of Martin Logan electrostats (Monolith model) stuck half-way up the walls facing each other, flush mounted in carved out balconies.  I've thrown the photos away decades ago but that represents something wrong in a then $8 million home.  

My cable manufacturing friend has lost many potential customers because when they find out the price of his cables, they say they could not be high end because they are too inexpensive.   

Yes, some people equate price and/or brand name with quality.  Some use their systems as to make a deliberate or pretentious display of their accomplishments and wealth.  I've seen it (and several times suffered in hearing those systems).  

@Fleschler I find that sad. If you have high end equipment because you think it sounds great, good for you. For example if I ever win the lottery, I would love to buy a pair of Borresson 05s, simply because they are the best speakers I have ever heard imo.

laoman ​​​​@holmz Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. As a commercial real estate appraiser, I was chosen to appraise high value homes in 1986-7 in Malibu, Rolling Hills Estates, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, etc

They probably should have consider naming Malibu after the Bradbury book F451…

Usually when I see the blue VUs it is a statement peice.

And a TT and tube amps are also what people used before FB in order to signal that they had reached a level of disposable income.

TV shows and movies often show this, and it speaks volumes.

Fleschler I find that sad

Sad or not, it is a fact. People like to signal to others.

And it is easy with some gear to do that pretty effectively.

A stack of grey NAD gear can sound pretty good, but it doesn’t have the pull that high $ gear does for making a statement.

ARC also makes a pretty strong statement… but it generally sounds good.

Cable risers also make a statement, but I would personally avoid them in my system.

@laoman I have a lower cost (about $80K), high end system at the lower end because of my speakers, which although wonderful to listen to, do not reflect the full quality of the system (basically ambiance retrieval and listening area width). My wife and I went bonkers using my LPs and a CD at local audio shows when we heard the Von Schweikert Ultra 11 and 9. But it was with $1+ million support system. I wouldn’t want either of those for my smaller room. I would prefer the Ultra 7 which is efficient, smaller and passive. I will not pay $170K for those speakers unless my investments pay off big time ($millions) as I’m already 66 similar in price as your Borresen wish. Hopefully, I will acquire the VS VR9 SE mkII speakers somewhere between $35K and $50K fully updated in the near (2-3 year) future.

I heard a smaller 02 or 03 Borresen speaker this year in much too large a room (conference size) and it sounded small. The 05 would have been a better choice.

I found it a waste of money to use high end audio gear as furnishings.  One system had only McIntosh gear, some of it unconnected, sad.  

@holmz My speaker cable risers consist of old Audio Technica rubber footers on 106 oz. plush carpeting. Not as pretty but it does the job (now that’s more of a subtle not major difference with or without similar to turning off the lights on my transport when listening).