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

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.

Albert,

Spoken like a true MUSIC lover!

We have different vendor's components in our systems but otherwise I'd say we're a lot alike.

Cheers!

I reread Gogirls posts and didn't see anything condescending. She seems to be trying to understand the paradox of, if a four-figure system can be "high end" then, if so, why would you spend six-figures?

Part of it is the law of diminishing returns. A four-figure system will always contain compromises, at least IME. Forgetting headphones, where a 99th percentile system can be put together for under $10,000 pretty easily, most open air systems under $10,000 will not achieve deep bass. Music lovers a willing to make this sacrifice in order to really hear their texture of their favorite vocalist's instrument. This is a 90+% system, but it could be a 99% in it's imaging and presentation of midrange.

I wouldn't call that system mid-fi IF (this is a big IF)it does so with very minimal stress and electronic congestion in the presentation. OTOH, I've heard $50,000 systems that were full of electronic glare, congested midrange. A poor high-dollar system is usually only consider high-end by its owner.

Some of us grow old and find ourselves making lots and lots of money (it does happen) and find ourselves wanting to get rid of the compromises in our system, or at least most of them. (I don't know if there's a truly 100% system that EVERYONE would agree is the ultimate). I might could have done this a little sooner, but last year I moved from two-way mini-monitors to floor standing, almost-full-range speakers (roll off below 31Hz) and started upgrading the surrounding components.

My cables and ICs now cost more than my prior two-way systems speakers or amp. I'm chasing the final few percentiles of resolution and freedom from stress (hint, it's in the wires and sources mostly).

Is ego involved? Hell yes, but to widely varying degrees. For instance, my partner is building a four-million dollar house on the 8th hole of a famous golf course. Now there's an ego-statement, as much his wife's as his. Anyway, the sound system proposed by a consultant was MID SIX-FIGURES. I talked my partner out of it and he's spending high five-figures on security, lights and AV. Most importantly, he'll have a small, two-channel listening area. Several of his buddies spent the way more bucks, but their systems sound like pure crap. None of them know that, because none of them love music. It's a pure waste, based totally on ego.

The person with a more constrained budget still has ego. Many want to put together the best system possible for X-dollars. That's a man thing, mostly (my 21-year old daughter is an exception), but when you're constrained then you want to do the most with what you've got. This leads to debates, since there are so many choices that there's certainly no "best $5,000 system." I was part of this. I wanted to watch the jaws drop when my orchestral musician friends came over for a listen. I did that.

Now I struggle with how much to spend on others and how much to spend on myself. I've reached the point where a tithe is never a strain, so the question comes up as to whether I should give more. If I spend $10,000 on a CDP/SACDP wouldn't the money have been better spent helping typhon victims in Burma or tonado victims in the US??

Just so you know, I spent the $10,000 on my system, but comfortable with my ratio of self to others.

So, there are no absolutes. Must a high-end system be full-range, I think not, but it's not high-end in the same sense as the people that refining that last 1% of resolution, like AP. I think AP would agree, it's not the money, it's the result. IMHO, anyone with a truly musical system is in "high end". Of course, lots of people will disagree.

Dave