I usually attend demonstrations carried out using Five Different Systems in homes throughout a year and also in a year can be introduced to a few other systems in unknown homes, further systems are experienced 'not in a home' if an event is attended.
The regular visited homes where I am familiar with the systems in use, are all able to impress and make very good presentations, the type of ones that I would be happy to introduce any forum member from any forum to.
I have always had a sympathetic understanding of a system presented in a home, especially one that is new to myself and one that maybe has quite obvious sonic traits that are not to my preferences. I am happy to discuss with the owner how long they have been putting the system together and which changes have been made to achieve the system that is un use.
It does not take long to work out that a certain individual builds a certain type of system to suit their own unique preferences and my thoughts on the sonic traits being detected, that do not come across as attractive to my prferences are of no importance and certainly do not have a place in the encounter. What matters is that I am a guest in another’s home and where I can support and offer encouragement for the positives being discovered is the Cornerstone of growing a friendship, especially where likeminded individuals are becoming rarer that Rocking horse Poo.
If I was to attend an event and a Commercial entity was demonstrating their wares. If an opportunity comes, ’which it has’, I will inquire about the intention for the system being demonstrated and would not hesitate to inform where I see the description being presented by the vendor and the impression made on myself through the demonstration and my assessment, are from my standpoint not aligned. It is not a nice trait (something a little whiffy) when a sales pitch being directed at somebody, is attaching itself to a Marketing Buzz Word or Journalistic Hype, but the sale being encouraged within the location is quite amiss in matching the attraction of the desirable traits of a Buzz Word.
It is an 'absolute fact', that one can go into different environments and make trusted and very useful assessments of an assembly of Equipment or even Particular Items of Equipment, through receiving a demonstration, they need nothing else than their senses to be healthy in order to make an evaluation.
Getting out and experiencing other systems of items of interest is the most enjoyable and healthy practice within HiFi, it is my mantra, it is this practice that has encouraged changes made within the home system that has created the in-use system today. It is also this practice that has enabled myself to measure my system against others and in some cases, systems approaching £200 000 or more, I don't feel I need to extend to such monies to get the experience that satisfies myself.
The above though is not sharing the experience of an item of interest entered into your own system used in your own listening environment in a relaxed emotional state.
With this in mind, a good impression made at another abode or venue, is one that identifies an item for a shortlist, and ideally to be included for a Home Demonstration, if the Home Demo' opportunity is able to be created, otherwise to purchase outright with no experience of the item used within the system, is a punt purchase. It would be bettered with a period of a pre purchase familiarisation in place for a purchased item.
With the modern marketing options, a Home Demo’ of an item of interest is difficult to achieve, but a demo’ of an Item of interest is usually achievable if a bit of footwork is carried out.
When I reassemble my system from storage, I have a list of items for a Home Demo', these are items of interest I have gathered over the past year or more. Fortunately, some items of interest are on others shortlists and I might get a few listens in other systems prior to be loaned the device for my own home audition.
