Nothing new under the sun?

I think it's the idea that the last 10% of a project takes 90% of the time. It will take an increasingly large amount of resources (e.g. time, capital investment, etc.) to make any tangible progress. That said, it is is a VERY lucrative time for the accessory manufacturers in the high-end audio sector.

Most of us often "upgrade" simply because we can, not necessarily because we have a need. Since there's not really a whole lot of innovation going on with amplification, loudspeakers, turntable systems, or even a UNIVERSAL high-resolution digital format, we focus much of our attention to accessory products that are new, at least aesthetically.

The profit margin on cables is obscene. Other tweaks are often the same story. Expensive fluids, cones, rollers, clamps, compounds, connectors, etc. are all for-hire in the audio whorehouse. Get your cash out folks, it's time to tweak...

I truly believe that you can get good sound without breaking the bank, however the higher "high-end" is pricing itself out of a market, IMHO.

I also believe there's a lot of slick marketing going on as well. Worst offenders: Cable, and speakers.

I can say one thing, I'm keeping my IRS Betas. True full-range speaker prices today are well out of control IMHO.

Hi Kirk; I don't think it has to be "one or the other", ie there is a middle ground that most reasonable audiophiles buy into (is reasonable audiophile an oxymoron?;>)-- as I think I have.

One thing I've always found intriguing about this hobby is that no two systems can ever be the same-- and I'd bet large money on that. My system is totally unique and nobody can duplicate it with out also duplicating my room, its furnishings, and my sort of lousy local power supply. So to me, my system is an experiment of one.

So, in a way I may disagree with your basic premise, ie everytime I add something new or different , I will (or may) get a different sound/music character-- and I may like or dislike or be neutral about the change. Some of the changes can be fairly profound even though they are just considered a "tweak". My latest tweak was changing a silver plated outlet for a high purity copper FIM outlet for my amp. Well, the improvement was easily equal to the difference between a good $1000. amp and an outstanding $5000. amp. Yet this simple tweak only cost $70.

The cynics/skeptics out there would say "yeah just another high buck product to rip off us audiophiles". But if the FIM outlet were manufactured in mass quantity, price would drop dramatically. I paid for a unique product of very high quality, and it translated into a significant improvement in my music quality and my enjoyment. Cheers. Craig

I am with Beemer. I have a pair of Infinity 4.5's that can compete admirably with my Martin Logan ReQuests in many areas. I still use and love tubes. I still enjoy vinyl. I think the prices today are truly out of touch with reality. Don't usually bother to post on it because it is a personal choice for folks. I paid $500 a pair for my JBL L200 studio monitors brand new. (My first "serious" speaker in 1973) Even with inflation, and so called advances, what does a competing albeit better "horn" speaker cost these days or what do they go for used? Apparently if you can get close to 2 grand for "used" JBL's then we have not "advanced" to awfully far.

The high resolution audio systems today are bettered only by possibilities of more precise measurements to setup the electronic components.

Far not all the 20 years vintage equipment was well engineered for the high resolution playback.

Most people still prefere to buy a new product since they have all possible warranties for malfunction and deffects.

If you posess electronic skills and can detect the problem with malfunctioned audio or video unit, I believe that it's OK to go for used and cheap equipment or even make one yourself.