jh901 wrote: > Most of us are typically prioritizing "value", but not everyone is > restrained. Thankfully. I'm glad that some are willing and able to > splurge for the KEF Blade or the Focal Stella Utopia. We all benefit > from that, but why do "we" get hung up on jealousy? Why characterize > such a purchase as a waste or think of that buyer as a fool? WE are > CRAZY if we think that way. > > B&W may have higher margins due to successful marketing. Good for > them. > > I do prefer to stick to the proven names with a reputation for value. I > don't think Focal's Utopia line is value oriented at all (at MSRP), but > one can find a deal with a bit of luck and effort which will make the > purchase rational. Frankly, I'm not spending $2 grand on speaker stands > unless they are loaded with at least $1,500 cash. LOL. I doubt there > is much value at MSRP in any of the statement lines, but again, I don't > pay MSRP! As for Cary, well, read about the SLP-05, for example. Or > the SLP-98. Their gear doesn't have the Mac look nor does it come with > Mac pricing. As for the sound quality, well, I hope some will check > them out (especially Ralph...the 306 will blind him!).
Yes you are correct that paying MSRP for high end audio equipment is luxury only a few of us can afford and thankfully there is a robust pre-owned equipment market to help the less fortunate get in the game. By the way I checked the Cary Audio web site and both the SLP-05 and the SLP-98 are tube based pre-amps and I will NEVER buy any audio equipment that uses TUBES, I repeat NEVER. Tubes have their uses but not as part an audio system. Besides I already have a very good Sim Audio solid state pre-amp. The Cary CD-306 is a SACD/CD player with digital inputs, i.e it can function as an external DAC, and there is no way I am ever going to buy another SACD/CD player, again I already own a McCormack SACD player, an Oppo blu-ray/SACD player and a Marantz SACD player (which is not even being used). I might be interested in the new Oppo BDP-105 for my home theater set up but not another audio disc player. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ralphpnj's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=10827 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=98249 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
