The Horror
After getting back home from “The Show” in Costa Mesa, California this past weekend, I walked over to my stereo system and turned it on. And silently wept. I had held out a feint hope that my cross-over modified 1.7i Maggies and mighty Parasound A21+, fed from a Prima Luna 300 tube preamplifier could somehow manage a slight shimmer of resemblance to the robust setups I witnessed at the SHOW. Not—- on— your —-life. Not even close. I slumped into my over-stuffed couch and stared long and hard at the thing I created: an anemic concoction of false hopes and wishful thinking. The horror, the truth: entry into serious audiophile listening begins with purchase of speakers that cost the price of the car I had to finance for 4 years, closely followed with the added expense of beefy sophisticated electronics and wiring, not a gaggle of cheap wanna-be plastic and tweeks. I so wanted to belong, but that’s turned out to be just a fever dream I’ve got to wake up from. Maybe one day, if ever I have the nerve to rob a bank, find Jimmy Hoffa, or survive a head-on collision from a sleepy Amazon driver, I might make it. Maybe. Feel free to play the violin with two fingers.
I understand your pain. I like planar speakers - but they are not for everyone, as I think soix was saying. Try auditioning something else. As for the long term, it seems to me that you have three obvious alternatives: headphones, room treatment, or DIY.:I went DIY because I couldn't afford what I liked. After 20 years, I've got a heck of a fine system, and had a heck of a lot more fun building it, mostly from over the counter parts. YMMV |
@soix I did not come out hard against the Boenickes - all I said was that for that much money there are much better value speakers. I supported it with a list. The way you doubted I knew anything about the Boenickes and if I had heard them was condescending - it wasn’t a "little pushback". It was a loaded statement that I had no idea what I was talking about. That’s not a "little pushback". That’s assumptions you had no right or reason to make. If you don’t see that - how arrogant your responses are - you have serious problems. You were very rude in your first post and you are even more rude in the last one. Grow a pair? Are you 5? This is not a bar with drunken surfer dudes. I don’t need your lecturing. You are embarrassing yourself with your bullying tactics. Obviously it's best we stay out of each others way, I will do all I can to avoid you. |
I think my Dennis Had SEP amp sounds better than any tube amp I've heard anywhere...cost about 1100 bucks (slightly used) back in 2017. My Pass XA-25 is the best sounding SS amp I've ever heard. About $5K or so...my rig, even after visiting Goodwin's (nearby) and listening to heaps of exotica, still sounds every bit as good in my house at a fraction of the cost of their stuff. You simply need to listen. |
To me, the most interesting thing about systems is that they all sound different. I try to identify the difference, before I make any judgement regarding the overall sound. Recently I listened to the big (and beautiful) Italian floorstanders at my friend's place. When I came home, listening to my own system, I first became sad and disappointed. His system sounded better. Especially, the treble was clearer. But then, I listened some more to my own system, noting that it has strengths compared to my friend's system. The treble may not be as sharply defined, yet the music sounds very embodied, even muscular (when called for), with a very lively and engaging 3d soundfield. So even though the Italians were hard to beat in some ways, other aspects pointed other ways. There are plusses and minuses with both system. This made me relax and enjoy what I have, and listening to other systems as well. It is a good idea to start with the plus points, rather than focus narrowly on the problem areas, e g a not-quite-optimal tweeter solution. |
