Are there other people like me ? Amazed by their low cost system :)


Are there other people so much amazed by a relatively low cost system , they consider that is not a stopgap but instead a minimally satisfying ectasy... Each day i am amazed by my speakers and headphone... Am i deaf? Am i ignorant of high end ? Be assured that i know better system with higher acoustic experience and more refined exist ...

My point is an experienced and felt minimal threshold of acoustic qualities and well done and well realized and well manifested acoustic factors exist for me and are at play, for the price invested; so much so , i consider any upgrade way less tempting and if possible would be more, way more , costlier to appear as a real upgrade in quality... For sure an upgrade of part at low cost unbeknowst to me is possible but i must live with what i have for now but i feel no frustration at all. 😊

Am i the only one deluded in this way or enlightened in this way ? Pick your choice of word.... 😎

128x128mahgister

@mahgister 

Sorry for the delay. I don't check in here too often. I've been to the Capitol Audio show and heard some fine systems. But audio shows aren't a good indicator of how it will sound in your room. In person in a home setting, I've heard Thiel 3.?, Klipsch LaScalla, Klipschorns, Revel Salon 2, Magnapan 3.6, Mackie MR8? and a few others. The best overall speakers I've heard were the Revels. Were they $19,000 better than my BFMs, or even $10,000 better than my Paradigm S1 with three Paradigm 110 Seismic subwoofers? Well, obviously that is subjective, but not in my opinion. The best I've heard for acoustic instruments is Magnepan. I actually went with Magnepan for my HT system because unlike most HT enthusiasts who prefer dynamics, I prefer the spatial characteristics of a planar speaker for movies, so I have five Magnepans.

Room treatments make a big difference. I've heard a couple of the speakers above before and after the room was treated and there was a big difference, as there should be if you understand how sound waves work.

Would I buy the Revels if I wasn't so cheap? Maybe. But I tend to feel sick about purchases where I get a 10% advantage for 1000% more money. I'm very happy with all my systems, except for the Linkwitz, which has great mids and decent highs, but needs a subwoofer. However, that would require a new DSP and programming, which isn't a priority right now. The BFMs blow me away because they cover the whole frequency spectrum very well and measure very flat using REW to measure them (with a tiny bit of tweaking from a Kenwood parametric equalizer). And remember, I asked the designer for upgraded drivers for this design, so I have the best they can be given the Thiel/Small parameters. But they are difficult to build and I don't recommend it unless you have woodworking experience and a lot of tools, which I do.

Like many hobbies I've gone through it took a lot of experience and a ton of reading to figure out what's important for reproducing sound. I think I'm as close as I'm going to get with the money I want to spend and the layout of my rooms. And it's probably the second best in-home system I've heard. But, I have started talking to builders to redo my house and if I can get past environmental regulations I may be able to rectify the layout issues and make a perfectly treated room. I also want to add DIRAC to my system. Stayed tuned.

Interestings thoughts that will be useful for many...

I thank you very much...

 I will be glad to read  your future thoughts... 😊

Chasing the HiFi rabbit takes away from the audiophile experience. I’ve cut back on listening to gear that is the latest/greatest or beyond my grasp and it has allowed me to better enjoy what I have. 

Great strategy jl1ny's avatar

...But we must use acoustics basic knowledge  tactic to improve the S.Q.  and some mechanical and electrical controls... Then what we live with is no more a stopgap ...

 

 

Chasing the HiFi rabbit takes away from the audiophile experience. I’ve cut back on listening to gear that is the latest/greatest or beyond my grasp and it has allowed me to better enjoy what I have. 

Nope. Some songs hit the mark, even beat out any system at any price, but most are a disappointment as far as full-range audiophile sound quality goes.