Audiophile frame of mind

when you are ready, obtain the BEST POSSIBLE cables you can, they’re a VERY IMPORTANT piece of gear, no less important fhan a preamp, DAC, amp…listen well. 

@dhite71 

Very good observations. That was my intent in obtaining my next grill, lifelong, or as long as that grill will last. We were planning our retirement house and I conducted extensive research. In our previous house, we had a built in outdoor kitchen with a Lion grill which I opted over others, including Viking or Wolf. I did not want to invest too much in the outdoor kitchen since we were going to move sometime to our next home.
 

I was fortunate to get the AMG grill as a dealer demo since it sat on the display floor for a few years. They wanted to offload it and even offer delivery. I ordered the grill a week after my back surgery. My wife says the meds must have made me loopy because the first purchase scenario was the full list price. My wife said I was crazy and I argue that this was for life and would serve as a kitchen. When I tried to make the order, it was out of stock at the main warehouse and they stopped making the AMG during this time. I called the company and asked if they knew of any dealers that had remaining stock. Found one in Baltimore. The rest is history.
 

We feel very fortunate. It was perfect timing as the demo price was for a brand new grill, cover, gloves, two infrared burners, grill hood support, and griddle. They wanted to offload it to clear the floor. Price was less than half of list price. Pure 304 stainless steel throughout makes it a great outdoor grill. 
 

I just added a Breo 32 smokeless fire pit with all of the grill accessories. 
 

@audioquest4life 

I just checked out those AMG grills.  That seems to be in the reasonable zone of really investing in a lifelong grill.  If I had a poolside kitchen that was covered and a big family that I spent lots and lots of time that would be on the top of the list.  The Napoleon has a cool searing side burner that you can also cook in a pan/pot.  The rotisserie will also be fun to use.  I have a 36in Viking range top with 4 burners and a 12 in grill inside so have been very lucky the past 12 years.  It is absolutely amazing but sometimes I need more space or just don't want to have all the mess inside.  Cooking is a close 2nd for my hobbies/passions.  My daughter is having a sleepover tonight and these 12 yo girls got table side guac and head-on cooked shrimp cocktail for apps with a homemade pizza coming later.

@audioquest4life all my grills had rust and I had to part with them when the bottom fell out, literally.

And cleaning is a breeze, I wouldn't want to deal with gas burners and the grease.

@grislybutter

I had a Home Depot grill, not a Weber, but it was a workhorse. It started rusting and was bent in some areas due to various moves. One night the brother in law and I were grilling and we were not paying close attention. Both of us were soaking up some favorite alcoholic suds and saw the grill smoking and flames leaking out the right side….dang, we forgot to clean the grease pan below and it caught fire. Well, after we put out the fire, that grill had warped severely. It still worked but had a warp on the hood and would not close completely. Used that grill until I purchased my last AMG grill.

Why not look at the American Muscle Grill (AMG), now American Made Grills. I bought a store model a few years ago. This is a workhorse. It’s all stainless steel and the kicker is that it is endorsed by Sylvester Stallone, LOL. You can find deals if you look around. Since I am a car person, this grill has a Shelby GT350 brushed front panel reminiscent of the late 60s Shelby GT350. I had to have it since I have a 2016 Shelby GT350. What’s not to like. Plus, since it’s a grill island, my wife can put her outside Bluetooth speakers on the ends and we can jam out while we cook and eat. There’s your audio connection. 
 

American Muscle Grill

Whaaa? 41k for a Flippin grill?? What on earth has this world come to? I have some 500 dollar electric whatever.... It is not about the grill dude, it’s the seasoning.

(But, I guess the audiophile logic sneaks into grills too these days....As you keep spending on the grill, parts get better, "power supply" gets better, heating elements keep getting better and better... bwaaahaha...and sht just keeps tasting better and better, whoop dididoo).

@dhite71 

Many good grill choices out there.  Bought an all stainless Weber natural gas grill as part of new patio, so nice to never have to lug tanks around.  Its been outside for 20 years now (covered for the first ten, till a bear decided he didn't like the cover). Don't mess with bears.

Haven't replaced a part yet, works as advertised.

Regards,

barts 

@dhite71 I buy the dingiest Home Depot grill, for $19, $29, last time I think it was $39. It has 4 legs and a cover which seems like a fancy feature to me. I use wood from trees around the yard/dead branches and I have no imagination to figure out what those shiny $1000 objects would do differently. My cheap grills do rust and disintegrate in 5 years and then I have to buy another one. So... by no means I implied that you HAD to get a Kalamazoo. I only joked (attempted).

I would love to explore good cartridges though. That’s a different subject. Grill expert probably disagree.

@grislybutter While Weber seemed like the default and safe move, I did a little research and settled on the Napoleon Prestige PRO 500.  It is no Kalamazoo but I think I will get many years of enjoyment.  Thinking back a few months ago, I bought a low hour Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge for $2100 vs the $2700 for this grill.  I still can't help but laugh at these comparisons.  In some ways I think I am maturing a bit as an audiophile to not feel the need to upgrade recent upgrades.  It is quite refreshing.

@cfa88 I'm sorry, but I reserve the right to make any judgment I want, including labeling an ostentatious and unneeded $41K grill as such. Any world in which dropping $41K on a grill is seen as inexpensive is so far out of touch with the majority of humanity as to be irrelevant. 

@simao 

It is expensive but it's up to the buyer to make that judgment, not you. So again, it is subjective.

When I was getting a little confused about the way forward with Power Cables, I found the following link offered to me a way of thinking that made the idea of going to Great Expense have a creditability.

...I'm only in it for the *grins*, but have my own set of values, restraints, and the work-arounds that actually do....

...but if it wasn't for the music....all sorts of, Yes.....

....for the love of the music..Now, Before...to the end of this 'me'...;)

Otherwise....cut to 10.....I'm Out.

Best to y'all , all these times... J

I like buying gear pieces too... I will probably if i could afford it just by audiophile obsession...😁

( But What active speakers i could pick to beat my actual heavily modified one? They costed me 100 bucks 12 years ago and i would probably be obligated to pay few thousand to beat them so well they are now )

But i was cured of upgraditis  by acoustics experiments , then i dont feel the real need nor the urge to do it...

Think about that , i designed my last Helmholtz resonator with a discarded 4 feet tube of plastic. I inserted in it another long tubes made of straws... The impact is so huge, it is not only on "timbre" but on listener envelopment and immersiveness..

Then upgrading to what? This acoustic upgrade is incredible  for anyone who dont know acoustics...

My soundfield is stunning and natural, the cost is too low to be taken seriously by any audiophile here because price tags is all they think about ... 😊

I am lucky with my acoustic frame of mind...

@mahgister I like your take on an acoustic state of mind being more focused on the sound/experience. I am definitely both. I love having new gear that is eye candy but ultimately it is more about the sound. I just sold some speakers that I loved the look but they just weren’t delivering consistently enough on the SQ so they had to go.

@kennymacc  Very well said!  I know you are right that the idea of those power cables may be pushed to the side but will never be silenced forever.  This goes back to my moderation mindset.  It feels good, it's summer time so spend some money on the patio, the house, etc.  I just ordered the grill from Ace Hardware and they will deliver next week.  

@newfzx7 I have actually had a Big Green Egg since 2009.  It still works beautifully.  I haven't ever owned an outdoor gas grill so it was time.  I am uber fortunate and got a used Viking 36in Rangetop when I remodeled my kitchen in 2011.  It has 4 burners and a grill that is designed just like an outdoor grill.  It is amazing but was ready for an outdoor option too.  I love to cook as much as I do listen to music....both at the same time is the best.

@ronboco @vthokie83 I have an Ooni pellet pizza oven and while I like it I haven't gotten the itch for a Traeger.  You now know that I have a Big Green Egg so def wasn't going to add another smoker/grill to the mix.  My daughter and I are finding that for steaks, burgers and chicken we are not a big fan of the infusion of smoke flavor.  It can overpower the taste of the meat.  

@mahgister I like your take on an acoustic state of mind being more focused on the sound/experience.  I am definitely both.  I love having new gear that is eye candy but ultimately it is more about the sound.  I just sold some speakers that I loved the look but they just weren't delivering consistently enough on the SQ so they had to go.  

Then generally "audiophile state of mind" is linked to the next upgrading gear cost... As illustrated by the OP statement...

"acoustic state of mind" by contrast is motivated by real listening under control experience and experiments at no cost or peanuts costs...😊

"audiophile state of mind" is not really aimed to sound improvement often but to gear design improvement...

Acoustics is not reducible to gear design quality...

In the three equation part : ears/room/system, the pieces of gear are, so important they may be and they are, secondary... ( especially when a synergetical basic system is available  already at a relatively low price according to your budget)

I bet to be one of the rare one saying it this way and clearly ... 😁😊😋😎

i remember when some mocked me few years ago after i called my grid of 100 tunable resonators : "mechanical equalizer" for system/room...😊

In my acoustic frame of mind i claimed that it was most powerful than many electronical equalizer ( will not explain why again here) and cost nothing except time and "trained ears" for the tuning .,..

Read this extract quote from "Helmholtz resonance" Wiki entry :

«A set of varied size resonators was sold to be used as discrete acoustic filters for the spectral analysis of complex sounds. There is also an adjustable type, called a universal resonator, which consists of two cylinders, one inside the other, which can slide in or out to change the volume of the cavity over a continuous range. An array of 14 of this type of resonator has been employed in a mechanical Fourier sound analyzer. »

I just put a new resonator made of straws inside the one i made with a discarded long plastic tube i picked in a field walking to decompress the new beautiful sound a bit ...😊

If i had changed my dac for a costlier one i would add so much adjectives to describe the improvement i just add with a few straws...

Audiophile state of mind ? ...No, acoustic state of mind ...😊

Cost : 10 cents or 15...

The only thing funnier than thinking that uber expensive power cables will make a noticeable difference is demanding that those cables  be pre-burned in. Two myths for the price of one.

@grislybutter Oooooh. A mere $41K for the Kalamazoo? That's like half price of a Constellation Audio Centaur 2 500 amp! Way too cheap for my taste. 

@cfa88 No - $41K for a grill is not subjective. It's expensive. Once you start using oligarch-audio pricing as a reference, then it all becomes meaningless. None of us are oligarchs. 

Get a Traeger series 22 or 34 smoker (which you can also grill on), and you will have a whole new hobby.....and for about $700. I bought mine 2 years ago, and should have done it years earlier. I have a ton of fun learning about smoking techniques, different cuts of meats, rubs, sauces, and in the end a lot of amazing food to share with friends and family. AAAAND you'll still have money left over to get one upgraded power cable.

The Traeger is the one to get! 

Shunyata fluff is no step above the lower priced Audioquest. Try and get some Ansuz cables (the ones Michael Borresen directly had his hands in), if it fits with your wallet.

Expensive / inexpensive is relative and subjective. People do whatever best for their circumstance.

I thought these were bad for the price Hestan Freestanding Grills Archives - BBQ Grills, BBQ Smokers, & Outdoor Kitchens | BBQ Grill Outlet (bbqgrillsandislands.com).  that kalamazoo is beyond insane. 

I've had a nice Weber with side burner for over 10 years, couple of years ago I decided to go all "analog" with my grilling and bought a Kamado Joe. The Weber hardly gets used anymore. :)

I am appalled and disgusted that you are thinking of a Weber stainless steel grill with a side burner! Have you not heard the Kalamazoo?

Can you not hear the superior SQ of other brands? The Weber has so much noise and distortion in the low end, especially with poultry, you will surely regret this.

Well, as an experienced audiophile for over 25 years, I’m here to tell you something that you probably already know. You can delay the purchase of the upgraded cables all you want. But, the desire is still there, and it’ll always be there, nagging at your mind, haunting your mind, until you finally breakdown and surrender to call of the......PASSION, Lol!!!  Furthermore, once you complete upgrading your power cables, you’re going to start thinking about upgrading your interconnects, too!!!  So, this year, enjoy your new grill. But, next years will be be cable upgrade time, and you’ll find a way to get it done, too.  Now, that’s the Audiophile Frame Of Mind, Lol!!! Happy listening.

And there are healthcare insurance and property tax dollars versus life-enhancing dollars. The number of audiophile toys I could have bought (that friends in Europe buy with abandon) every time I write those insane checks. 

There are regular dollars and audio dollars

There are regular dollars and audio dollars as my partner noticed over thirty years ago. Buy the expensive Charmin tp… we will have to discuss that… $3K for a new interconnect… wow, what a bargain… a no brainer.

BTW, if I were you I would look at an Audio Quest Hurricane or Dragon power coed. Just get two for your monos. While I haven’t heard much about the new Shunyata, I have heard and own Hurricane… incredible pc and a huge advancement.

Ok.

In general with an audiophile frame of mind regarding expensive wires, make sure the vendor burns the wires in before selling. No reason to sell raw wires for those prices. Wire burners are also very expensive I hear and you only burn in once. I expect expensive wires to come pre-cooked to perfection and all ready to rock and roll. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. . 😉

Life is all about moderation.  Not quite sure we can honestly use that in our hobby but for now I have decided to focus on other home improvements.  Believe me that I have dropped some serious coin over the past few years and get great enjoyment from my system.  I try to avoid those purchase comparisons during upgrades as it really isn't fair and you can drive yourself crazy but this time the other decision prevailed.  When the next quarterly commission check comes then who knows what will happen LOL

Combine the two.

It takes a little longer, but if you buy a new tube amp that uses a half a dozen Western electric 300B's, you can char broil a ribeye in under 10 minutes.

Just make sure to be careful when you slather on the BBQ sauce.

You can spare the money for a barbecue and discover low cost way of improving your sound...

It is wisest...

😊

@dhite71 , good for you. By the way, I like mine medium/medium rare. Enjoy the music

Smart move! Enjoy barbecuing this summer!