In your opinion, what is Hi, Medium and Low end?

Hi Fi lets you hear the car in the Counting Crows' Big Yellow Taxi about two minutes into the track. Heh, but it's not what you think. It's not the sound that is like a car door slamming; that's the screen door slamming. Then comes the very low level sound of the car as it rolls away, after the lyrics, "...and a big yellow taxi took my girl away."! You're not going to hear it clearly with a low to Mid level rig(You may not hear it at all or it will sound like distortion; those with hearing difficulty will say it's not there) It starts very quietly in the right channel and moves left. It's a good test of how capable your system and your ears are.

You'll need some good gear (usually the more expensive kind) to hear clearly what I'm talking about. Those with High End gear will be able to hear it cleanly.

My system is clearly not high end if the measure is $$$$s spent compared to others.

I listen to the best systems I can without regard to cost whenever I have an opportunity and use these to set my reference for what is possible. Then I decide how to best invest the funds I can to best achieve that level of performance myself.

My current setup definitely floats my boat in regards to performance and enables me to fully engage my love of music with no significant compromise, which I guess is my goal.

Believe me, I'm always looking for ways to make my system better whenever possible. I do think though that given where I am at currently, the improvements I can achieve are very very marginal.

If I could do anything to improve my system at present, I would probably invest in a bigger listening room somehow in which to really unleash some large scale audio fury!

In looking at Albert Porters System, I see that he has a one meter interconnect that costs more than my entire main system.

I've never heard the Dali's in Albert's system, but have heard other large Dalis albeit in listening rooms that were too small for them and based on that would expect his are quite extraordinary speakers with what has to be state of the art midrange detail, clarity and resolution in combination with the rest of his extraordinary system.

IT would surely be quite a rematch of David versus Goliath to compare my system to Albert's. I'd probably only even consider doing it if I could get a home game in my modest sized room in that I am fairly certain I'd get blown away in a much larger room.

The best I could probably hope for in reality in such a duel would be to put in a valiant challenge and confirm that the differences in performance were in fact marginal compared to the large difference in cost.

If I could afford Albert's system would I buy it? Sure why not. As I've stated repeatedly already, it is without doubt quite extraordinary! What audio nut wouldn't like to own it? Certainly not this one.

If I could afford it, I would also like to buy the Taj Mahal as my new listening room and have it custom treated for better acoustics while at it.

Actually in recollection, I misstated something above.

The speakers I referenced that I had heard were large Avalons, not Dalis. The dealer sold both but I did not get a chance to audition any Dalis. I thought the design of the Dalis in Albert's system looked much different from the ones I was recalling...now I know why, two different lines!

So that fact is I've never heard Dalis. I'd surely at least want to hear them first before saying I'd buy them if I could.

Nevertheless, the Dalis is Albert Porters system surely sound outstanding as well in his exceptional setup.

Sorry.

You guys are embarrassing me. The equipment in my system is as Jax2 says, a lifetime achievement.

Considering all the work and time I've put in, it's really not that much. Had I spent the time studying the stock market I would be much more successful. Problem is, I'm still a child at heart when it comes to music.

Guess if I had it to do over again, I would still spend all of my energy on my art (photography), my music and my son.

My son John is the only truly perfect music in my life, equipment can only get you closer if you already have the passion in your heart.

When I think back on the times when he and my wife were dancing in the living room to my favorite LP's spinning on the turntable, everything seems perfect. Where else can a man have everything he loves, enjoying life and sharing happiness in a single spot in your home?

When we are very young, even the thought of Christmas brings excitement and joy that as old folk, we forget. Can any of you remember the true excitement of being with the family and the prospect of a toy you wanted when you were five or eight or ten years old?

Do you remember the excitement of your favorite song when you were about to become a teenager? Have you considered what you would have to hear today or find under the Christmas tree to be that excited again?

Think about that a bit and then maybe you can understand why a grown man wishes he could hold a bit of childhood again. Maybe if we push the boundaries of our systems a tiny bit more, we can listen to our favorite music and feel that way again.

Just a thought.