That Audiophile Thing

i think thr process is easier if you start out with quality components.

for example, if you have quad esl speakers, preferably stacked, it is hard to get bad sound. next, understand that the quds sound better with tube amps.

the point is it is not that hard to learn the facts about amp, speaker interaction, preamp, amp interaction and the effect of long length cables.

if you speak to enough manufacturers, you can configure a decent sounding system. then tuning will be necessary to satisfy your sonic palette.

i don't think it is that difficult or should take a long time to attain a quality stereo system.

Ditto to what 2chnlben says. With what I know I have a very clear picture of what I'd do with my mind's eye reference on what my goals are. This isn't to say I'm not satisfied with what I have, I am and it has evolved but I know what is missing and what direction to go to fill in the missing pieces. It would definitely start with a dedicated room which I have drawn and designed as an addition onto my house. As a (now retired) building contractor I have been involved in construction of a few dedicated rooms, primarly for multipurpose audiovideo and am familiar with the many options and possibilities in the ever evolving materials and considerations that can be implemented. Having a blank check permits consideration of ALL the options instead of compromise. I would definitely consult with with an audio design engineering firm first prior to any move. First, the room, second the recordings, third the gear, too much emphasis on the gear. While very important, a less than optimal room can NEVER recover from poor or compromised room acoustics. Just my .02 cents.

Jmcgrogan2, you must have read my mind, because that's exactly what I was thinking, "I'm too old for that shit". The more I thought about it the better my system sounded.

Rrog, in all my travels, I never heard a 300B and at a glance they don't seem to have enough power, although I'm sure they do; at any rate I'm not ready for the unknown.

2chnlben, I meant enough to buy the stuff, not have "Jeeves" the butler put it together for you. You must be thinking about the rich audiophile that was in Stereo Review's funny strip.

Enjoy your music, on your system, I'm sure it sounds good.

Like magic, this 300B system would appear at your door in boxes, but you can't sell it ever. Plus, like me, you don't know squat about a 300B system; would you take it? And I'm sure it's going to sound exquisite as 300B systems go, however that is, whenever you get it together.

Orpheus10, for the last thirty years or so, I have had a system that is by, most standards, pretty complex: air bearing tonearm, big tt with separate ps, flywheel, etc., tubes, crazy-inefficient speakers (Stax). I have always enjoyed the "gear" side of the hobby, and have dabbled with modifications, hardwiring, etc. My system sounds great and serves the music very well; which is my priority.

But, I confess that as I get older (55), I am more and more intrigued by the idea of a simpler system along the lines of a 300B-based high-efficiency speaker system; something that will occupy less space and requires less futzing. I have heard some 300B/high efficiency systems that sound fantastic. As Rrog points out, they do some things very well, but have their limitations. Very true, but I have heard few systems that I cannot say that about, and that brings us to the issue of sonic priorities. For me, simple, well matched triode tubes/high efficiency speakers can convey a purity and directness of musical purpose that simply pushes a lot of the right buttons for me. There can be a sense of clarity that is very appealing. I don't just mean clarity in the sense of being able to hear all the usual audiophile things, but a clarity of musical line, interaction between players, subtle dynamic shadings, etc. They may have some trouble with rock, fusion jazz, but with acoustic jazz by smallish ensembles, they can be fantastic. There simply seems to be less "stuff" getting in the way on the way from the LP grooves (or cd) and my ears. Knowing what I do about your musical tastes, I would not be too quick to abandon the idea.