Slightly off topic, but related. I had a tv calibrator who I had used twice before refuse to calibrate my projector because I was using a Yamaha surround processor and amp. Related to that, I was in the market to replace my front main speakers and another dealer told me that my Yamaha gear was garbage and that I needed to change out my hardware.
Enough is Enough
I've been looking at changing my DAC. I was considering Lampizator, Playback Designs, and Ideon. Recently a dealer basically told me(with the exception of my subwoofer and music server) my system sucks. He went on to say, I should sell my amps, preamp, DAC, speakers, and start all over! I've owned several different speakers, amplifiers, and DACs. I've attended shows and several different dealers show rooms. In fact, I directly compared one of the amplifiers the dealer recommended to a Rowland 625 S2 amplifier and preferred the 625 S2. I didn't build my system in a vacuum. I determined what I wanted to spend, listened and purchase what I preferred. I've been in sales and submit it would have been better to recommend a DAC that would improve my system. So now I say, maybe enough is enough; because no matter what I have some dealer will tell me it's crap and I have to start over.
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Man, that is pure insanity.
I’ve been a record store owner for a very long time, and have on again, off again, been an audio dealer, and we are currently making a strong play to get very heavy into Hi-Fi. I have VERY often told people the exact opposite. Get to know your system, and upgrade slowly. Then, each change you make will be just as impactful as swapping an entire rig out. You know that feeling you get when you get a new piece of kit and you get to rediscover your entire record collection all over again? Why wouldn’t you want to do that over and over again? Isn’t that part of the fun? Morrison @ Hardcore Hi-Fi
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As stated by @rbstehno
Simply that. If you must visit a dealer, look, listen, and then arrange an audition in your system. Some dealers are knowledgeable and may share interesting observations but, at the end of the day, your opinion is the only one that counts. |
@ricred1 , Well, considering where everything’s at with your 2 channel gear you are pretty much stuck there.. unless, you get a li’l more adventurous and get a BACCH processor from Theortica Applied Physics. You may never know what it feels like to get launched inside a recording until you have something like BACCH in the chain (for 2 channel audio, that is, multichannel’s a different story). Otherwise, you could keep swapping dacs, amps, cables, etc forever... with no quantum leap, it is just another case of being stuck in the same watering hole comparing notes with the same ol’ guys who are stuck there as well...(thinking y’all heard this or that). Further, If you need to know about the kind of room treatment that gets you notches further in a dedicated room like yours (something you could strive towards in the longer term), it isn’t cheap or easy to do...(a bit cheaper if you’re diy savvy though). Here’s one if you’re NOT a diy kinda guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ydC9IB0G8 Here’s another if you are a diy kinda guy. https://youtu.be/tKWAI21G0bc?si=Q7GARnEkHvC26dJ7 Hope that helps.
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I would recommend you listen to a Goldnote DS1000, which runs “only” $8k. I have a DS10, and a good friend of mine had a DCS Bartok (not Apex). We did head-to-head listening tests. With the optional external power supply, I preferred my Goldnote to his DCS - more midrange magic, and at less than half the price. There are a number of Goldnote dealers in Texas. Another interesting choice is a Simaudio 681 at $12k; again, more flesh on bones than dcs imho. |
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