James Randi vs. Anjou Pear - once and for all

Mrtennis, regarding.

it certainly is helpful to be favorable inclined to the components in your stereo system. It is costly and emotionally draining to buy and sell after a short period of time.

If anyone has a "formula" for a longevity of satisfaction with a stereo system, please come forward.

I do pretty well, I begin by accepting what's practical and possible and aiming only for equipment that I know won't offend me or limit the music I want to listen to.

My system has changed over the years, going on "recent" history my Sound-Lab speakers lasted for 15 years and then I changed to Dali Megalines which I've enjoyed for 3.5 years with no desire to swap.

I've used Koetsu Cartridges for 9 years and just recently switched to Air Tight.

I've had my Walker Turntable for 8 years, Purist cable for 20 years and Aesthetix for nearly 10 years.

I guess amps have switched more than the rest. Between 1989 and 2007 I owned Atma-Sphere, Tube Research, Wolcott, Viva, VTL and Air Tight. Amps are difficult to match up perfectly to speakers (at least to my ears) requiring more than a little experimentation.

I'm sure there are Audiogon members who have swapped even fewer times than I, but I'm certainly not an equipment of the week guy even though I've listened to hundreds of pieces of gear I don't commit to buy all that often.

Well, Mrtennis, all I can say is that I have no formula. I began all of this interest in the middle 1960s. Since then I have had 27 different speaker systems, 21 amps, 19 preamps, 10 turntables, ? cartridges, and 47 different ac filters or isolation transformers. Generally each has been an improvement. It has been expensive but that is also part of the fun. Speakers are the exception. I have concluded that there are only speakers that are better in some regards; none that meet all that I would desire.

Mr Tennis-

Thanks for the kind words.

Regarding the question of how to stick with gear for the long term, my solution has been to buy quality on the used market, or if a new piece, buy new and then wait for warranty to lapse, then modify the product with the newest cutting edge parts available. Reference Audio Mods has great parts, and Electronic Visionary Systems will take the parts and mod the heck out of your stuff relatively inexpensively (as compared to RAM, which charges a lot for the work of installing the parts they sell. Both do fine work; EVS is a little cheaper, that's all.)

But most importantly, don't get hooked by the unending onslaught of great reviews or slick advertising. Arrange for home demos of LOTS of gear and then buy (either new or used) what you really love. Go for it! Then, modify the gear when the time is right for you. You'll really be pleased that you did.

I have had the same amps for 17 years, the same DAC/Transport for over 15 years (before it recently died, sadly), and the same speakers for four years, with no intention of selling or replacing anything. By occasionally modifying the gear, I keep it cutting edge. As long as you have a great tweaker to work on the gear (two noted above), the cost-benefit analysis reveals that tweaking is, dollar-for-dollar, the most effective way to get the most bang for your bucks. Further, it allows you to keep the same gear for years and years, not having to chase that nasty, elusive white rabbit of stereo bliss down the financial rabbit hole of keeping up with SOTA.

HAPPY LISTENING! and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!