Correlation: Money and Good Sound


Why do many equate throwing money around with the assumption that it will result in vastly improved sound? I realize this is relative...for example...many who have not heard the GMA Europas will not even consider them because of their affordability(under 1k)...this is just one example...are there any others where a reasonably priced product(1k or under) competes or surpasses those 2 to 3 times the price? I am sure there are numerous cables...but cables are vastly overpriced already...also...the next speakers up in the GMA line are roughly 5k and 7k respectively...just something to think about....it seems there are many who judge a product on its worth vs. actual performance...also...I will probably get flamed for this...but I do feel NAD intergrated amps compete very favorably with others at 3 three times the price...
phasecorrect

Showing 3 responses by slappy

I agree with NRCHY, yer not a true audiophile unless you go bankrupt building a system you dont quite enjoy.
Great thread

I think one of the problems is the "Latest and greatest" notion that plagues everyday life.
Especially when it comes to speakers. Anyone who has read a basic book on speaker constuction and has the very basic understanding of diffraction can look at a speaker and see it was designed poorly. Extra edges where they dont need to be, cosmetics that make it look real sharp but cause excess distortion of the sound coming from the speakers. etc

HT is one area where there have been massive jumps in technology, but alot of the gear you can buy that is newer and pricier is not automatically better. In my opinion, in amplifiers and especially speakers, there have been no "Revolutionary" changes since they were first introduced. They use the same concepts. As long as there is good constuction with good qualitys in a well thought out box, you have a quality speaker.

I think everyone should have a system like mine. Not to listen to all the time, but to pull outta storage and play with for a couple days, it shows that name brands are not the most important aspect, and that you dont have to spend ALOT of money to get good sound. I think once you get on the upgrade path it is very easy to shun away cheaper gear because it is too easy to assume that it is way inferior to the gear you currently have. Which it probably WILL be inferior, but not as bad as you might assume.

Dont get me wrong though, i know my rig is far far from where i want it to be, but even as now it still sounds good enough to enjoy. Hopefully in the next couple weeks i can look foirward to another small upgrade. :)

As with anything, in any market, in any hobby, there will always be some gear that can hold its own to much more expencive gear, but it might not fit the needs of everyone, and it does not garauntee synergy with other types of gear in the same price range, nor synergy with other gear reputed to compete with gear much more expencive.

Who knows, maybe the Pinnacle of audio gear is a $10,000.00 rowland amp connected to some $880.00 europas.

Attempting to match gear on price really does not garauntee anything.
Yeah Ellery, give Uppermidfi a break, just cause he made a stupid statement. After all, it takes a long time of being an audiophile to realize that the BOSE WAVE RADIO is the absolute Pinnacle! HA HA HA HA
Actually i agree with nrchy, i think he was kidding around.

Gunbei, hey, it actually did look like something he would say, except less informed... and less coherent... and less technical... and less intelligent.. and less thought out...

I think the problem is my utter lack of my primary food source.

See, i had a filling fall out of my molar the other day, and i had to get it put back in. well, i ended up needing a root canal and they decided to do a deep cleaning on my gums and put me on a regiment of antibiotics.
Well one of the antibiotics i am taking has a HUGE warning in the damn BROCHURE that comes with it, and it states that while taking this drug any achohol consumtion may cause "Severe nausia, vomiting, shaking, and hot flushes"

Good times. Good times.