Why do people associate computers/hi-fi?
steveinaz
Posts: 19,538
Seems like alot of audio consumers these days feel like they have to purchase the latest "version" of everything. Audio is not like computer equipment, you're rarely getting much (if any) improvement when you buy the latest model--in fact, you probably just bought something cheaper to manufacture.
Just curious, anyone else see this trend?
Just curious, anyone else see this trend?
Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Post edited by steveinaz on
Comments
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It's because marketing departments grow upgrade bugs in their labs.
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I love this trend. The speakers in my man-cave are about 25-yrs old and I am not exactly looking to upgrade them anytime soon. Then there is the main rig, plenty wise here too.
Sure I'll be interested in the latest CD or DVD offerings, but for the guts of my gear I go with affordable handcrafted tanks.Make it Funky!
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I am the opposite and actually wait for products to be discounted. I am happy with the fact that I did not pay full price for any piece of equipment. In fact the only "new" items in my system are my receiver (price matched J&R at circuit city) and a pair of r20's being closed out at a local retailer. Everything else is open box. By purchasing open box and getting price matches on new items I saved around 55% off asking price.Receiver: harmankardon AVR235
Mains: polk R30
Center: polk CSi3
Rear Surrounds: polk R20
Subwoofer: polk PSW404
DVD: Panasonic DVD-S29 -
People are stupid, plain & simple. Most people that have to have the latest version of everything are more into the "status symbol" factor of their purchases. There are plenty of people who drop $10,000 on a system, and probably only ever use it a handful of times.
My buddy tryrrthg has got me hooked on the used equipment scene. Recently, I got a McCormack TLC-1 for $350. This is about 8 years old, and originally sold for ~$1000. Used equipment is a sweet way to go.Bob Mayo, on the keyboards. Bob Mayo. -
I would love to have either my 1987'ish AR9Lsi's back or my 1985'ish Infinity RS-IIIb's back.
I still check the "bay" every now and then for the infinity's.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 -
while amps and speakers do not get major upgrades, surround processors/pre-amps have greatly improved over the past 5 years. Better DAC's and enhanced video processorsand auto calibration. What good is HD without the ability to run it through your receiver. HDMI and DVI switching will be the next big have. People want ease of use and will keep on upgrading until it fits their needs. New technology integration dictates your upgrade, not so much the need to feel you have the latest. The general public hates to spend money on audio, if they spend anywhere it's to have the largest TV screen possible. I can't tell you how many times people come in and want to drop $10,000 on a screen and then they want the $499 HTIB to go with it."The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."
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Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
For the past several years, all we hear about from mass media in regards to audio is downloading, napster, iPod, mp3, etc.... It's no wonder that the average consumer out there only associate audio with computers. If the average consumer out on the streets see what's being posted on this forum, they will think we are nuts....hundreds/thousands of $$$ spend on gear, "unheard of" formats such as DVD-A/SACD/DualDisc/yinyl, tubes, powercords/interconnects/speakercables, etc..... People out there think of iPod (and any mp3 player) are the pinnicle of audio reproduction and they want nothing to do with hi-rez. These people are the same people who wear their headphones backwards, so you guys should know what type of people we are talking about.
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My computer speakers are the newest speakers I own... and they're three-years old...More later,
Tour...
Vox Copuli
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb
"Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
"It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
"There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD -
Steveinaz,
I just had a pair of Infinity RS-III's move through here last week. Somebody GAVE them to me on Wednesday, so I GAVE them away on Sunday. Only things needed were re-foam on the lower 8" woofs in each cabinet, and new grille cloths. Cat damage on the grille cloths.
George Grand (of the Jersey Grands) -
George, I thought I saw your post on that elsewhere. Man, what a great speaker. I'm gonna keep my eye's peeled, even for a **** pair and rebuild them out of sheer boredom, kind of a hobby thing.
The first thing I want to do is bypass the treble and midrange adjustment pots, and upgrade the binding posts. I figure if i don't put a lot of money in them, i won't be pissed if I can't get them refurbished to a level I would like.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2 -
They are nice speakers, but I am a little more partial to the AR-9's. Must admit I have not heard a pair of AR-9LS's.
I may have a line on a pair of Infinity RS-5's (V's?). Another boom operator keeps telling me about a pair his friend wants to unload up in North Jersey.
You run into my Uncle Benny there in Sierra Vista yet? You'll know him when you meet him. He's the biggest flake in town hands down. My Aunt Elaine is pretty nuts now too, after 40 years of the fallout.
If I didn't mention it before I visited out there for a few hours last Feb I think it was. East Choctaw across the street from a Korean church. "Yes, George by all means drop by. We're right outside Tucson." ****, that HAD to be a 70 mile drive from the hotel I was at in Tucson. He was as crazy as ever for 3 hours, and I guarantee he hasn't gotten any better in the interim.
George Grand (of the Jersey Grands) -
someone hit it right on the nose.
todays consumers appear to be moving towards smaller more convienent audio gear.. ie: I-Pod, MP3, etc.. players for convience and ease of use.
My best friend couldn't wait to get his I-pod. Yeah it's nice and holds 40 gigs worth of music.. and it's cool and stuff.. but my little $150 MP3 player does the same thing.. sans the huge storage capacity. Plus the quality of MP3's is very poor.
It's to bad that todays audio consumers have be motivated by cheap disposable audio (and video) products. Can you imagine throwing out, or donating to the Salvation army.. a Dynaco tube amp? Just because it didn't work anymore. Hell no... most of us would get it fixed and keep the thing. Well todays consumers.. just drop them in the trash and go buy another $59 dvd player. Tha'ts where most people think that having the latest and greatest audio/video gear is at the moment.
Truely well made audio gear will withstand the test of time... and will always be loved and cherrished by us snobbish audiophiles.
PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin: -
It's to bad that todays audio consumers have be motivated by cheap disposable audio (and video) products.
The manufacturers as well. Those gear of yesteryears were all build with quality in mind, not anymore today. The big idea today is to move boxes. That's it.
Back to computers/audio....this is what mass media has been force-feeding the general public. I don't think I've seen anything on TV about the advancement of audio, i.e. SACD/DVD-A. Everything is about downloading, downloading, and more downloading. Everyone is caught up with how many songs can be stored on an iPod....but what about the fidelity? No one ever mentioned the fidelity of an iPod can be increased by dropping $35.00 on a pair of Sennheiser PX100 headphones (again, this year's European Headphones of the Year). The only thing I've seen on TV remotely close to covering hi-fi audio was on the Sterephile show in San Francisco several years back. And the 2 talking heads (aka anchors) were commenting on the lunacy of those audiophiles. -
The one thing I would say has gotten better is speaker design. Some of it is sound quality due to research. $500 speakers IMO are more accurate today than $2000 ones were in the 80s. Some of it is reliability (no more rotted foam surrounds). Better materials used today.
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Originally posted by danger boy
someone hit it right on the nose.
My best friend couldn't wait to get his I-pod.
Can you imagine throwing out, or donating to the Salvation army.. a Dynaco tube amp?
To me, the Ipod battles XM as the greatest audio invention since stereo.
I'm sure plenty of people threw out Dynacos, along with Fishers, Marantzes and even McIntoshes. Those people went out and bought Kenwood, Pioneer, Onkyo, Yamaha etc. -
Ipod or XM, greatest invention since stereo? I dont know about that one and I own both.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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Vintage Polk SDA is the way to go. The new stuff just doesn't cut it anymore.
