5,000 post later...

steveinaz
steveinaz Posts: 19,538
edited April 2 in Clubhouse Archives
On #5000 I thought I'd share some things I've learned both here at Club Polk and in my experiences with Hi-Fi for the last 31yrs:

1. Keep an open mind, in this hobby you never stop learning.
2. Concentrate your money on your speakers, nothing does more for your sound.
3. Cables make a difference---but you don't have to go broke getting there.
4. Spec sheets are fine for engineers---go listen, the numbers are almost meaningless.
5. Stop chasing your tail. If you can't get your sound right--it's time for new speakers or source.
6. Make only 1 change to your system at a time. Wait 30 days before you introduce something else (see "stop chasing your tail" above).
7. BE PATIENT. Don't settle for something less than you wanted, you'll never be happy with it.
8. Tone controls are evil. If you need tone controls, something else is wrong in your system.
9. Cable routing is way more important than you think.
10. The listening room is the most important/impactful piece of equipment.
11. Experiment with speaker placement, you'd be amazed what a couple inches will do....for free.
12. The system is only as good as the source software/material.
13. Every speaker on the planet should be on spikes.
14. "Bits is bits" is an argument for the inexperienced and lazy. (See #18 below).
15. We're talking about the human ear...the varibles associated with it far out-weigh any "theory."
16. If it sounds right to you, it is right for you.
17. There are no "free rides" in audio, you get what you pay for.
18. If your system doesn't have the resolution to exploit the difference, you'll never hear the difference.

Good luck, and enjoy our hobby!
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 RyanC_Masimo on
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Comments

  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited August 2006
    Well Stated and Congratulations :)

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • RSTERN
    RSTERN Posts: 287
    edited August 2006
    Still having trouble with #7, but trying to do better.
    Rob
    mains: rt16
    center: csi40
    surrounds:fx 1000
    sub: SVS 20-39pc+
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited August 2006
    I disagree with #8.

    Not everybody hears the same way and some may like a little more treble, some may like a little more midbass. Your speakers while sounding great to you may be a little flat in the 5000 Hz area.

    Im a big fan of a good EQ. Next to the speakers, its the most important part of a system IMO.

    Congrats on the 5K!
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited August 2006
    Congrats Steve! Here's to 5000 more.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited August 2006
    I don't think his list is up for debate...it's HIS list............you wanna **** about it Mac, make your own.... ;)

    Congrats Steve....
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited August 2006
    Of course you need tone controls in a car...steve is HA, Mac...
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB
    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii
    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
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  • Strong Bad
    Strong Bad Posts: 4,278
    edited August 2006
    You jerkoff! One of your 5000 posts was very offensive to me! I'll go through them and find out which one it was!

    Be back in a little while...;)

    Happy 5k more!
    No excuses!
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited August 2006
    Thanks all!
    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
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,338
    edited August 2006
    Well stated Steve! Thanks for your insights.
    Carl

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  • Mike682
    Mike682 Posts: 2,074
    edited August 2006
    Congrats on 5K
    Receiver: harmankardon AVR235
    Mains: polk R30
    Center: polk CSi3
    Rear Surrounds: polk R20
    Subwoofer: polk PSW404
    DVD: Panasonic DVD-S29
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2006
    congrats on your 5000th post. i agree with most everything you said.. and i like it.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,732
    edited August 2006
    In my 10,000 + post (might be 11,000 I havnt really looked at it in the past 2 years...lol)....

    Ive learned that Steve is always right.

    Congrats on 5,000 post dude!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited August 2006
    Congrats. :D

    We need more rant threads from you though, otherwise this place gets dull. We could call it the "What's pissing Steve off this week?" segment. ;)
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,624
    edited August 2006
    I thought I filled that segment nicely........guess I have to kick it into OD.....
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,732
    edited August 2006
    Brett...

    You were filling the void nicely...

    What we need is Troy/Dan/Russ combos going on here...

    Then kick in a Troy/Faster/JDhiggs combo and BAM!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited August 2006
    Congratulations Steve, and nice post.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,646
    edited August 2006
    Here's to another 5000!
    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

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  • Roy Munson
    Roy Munson Posts: 886
    edited August 2006
    Steve, congrats on 5000!!!
    2 Channel:
    Amp/Parasound Halo A23
    Pre/Carver C-1
    Tuner/Carver TX-11a
    CDP/Jolida JD 100A
    Turntable/AR XB-Shure V15 III
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  • szhleppy
    szhleppy Posts: 320
    edited August 2006
    Wow...5K. And I thought my 100th post was insightful.

    Congrats Steve!
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited August 2006
    Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:
    Brett...

    You were filling the void nicely...

    What we need is Troy/Dan/Russ combos going on here...

    Then kick in a Troy/Faster/JDhiggs combo and BAM!

    Man, what did I ever do to you!?!?!? :o

    :D

    Congrats Steve, I don't know how you had the patience!
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited August 2006
    I had to "stop the madness," afterall, this is an audiophile forum. :D
    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
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited August 2006
    Well deserved "master" status on this one.

    I'm gonna getcha on that bits aint bits one!!!!!!!!!!!!

    RT1
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited August 2006
    Thank you sir! Other opinions always welcomed, this is America afterall!
    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
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited August 2006
    Congrats on 5K Steve and many. many more. You are credit to forum Sir!
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited August 2006
    Gracias mi hermano.
    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
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited August 2006
    Oh.....I am with you, bits are not bits..............
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