CardinalFang;143757 Wrote: > Well I would have myself a realist up until that point. I love music > above all else, but I like to know my equipment has been well designed > and well engineered both visually and sonically. I have bought it all > after reviewing some basic specifications and getting a feel for the > quality of the builder then listening to a short-list. I've had quite a > few systems, but ended up with Copland gear because I like the refined > look and detailed presentation. I also have a Pink Triangle because of > the neutral presentation and groovy design - plus I liked the attitude > of the company. > > Measurement and design are important to me for a number of reasons, but > aren't the be-all and end-all, as I did rather unsuccessfully try to say > on the other thread. I do like to know a piece of gear has been > validated for performance and safety - I have a family and I don't want > problems with inadequately tested and designed gear. That's why I get > really nervous about some mods. They are replacing components in > well-engineered and tested products and not doing anywhere the same > level of safety or soak testing that a bigger manufacturer would, nor > do you have the liability insurance should there be a problem. When you > put on top of that some dodgy theories about how the mods work I start > to run away. > > Final choice of gear comes after listening to it at home, as it should, > but it wouldn't get into my home unless I knew from measurements that it > was likely to be a good fit with the rest of the system. > > I couldn't bring myslef to buy any high end system if I didn't think it > gave me more insight into the music through more detail or a more > realistic sound stage for example. Some of the terminology thrown > around in reviews really puts me off buying it though. Words like > "chocolately" really irritate because it's telling me nothing. How > would I be able to listen for that quality myself if I don't understand > what the reviewer is saying. I guess that's why I prefer scientific or > engineering terms, they are generally unambiguous and I can then choose > whether it's what I'm looking for when judging the inevitable > compromises in equipment. > > I have applied the same rules to my other pastime - geetars. I have two > hand built guitars, a John Suhr and an Sheppard acoustic (a little known > British builder). I actually bought the Suhr without ever playing it - I > couldn't, it was built to spec and didn't exist. However I did know that > Suhr is probably the best luthier in the world, so I trusted him. All > the gear is based on CAD designs that are a result of solid engineering > and knowledge, thoroughly soak tested, measured against my > specifications and finally checked for the correct tone.[/QUOTE > > You might want to qualify the greatest luthier comment. Steel string > and electric guitars are different animals as are clasical guitars and > he may be a fine luthier, but he is unknown as a clasical guitar maker. > Steel string and electric makers generally make terrible classical > guitars. > there is no single greatest maker, we are in a golden age of clasical > guitar making and there are many fine makers. One of the most famous is > Mathias Damman. he makes a double top.( nomex is sandwiched betwen 2 > very thin tops to produce a very loud guitar) Many of the most famous > guitarists play his instrument: Grammy winner David Russel, Manuel > Barrueco, Pepe Romero to name a few. Mathias makes only 12 guitars a > year and has a 12 year wait list. > 20,000. On the open market the asking price is 42,000. > > There are other fine makers like Thomas Fredholm, Sweden at 8,000 > Smallman of Australia and redgate and Humphrey etc. > > I could go on, but not one great maker uses CAD or anyting like that. > They build by ear, using tap tones , adjusting bracing etc. It is an > art that cannot be fully measured. > > I have been a clasical guitarist for 30 years ad I have owned and > played most of the best makers...................I too have ordered a > guitar, but I try to avoid that, I didn't like it........... > I wouldn't ask someone to marry me I hadn't met either.........even > > though a guitar purchase is far more important:-)
-- tomjtx ------------------------------------------------------------------------ tomjtx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7449 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=28368 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
