2. amps-preamps
  3. 193622-5544

a rant

after 30 years of being so enamored with stereo equipment - im ok now just listening to music

im no longer chasing - whenever i have bought new equipment it never sounded as good as i think the reviewer thinks it does. maybe 5% sounded really good and the other 95% - im still waiting for them to break in.

My fantastical brain wanted every piece of equipment to sound incredible. i think the key word is "chasing". 

See, now tube amplifiers are all the rage again - it was class d about 3 years ago - it was solid state about 6 months ago - whenever i have tubes - i want solid state, whenever i have solid state - then i want tubes - then ill try class d  in the meantime 

Im just saying - this hobby is the "space mountain" of roller coasters - ya think!

 

smargo

Showing 1 response by sheri2022

sheri2022
2 posts
 

I've encountered some issues with the audio hobby, and if I were to list them out, they’d look like this:

  1. Lack of Progress: The audio industry hasn't made significant advancements over the years, especially when compared to the rapid progress in the video industry.

  2. Overpriced Equipment: Prices across the board are outrageous. I usually buy used gear to avoid this, but even basic items like cables, DACs, vinyl, and SACDs are overpriced—especially when you compare them to the affordability of 4K Blu-rays, projectors, and OLED TVs.

  3. Minimal Returns on Upgrades: Every upgrade feels marginal. I recently added an external SMSL DAC, which technically counts as an upgrade, but I see no reason to spend over $1,000 on a DAC—it’s just not worth it. On the other hand, when I upgraded my projector from an HD bulb to a 4K laser, the improvement was massive. I can easily tell the difference between an HDR 4K Blu-ray and a 1080p Blu-ray, but with audio, the difference is subtle—even when switching from Totem to Sonus Faber speakers.

  4. Human Hearing Limitations: Our hearing is inherently limited compared to our visual capabilities, which makes it harder to perceive these subtle audio upgrades—unlike the clear differences in video quality.

Overall, as someone interested in both audio and video hobbies, I sometimes feel like people are being ripped off in the audio industry. The returns on investment in audio are far less noticeable than in any other hobby.

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