I just found the most incredible 2ch setup I have ever seen... wow!

hoosier21

got one on my desk, I can get as many as you need for 20.00 each

madmax

Originally posted by hoosier21
got one on my desk, I can get as many as you need for 20.00 each

Yea, but does yours work with tube electrons??
madmax

Jstas

You know, after staring at that stereo and room, I realized that while I would enjoy having that or at least having the expendable income to have that, I find something amiss about the essence of that stereo/room. I think it is why people bash him too.

It's kind of an elitist attitude but compared to what most people search for and scrimp and save to buy used for pennies on the dollar with thier nickles and dimes, that guy probably just plunked down a wad of change. The problem with that is in plunking down the change, he got what someone else thought was the best for him and it's not his idea of what the best is. While it is undeniable that he has some solid equipment, the setup smacks of a sellout.

I cannot be sure enough of a statement like that but when the guy thanks the installer for doing pretty much everything from design and inception to construction, it makes you wonder how involved in the process he actually was.

So what does all this mean? In summary, he's a "dinger". He seems to be in it for the bragging rights, the glory or the bells and whistles and all that comes with it if you will. So what stinks about that? It screams of a guy trying too hard to be accepted.

Now all of this may or may not be true but we can't be sure. However, given the evidence that presents itself to my nekkid eye, I'm leaning towards the truth part. Because of that, I can appreciate the gear but it lacks the essence, the heart and soul of many other systems. He seems to be proud for the sake of being proud while a guy like F1nut is proud of what took him years of effort and research to achieve. He's proud of an accomplishment, not a result of one less check in the checkbook.

So yeah, we should be happy for the guy, his gear and his position in life. We should be able to appreciate his gear and I'm sure we all can do this to an extent. But what most people are incapable of tolerating or even appreciating is a braggert and the personality associated with that kind of a person who constaly yeans for acceptance through his possessions and not himself, his knowledge, experiences and overall substance of character.

So yeah, he's got a nice setup but I really don't like it 'cause it smacks of posturing.

Then again, I could be wrong.

dcarlson

I can't get over the guy only has one chair. Did he hide another one to take the pictures?

As much as a like listening to my system alone, it's much more fun when I share it with others.

DarqueKnight

Beautiful!!!!:cool:

Joey_V

Jstas,

You may be right, then again you may be wrong. Interesting thoughts you posted though, I will hold my conclusion until I actually (if ever at all) see, talk, and chill with the guy.

It seems very hard for me to judge someone based on his gear, not knowing how he got there, whether he has been an audio afficionado since 10 years of age and just somehow made a fortune to be able to work with a team he hired to help him build a true 2 channel system/room. We may never know.

However, assumptions (especially those based on incomplete knowledge) is quite often erroneous.

DarqueKnight

I'm glad that there are individuals who are able to afford cutting edge gear. Often, the innovations produced by cutting edge high-end manufacturers trickle down to lower high-end and mid-fi gear.

As in any area of exotic goods, there are always those who buy them because of the "snob appeal". Then, there are those who indulge in high quality, cutting edge merchandise (be it homes, automobiles, clothes, etc.) because they want and can afford the very best.

I will say that, even if I had the cash for a megabuck system, it would be difficult to justify the expense at the retail level. Retail prices in high-end audio are typically four to ten times the cost of goods. In addition to higher quality and performance, the high-end retail consumer is also paying for the small economies of scale incurred by limited production items. If I were going to drop that kind of cash on an audio system, I would design and build it myself or contract the work out to a custom fabricator.

Jstas

Guys, I wasn't bashing the owner or the system. I don't really care for it for other reasons. I was just trying to offer another point of view that might fuel dislike or disgust that most people can't really understand for some reason.

madmax

There are two sides to the possibilities we should remember. You walk into a guys house and all he has is an old 70's receiver with two ugly home made speakers and a POS looking CD player. Does this guy not care or is he a true audiophile who just happens to be poor?? Same goes for the posted link. Rich or poor we are all in it for similar reasons.

Look at it this way, if he is really a snob with little audio sense then what would be the point? His friends (who are probably of the same interests) would likely tell him he should have bought Bose.
madmax

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by madmax
There are two sides to the possibilities we should remember. You walk into a guys house and all he has is an old 70's receiver with two ugly home made speakers and a POS looking CD player. Does this guy not care or is he a true audiophile who just happens to be poor?? Same goes for the posted link. Rich or poor we are all in it for similar reasons.

Look at it this way, if he is really a snob with little audio sense then what would be the point? His friends (who are probably of the same interests) would likely tell him he should have bought Bose.
madmax

How true we all here seem to have some $ to spend on audio, but how many in this world are lucky to have $ to spend on food.

How sad. I work hard for my $ but some don't have the skills to support their families.

Thank GOD for the skills I have....

Joey_V

Amen brother!

Looking around at the stuff I have, its saddens me to realize that I sometimes am too materialistic. I should cut down a bit.

audiobliss

Originally posted by Joey_V
Amen brother!

Looking around at the stuff I have, its saddens me to realize that I sometimes am too materialistic. I should cut down a bit.

Same here; I'm afraid I'm quite materialistic.

madmax

Too materialistic? Maybe. You could feed lots of people with the crap we almost give away on the flea market. Sometimes when I look at my rack of tube equipment, records, CD player and Dac, etc I often think back to when I had very little. I could have lived well back then for quite some time on the cash I've spent on tweeter upgrades. I don't feel bad about it because I've been on both sides of the fence. If you have the ability to have things you should. They make life a little more fun. Just be thankful and help others get to the same position.
madmax

Loud & Clear

Nice looking gear, sure to impress the masses. But, without a strobe light, what's it really worth? Answer: Not much my friend.

dmalino

New here, I'll introduce myself in another post.
I guess some people know how to overdo it.
To me I think Klipschorns and a 20watt Pioneer receiver from the 70s would probably sound just as good.
For $250K you could see a concert a day for ~13 years (that's at $50 a ticket, if you count free or really cheap shows it's even higher).
For $250K I could get some decent musicians to play for me in my own house.
I could also buy a Steinway, a Martin D-28, a good fake Stradivarius and a Gibson SG/Marshall combo and play them all poorly. .

I would've gotten rid of the chair altogether. That way there's more room to DANCE!

Joey_V

If I had 250k, I would have a hard time spending it on just an audio system. I mean, dont get me wrong, it would be totally cool and ridiculously awesome.... but, thats a lot of change. I'm sure the sound will totally blow anything I have heard out of the water.

It would be cool to have a shootout though. I say my SVS PC+ and my LSi9 versus the Kharma Reference 1D.... bring it!

LOL...

It wouldnt be a contest, poor me... .

michael_w

I just feel bad for the people that had to position those 565 pound beasts. O no little more to the left.... aww too far, back to the right... mmm no I liked them over there better. hehehe

btw reading that was interesting but I think when it gets to that stage it becomes a little excessive.... but if ya have the money hey why not

audiobliss

Man, if I had $250k,.........I'd have a lot more cars!!!

lemme see, what could I get for that......?

1st generation Camaro
2nd generation Camaro
4th generation 'Vette
6th generation 'Vette
a Porsche of some sort
would I have enough left over for a Ferrari?...if not, I'd spend the loose change on a Buick Grand National, a Subaru WRX STI

guessin' some figures, I wouldn't have enough money left over for the Porsche or Ferrari.....all well.......I'd just go with all the others.........wonder how I'd pay for all the gas for all that......or the audio systems......:D

Tour2ma

Originally posted by Zero
DMalino,
Welcome to the boards. I like the way you think. Stick around awhile..

LOL... I'll second that motion...

jdhdiggs

Yup, I agree with dmalino. If we wer blindfolded and told to listen, I wonder how many would think that his system was better than some of the stronger sytems here. I have no doubt that people could tell the difference, just wondering if the $$$ makes it better where it counts

I also wonder if anyone could ever tell the difference between some decent quality parts and the stuff he's spendin so much on in a blind test... Doubt I could...

DarqueKnight

Originally posted by jdhdiggs
I have no doubt that people could tell the difference, just wondering if the $$$ makes it better where it counts. I also wonder if anyone could ever tell the difference between some decent quality parts and the stuff he's spendin so much on in a blind test... Doubt I could...

Agreed. For $250K, I don't want a mere difference. I want a definite IMPROVEMENT!

dmalino

Originally posted by jdhdiggs
Yup, I agree with dmalino. If we wer blindfolded and told to listen, I wonder how many would think that his system was better than some of the stronger sytems here. I have no doubt that people could tell the difference, just wondering if the $$$ makes it better where it counts

I also wonder if anyone could ever tell the difference between some decent quality parts and the stuff he's spendin so much on in a blind test... Doubt I could...

There was a test done in 1987 in Stereo Review magazine where they did a double blind ABX test with about 12 amps ranging from $200 to $12000. Listeners were played A, than B, and than either A or B as X and was told to pick which one they thought X was. There was a correct choice in about 51% of the choices, which would be what you would get by purely guessing. But yet when auditioning the equipment beforehand (non-blind) the high-end was lavished praised and the mass market components were shunned.

The shape of that room's ceiling probably effects the sound more than anything else.

rskarvan

FOUR WORDS:

LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS

Joey_V

Exactly what I was thinking.... how much better can it be?

F1nut

Whether it's 250k, 25k or 2.5k the system must have synergy, without that it's just noise. Can system costing 2.5k with perfect synergy come anywhere close to a 250k system with perfect synergy, IMO no effing way.

Take your average 25k American car, it has four tires, a engine and at least 2 doors. Now, take a 250k exotic sports car, it has four tires, a engine and only 2 doors. Same basic format, but there's no doubt the sports car will out perform the other. Why doubt that a 250k audio system wouldn't kick the **** out of a 2.5k system?

shack

"Those that don't know.....don't know!"

Until you've driven a Ferarri, Porsche, Mclaren, etc....you can speculate that your Kia Rio is just as good.....

Until you've heard a well thought out, well executed, balanced $250,000 audio system you can speculate your $2,500 audio system is just as good....

audiobliss

hey, that's a thought......makes sense, too

Joey_V

250k setup SHOULD be better than a 2.5k setup, no question about it.

I guess what I was trying to ask earlier was, is it worth the extra 247,500$?

Also, how much are the parts of a 250k speaker worth if totalled individually? I doubt its worth even 5% of the speaker's retail price.

shack

Also, how much are the parts of a 250k speaker worth if totalled individually? I doubt its worth even 5% of the speaker's retail price.

Totally irrelevant. It's the finished product...not the parts.

$10 worth of paint and canvas in my hands is worthless!

$10 worth of paint and canvas in Rembrandt's hands is priceless!

dorokusai

Automobile performance is tangible and can be proven, audio however is a completely different animal, so I fail to see the direct analogy, but whatever.

Cost is only relative to the individual involved.

The reason he only has one chair, is at that point the only people that really give a **** about your system, is about one person anyways. I just don't see genuine appreciation in music and gear when you're that blatantly excessive.