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Am I right for this forum?

I’ve been an Audiogon member for some years now; I remember (fondly) "millercarbon," for example, which will mean something to some of you. And I’ve been a lover of audio equipment since high school—so, for over 50 years (I graduated in 1973). And yet...more and more, I find myself alienated from this forum, even though I do still read it regularly.

I do have what I consider a very "high-fidelity" system. I’ve written a very long account of my "audio journey," complete with many photos, but not "published" it on this site. I’m also a member of our local audio club, which includes several very well-heeled members who have systems costing more than most homes (one of them owns equipment valued at nearly a million dollars, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg: his system is housed in a separate structure purpose-built for it that cost well over a million). I play cello and guitar; my wife plays piano, my daughter piano and violin. We play those instruments in the same room occupied by my main audio system, and so I can attest to the "fidelity" of that system’s reproduction.

And yet...my system cost me less than $3,000 in total. I don’t lust after any particular "upgrade," even though I read reviews and all the many accounts of improvements in "SQ" documented in this forum.

So...am I an "audiophile," or not? Do I belong here, or not?


I’m listening right now to a wonderful bit of Mozart. I also love Tool. And Christy Moore. And Eva Cassidy. And so many others. I agree with Nietzsche: without music, life would be a mistake. But am I an audiophile? Do I belong on this forum?

Any sympathy here? Anyone else feel alienated from the "audiophile community" despite loving the miracle of audio technology?

128x128snilf
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,961 posts
 

I know for a fact that acoustics knowledge matter more than gear price tags...

When you have a good balanced system you forgot the sound. Suddenly any musical album reveal his unique acoustic trade-off interesting choices and the music is well served so much you cannot stop listening the music not the sound.

 

How is it possible with a relatively low cost system as mine ? With acoustics basic applied among other factors...

I was accused to bash high end gear because of my claim😊 ... Complete misunderstanding who reveal the ignorance abyss put by marketing publicity in audio forums and magazine and in people head... I discovered it late in my life and recently and progressively all along my acoustics journey ... ( acoustics concepts are not room acoustic panels by the way )

No acoustics concepts and experiment will put a 100 bucks speaker on the same podium as 10,000 bucks one... Common sense and common place fact ... But acoustics will make possible an improvement in the limits of these different designs in an astounding way ... I am flabbergasted by acoustics not by the gear...

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,961 posts
 

Wow!

A very good example of acoustics ignorance coupled to gear fetichism ...

A.I. will replace our ears and Bach soon ...

A.I. is not a tool we are the tool of A.I. 😊

Sadly, on another note. We got a new conductor whom wanted to make his mark on the symphony. He had a multimillion dollar DSP system installed in the orchestra hall. Suddenly the violins sounded steely on the top, the drums sounded as if they came from behind me ( my seats were in the 7th row center). The triangle became a very noticeable instrument... like it had a solo. The music was very severely compromised...so it goes. My system now sounds better than the live orchestra.

immatthewj
1,837 posts
 

the cost of one’s equipment is not the main criterion. Concern for sound quality is, however one strives to achieve that goal.

Unfortunately, sound quality usually improves as the equipment improves, and as the equipment improves it unfortunately usually costs more.  Sad but true.

immatthewj
1,837 posts
 

Considering the current state of the art, $3000 is spot on.  The state of the art can be found at the Yamaha, Marantz, Denon, Polk, etc.... level.  All else is hype and eye candy.

How do you define state of the art?

ghdprentice
6,848 posts
 

@immatthew “Unfortunately, sound quality usually improves as the equipment improves, and as the equipment improves it unfortunately usually costs more…”

+1

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