flex does the name you have choosen have to do with bodybuilding? if so i am i muscle head as well. i do enjoy wine but i love cars working out and tunes much more. my best friend is a huge wine and stereo nut, he has taught me about wine, i have taught him about tubes, he now has a tube research , sound lab system. i am sure his wife hates me though. |
Have it all, just in smaller quantities. Sell 25 lps and one bottle of the wine (assuming you can find that serious buyer). If you don't try at least one of those bottles you may kick yourself for a very long time. Or keep it all and get a home equity loan to cover the taxes. Good luck. |
Well depending on your age - go out and buy a bottle of Strawberry Hill and play some classic rock of the 60's and early 70's. You won't remember a thing about the deal - the headache will be enough to deal with. |
I never make such tradeoffs. I want music, I want audio, I want wine and want it all. Excessive alcohol hurts and interferes with the sound of your system, particularly if you ralph into the power supply or your ARC SP-10. Moderate alcohol doesn't hurt a bit. There's a big correlation between audio and wine as it seems, just as there is between audio and cars. (ex-stereophile Publisher Larry Archibald, in addition to being a car collector, is a BIG wine guy, and Robert Parker is also an audiophile.)
That being said, Araujo Eisele is one of my favorite wines and I will always trade my rare vinyl for wines!! (I have doubles.)
Sincerely,
Robert J. Reina
Audio Reviewer/Musician/Wine Instructor/Investment Banker |
Like a lot of people who appreciate excellent sound and/or wine, I don't have the time to audition every piece of equipment out there nor taste every wine. Accordingly, I look for opinions. Unfortunately, everyone has their own view and advice is all over the place. Just look at responses to various questions on Audiogon - 20 different suggestions to the question "What [fill in the blank] goes well with [fill in the blank]". All probably very good suggestions, but difficult to try them all.
The difficulty with high end audio is that there does not seem to be the equivalent of Robert Parker - a purely independent (i.e. not advertising supported), reasonably reliable reviewer.
At some level, I suppose I am lazy, but I can get what I need from Parker and make reasonable trade-offs among wines. Sure there may be something "better" for more money, but I know I can end up with "very good" at any cost/quality trade-off. (e.g. Why buy a bottle of Petrus when you can get a case of Lynch Bages for the same price?)
Maybe the answer is that high in is inherently more complicated with the interaction of various components, cables and listening environments. Maybe the answer is for time-constrained people like me, just about any high-end set up is better than Sony so don't sweat the trade-offs if you don't have the time.
It would be nice though, to have a Parker. In the meantime, I'll just keep reading posts here while being bored to tears on conference calls. Irrespective of what I said above, I have found them helpful. |
Yes. Alcohol actually messes up your hearing. Ever wonder why the music gets so loud the more you drink? Perhaps this lends itself to the mysteries of reviewers' opinions, as well.( The preceeding is personal conjecture, as I do not know any reviewers personally. I have been to my share of keg parties in a former lifetime, and to that part, I can attest.) |
Flex,
My apologies for missing the sarcasm, I'd actually had a few glasses of wine when I read your post.
Cheers,
Jon |
Flex,
You forgot to add the :-) Sometimes well written sarcasm looks *too much* like the real thing...
Personally, I thought your post was hilarious... I vote to put it in the Class A, limited frequency range category of recommended Audiogon jokes and nominate you for the category of the Cornfedboy-in-absentia "Best Sarcasm in Response to a Different but Very Annoying Thread Involving Bizarre Conspiracy Theories" Award for the 2002 Audiogon Awards.
;-/ |
Jond,
Unfortunately my boombox tastes do parallel my wine tastes. (Avalon and Chateau Mouton Rothschild :)
Regards on your tax woes. |
Jond; not being a wine afficianado, I think that you definitely made the right choice. A properly chilled Bud would be just fine with me. Enjoy the Music. Craig |
Flex,
You must be one of those people who thinks that all stereo equipment sounds the same too. So I wonder, what brand of boombox do you use? |
Can you believe these dorks who are willing to lay out ANY amount of money for a bottle of vino? And just because some reviewer in bed with the growers gave it a class A rating in a promo mag? Reviewer probably gets his samples at half price, no wonder.
Anyone with any sense buys Gallo. Wines are all 12% alcohol, they all taste the same. |
You did the right thing. A bottle of wine lasts for a short period of time whereas your music can be enjoyed for a lifetime. Sean
> |
They are '95 Araujo Eisele Vineyard Estate Cab. Robert Parker say it's the finest wine yet made there. I was hoping to drink it in 12-15 years. Oh well, I guess someone else will get the experience. Assuming I find a serious buyer, that is. |
I hope they weren't Heitz Cellars 1974 Martha's Vineyard! But, if they were Opus One or the like you may be excused. The Rega and LP's will be with you for the long term, and the wine is a one time experience. Although, with the '74 Heitz, the memory will last a lifetime. As an audiophile and wine aficionado, I can sympathize with your dilemma. But, I think you did the right thing. |
Yes, you did the right thing. Drown your sorrows over a nice dry martini, and enjoy your music.
KP |
