Raul,
The real high-end of Audio is rarefied indeed.
The vast majority of listeners will never be able to hear the true cutting-edge designs in their own systems, in their own listening environment.
If one were to evaluate advances in audio design by the satisfaction of the general user with his own set-up, then yes......Micro-Seiki and Technics and Pioneer would probably all figure prominently.
At most stages in my 30 year experience with audio, I have been ecstatic with my own system and found it hard to imagine how the sound could improve?........until I inserted something better.
And that something better was inevitably NEWER.
That doesn't of course mean that EVERYTHING newer is better.
I still have the same speakers I started out with 30 years ago simply because I can find nothing that sound remotely better.
I had my Regar Planar 3 turntable for 30 years (despite hearing Linns and Sotas) because nothing new sounded significantly better to me.
Similarly with my valve Kebschull pre-amp and Perraux power amp.
Even after buying the Halcro Pre and Power amps, I could still happily go back to my 30 year old Kebschull and Perraux which together with my speakers would put my system beyond yours in terms of antiquity.
What I could NOT happily go back to (now that I've heard the Raven with Copperhead)......is my Rega Planar 3 with Hadcock arm.
We are not saying that ALL new designs are better in Audio.
We are saying that truly BREAKTHROUGH designs and better DEVELOPED designs will enable a closer approach to the source than we have previously had.
And those who brush this off without the opportunity to hear for themselves, are merely penalising themselves needlessly.
The real high-end of Audio is rarefied indeed.
The vast majority of listeners will never be able to hear the true cutting-edge designs in their own systems, in their own listening environment.
If one were to evaluate advances in audio design by the satisfaction of the general user with his own set-up, then yes......Micro-Seiki and Technics and Pioneer would probably all figure prominently.
At most stages in my 30 year experience with audio, I have been ecstatic with my own system and found it hard to imagine how the sound could improve?........until I inserted something better.
And that something better was inevitably NEWER.
That doesn't of course mean that EVERYTHING newer is better.
I still have the same speakers I started out with 30 years ago simply because I can find nothing that sound remotely better.
I had my Regar Planar 3 turntable for 30 years (despite hearing Linns and Sotas) because nothing new sounded significantly better to me.
Similarly with my valve Kebschull pre-amp and Perraux power amp.
Even after buying the Halcro Pre and Power amps, I could still happily go back to my 30 year old Kebschull and Perraux which together with my speakers would put my system beyond yours in terms of antiquity.
What I could NOT happily go back to (now that I've heard the Raven with Copperhead)......is my Rega Planar 3 with Hadcock arm.
We are not saying that ALL new designs are better in Audio.
We are saying that truly BREAKTHROUGH designs and better DEVELOPED designs will enable a closer approach to the source than we have previously had.
And those who brush this off without the opportunity to hear for themselves, are merely penalising themselves needlessly.