> ... What has happened in the last few years is that good > enough audio gear is available at reasonable prices ..
Very true. I just moved to a small apartment temporarily, and no way could I take my audiophile shrine with me. Way too big, too demanding. So I bought some AudioEngine 5s based on positive opinions in this very forum, and I am blown away by how darn satisfying this <$1k setup is, compared to by ~$20k home "reference system'. It sounds awesome, and its simplicity is so elegant... It is a pretty awesome time to listen to music and be able to really enjoy it without spending a fortune. When I was a struggling student I would have given my left nut for a setup like this, but of course, back then PCs where $10k+... > ... The mining process is actually one of the main A > Audiophiles sources of delight: the result of that romantic > tension towards the unrealized Audio Nirvana dream. There are very rational drivers behind that, though. There are very simple and cost effective measures that provide gains. It does not have to be the esoteric stuff. However, the pursuit of diminshing results with unrelenting passion is at the core of eveery enthusiast hobby if you think about it. > Once you buy it the post-purchase guilt is likely to sneak > in and spoil the fun (definitely true for expensive audio > cables). I have never had that happen to me. I believe good quality cables make a difference. My cutoff for cables is at a few hundred $, though. For my main home system. I would not spend more. But even now with my budget setup, I have every cable replaced, albeit of course not with a single cable that is over $75, it would not make any sesnse... and this setup only needs a couple of cables, of course. The SB3 also has a (moderately priced) linear power supply. And I do not regret any of the moderate things I go for. Do I always hear a measurable difference? No. But I like the peace of mind of knowing the "cut corner" components that vendors package in as a secondary product are eliminated in my system. It looks better, and honestly it feels that little bit more musical that makes a difference. It's easy, and doesn't hurt. > Most cars/hifi gear selection choices can be directly linked > to those compulsions that we acquire as child and never leave > us: peer pressure, seeking the alpha male status or > compensating for some perceived deficiencies Aw come on. *Some* may do it. Some just have a lot of money to spend on a hobby, no questions asked, bless them. And some allocate some of their disposable income to pursue whatever results (diminshing as they get with every $ spent) they like, no harm done. And say nothing to anyone - I do not know a single audiophile that brags, by the way. The ones I have come across are quiet about it, just play the music for some social event, and you nod your head in appreciation, and most people never notice or know. I do believe in moderation and balance. But that is a very relative metric, and I don't expect everybody to live by it. I know genuine audiophiles that came to real money - one of them got the usual B&W Nautilus and spent $100k around it... with questionable results, and he knows it. Another one kept the system he'd had all the time and carefully put together, and which is one of the sweetest sounding systems ever, put together for about $10k over many years. It's impossible to paint all audiophiles with generic statements. What I know is that someone that can not tell me much about music they are playing for me to supposedly appreciate their system are questionable music lovers - they are the ones you talk about with the insecurities, and I would not call them audiophiles... -- pablolie ------------------------------------------------------------------------ pablolie's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3816 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38902
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