Brings to mind an e-mail exchange I had with a friend of mine recently in which he was making fun of me for buying a Meridian 508 (ah, the ignorance of the uninitiated). I'd sent him the picture of it from the website to egg him on (the one where it is sitting on a table amidst a zen-like arrangement of rocks and whatnot) and the following ensued (which, I humbly assert, definitively establishes THE reference-grade passive system):
ME: I think the little black pebble really says it all. The bigger rocks are totally inappropriate, and I find the bowl of segregated stones to be deeply offensive....
HIM: The big bowl of rocks wouldn't be so offensive if it were not arranged for maximum zen purity and fung-shui. The gross objectification of the larger stones (what's a phallic symbol for balls?) is, as you say, inappropriate. So, does one operate such machine on a table, surrounded by it's own little zen zone, or do you - gasp - put it on a shelf with other electronics?
ME: I had actually already picked a spot out for it on the rack, but you make a good point. I'll be sure to get some rocks to make it feel more at home. However, I have to note, setting it up like they did for the photo shoot -- not plugged into anything, let alone a power source or other electricity-producing item -- I bet it doesn't sound all that special at all.
HIM: Idiot. It gets it's energy from the spirituality surrounding the zen zone. It "plays" in ones consciousness, not one's ears. (You know, someone would probably buy such a product).
ME: Once again, you humble me. From now on, I'm swearing off electricity for my electronics. One will never hear until you are truly prepared to listen. You have opened my eyes.
HIM: Self-evident, really. Only by not hearing can we ever truly listen; this is the Buddha-nature of the audio system.
ME: When you think about it, all of these electronics and components we use to "listen" to music are just so many self-deceiving veils of destructive yearning interposed between a witless victim of lustful materiality and the essence of music. I am going to push all of my equipment out of the window, spread all the CD's out on the floor, and sit in a corner facing the wall. Better yet, I think I'll just go sit naked under a tree.
A chill breeze
Scrotal constriction
A thousand bells ring
How could I have been so blind to the truth for all these years?
Anyone interested in going in on a patent with me?
ME: I think the little black pebble really says it all. The bigger rocks are totally inappropriate, and I find the bowl of segregated stones to be deeply offensive....
HIM: The big bowl of rocks wouldn't be so offensive if it were not arranged for maximum zen purity and fung-shui. The gross objectification of the larger stones (what's a phallic symbol for balls?) is, as you say, inappropriate. So, does one operate such machine on a table, surrounded by it's own little zen zone, or do you - gasp - put it on a shelf with other electronics?
ME: I had actually already picked a spot out for it on the rack, but you make a good point. I'll be sure to get some rocks to make it feel more at home. However, I have to note, setting it up like they did for the photo shoot -- not plugged into anything, let alone a power source or other electricity-producing item -- I bet it doesn't sound all that special at all.
HIM: Idiot. It gets it's energy from the spirituality surrounding the zen zone. It "plays" in ones consciousness, not one's ears. (You know, someone would probably buy such a product).
ME: Once again, you humble me. From now on, I'm swearing off electricity for my electronics. One will never hear until you are truly prepared to listen. You have opened my eyes.
HIM: Self-evident, really. Only by not hearing can we ever truly listen; this is the Buddha-nature of the audio system.
ME: When you think about it, all of these electronics and components we use to "listen" to music are just so many self-deceiving veils of destructive yearning interposed between a witless victim of lustful materiality and the essence of music. I am going to push all of my equipment out of the window, spread all the CD's out on the floor, and sit in a corner facing the wall. Better yet, I think I'll just go sit naked under a tree.
A chill breeze
Scrotal constriction
A thousand bells ring
How could I have been so blind to the truth for all these years?
Anyone interested in going in on a patent with me?