2. home-theater
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It's No Fun Being a Guru Anymore

I would be curious to hear everyone's opinion on this -- somthing that probably happens to all of you as often as it happens to me.

Years ago, when systems seems more oriented towards MUSIC, it was flattering and fun to help friends choose equipment. Choose music, choose equipment, sit down, enjoy.

Today, however, it just seems like a nightmare and fraught with potential problems. Or is it just me?

Last night, I visited a friend of a friends new apartment in mid renovation -- a beautiful pre-war high ceilinged apartment near Park Avenue in New York where he has happily spent a zillion dollars on everything.

And here is the exciting news on the state of his audio/video plans:

He is requesting:

1)bookshelf speakers in a study/library, approx 8x12

2)unobtrusive speakers in living room, possibly near ceiling and possibly with subwoofer, approx 14x20

3)a second pair of bookshelf speakers in a kitchen/den area, approx 18x20

Here's is where it gets interesting: (NOT!)

He thinks he can use a 10ish year old YAMAHA AVR-75 receiver and a similarly low end SONY DVD/CD/Video CD player to drive EVERYTHING.

And the dealer who gave him a $10,000 proposal has encouraged him!

So the proposed solution is:

Keep the existing yamaha components and add:

1)Fujitsu HD plasma screen in kitchen/den area
2)$900 flattish speakers that hang off the plasma screen
3)An $800 Denon A/V receiver to drive these speakers and possibly the second pair of bookshelf speakers in the kitchen/den area

4) Hundreds of $$$ more on stuff I've never heard of, including programming his remote to receive Timewarner cable, and an ARTICULATING arm to swing the TV off the wall and over the kitchen table. Am I just getting too old or is this a JOKE?

I would say $10,000 or more later, this will sound like CRAP, in EVERY ROOM.

Despite the cheesey garden variety home theatre "solution" there has been no mention of surround sound or a subwoofer for the plasma system.

So my first thought would be to listen to TV and DVD through a decent pair of proper speakers in just stereo and junk the flat speakers that mount on the TV.

But I really dont even know where to begin.

He is actually a nice guy with a nice wife and I would like to help, so if anyone has any ideas or advice, please let me know ASAP.
cwlondon
bigkidz
3,397 posts
 
Funny, I have found the same sound at dealers with all the equipment in the world to make a system sound musical at the least. I recently heard a new speaker line made by a very well known cable manufacturer and the guy who set up the audition for me and my friend was gushing about how real it sounded. I felt so bad when after the first three notes my friend said "I don't like this at all", I was a little more relaxed and said that he needed to use some different components and reposition the speakers, BTW the system had the worst sound I have ever heard, Slappy, even worse than my wife's friends Bose system. It actually hurt our ears. After we left, I told my frined to take me to the rat shack to get us some real speakers.

So it does not always come down to componets every time but bad sound is bad sound no matter how much you spend.

Happy Listening, just not on those new speakers I heard!
satch
329 posts
 
I fully agree with Slappy (Yuk! I normally disagree with everyone on everything. Maybe I'm getting old......). If people buy something that you think is crap, but they are happy with it, is it your job to make them unhappy and tell them they've thrown away a pile of money? Maybe, but you won't have much friends in the end.... And maybe WE are the crazy ones, spending a lot of cash on stupid things like cables, powerconditioners etc., when the same amount of money can get you a decent trip to Disneyworld with the kids. So if people ask my advice I give it to them, and if they buy something else I visit them, compliment them with their good choice and, to get even, drink all their booze and eat all their food.....
elmuncy
64 posts
 
I've been in this situation myself. Believe me, you have nowhere to go but down. Unless they're audiophiles like yourself and know good sound, you'll be fighting every inch of the way. And in the end, they'll blame you for everything that's wrong, and the fact that they spent way more money than they had to. Smile and stay out of it
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,652 posts
 
CW:

Not certain about DVD players, TV's/Screens (I use a cheap Mintek DVD-1600 in our bedroom).

However, for the sound part your friend should check out the Yamaha Pianocraft mini systems. I'm familar with the 40 watt version, but recently read of a 50 watt model (Terry Cain of Cain & Cain mentioned it over @ AA).

The 40 watter is a compact/attractive/remote controlled system that sounds very nice. It will work in the 14 x 20 with near/on the wall speaker placement, but a larger room would be stretching things a bit too much, IMO.

The older 40 watt version, a friend's daughter uses, has extra inputs (DVD) and if I recall correctly it also has a sub out feature.

Having experimented with Hi-fi in kitchens over the years I always ended up preferring the random/chaos of radio and the sound of mono. Vintage Art Deco radios are attractive, but they also have a tendency to drift. I used a KLH Model 21 for years in this application, which is one of the nicest sounding table top radio's ever produced (even if it is SS:-).
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Yesterday, I called the dealer proposing this $10,000 mid fi setup, introduced myself and gently explained that I didnt wish to step on his toes, irritate him or get in the way.

I said I knew that there was "nothing worse than an 'expert' friend complicating a sale" etc, that I was not being paid to do this and that I only hoped we could "collaborate" and "compare notes" in the interest of helping my friend.

Guess what?

For at least 10 if not 15 straight minutes without even drawing a single breath, this guy unleashed a PT Barnum esque tirade about how he has been in the business for over 30 years, speaking to me as if I had never set foot in an audio store.

He paused in the end, only to CHALLENGE me to questions including:

Do you play a musical instrument (yes) what percentage of your music collection is classical (25%?) or jazz (20%?) trashing audiophiles and mentioning his affiliations with a long list of cheesey mid fi brands.

Funny of course, that although I play the piano myself, there seems to be an inverse correlation between musicianship and caring about high quality audio -- certainly true in his case!

I then politely stood my ground, reminding him that I had no commercial interest in this situation, but was simply trying to help a friend and that I might suggest a more simple, less feature and home theatre oriented solution for his needs and desire to listen to music throughout his apartment.

He actually said, in the end:

"If I tried to sell what I thought was right instead of what people think they want, I would never make a sale."

Unbelievable. And sad. Please help.
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