That’s funny.
Hey RICH Audiophiles
Why don't one of you incredibly wealthy audiophiles whose systems I drool over every day start an Audiophile Rental business?
Imagine how easy to simply rent a set of speakers or amp for a nominal fee so us POOR enthusiasts could demo it in our own home/system without restocking fees or massive depreciation when reselling..No more sitting in traffic,wasting gas & polluting the environment running from dealer to dealer only to be greeting by horrible listening conditions that give you ABSOLUTELY no idea how a piece of gear will actually sound in your own listening room...
Imagine how easy to simply rent a set of speakers or amp for a nominal fee so us POOR enthusiasts could demo it in our own home/system without restocking fees or massive depreciation when reselling..No more sitting in traffic,wasting gas & polluting the environment running from dealer to dealer only to be greeting by horrible listening conditions that give you ABSOLUTELY no idea how a piece of gear will actually sound in your own listening room...
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Instead of renting, just buy secondhand. You will save 50%, and be granted entry into the royal society of dues-paying audiophiles. If necessary, take a second or third job, sell some other junk, or just max out the plastic. Alternatively, I’d suggest following ArchieLuxury on youtube. He will show you how he amassed a collection of Rolex, with no gig other than a youtube channel. |
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Well I have a have a main system which cost over $50K. I used to have $50K speakers and even more expensive amps. So you want to hear my answer? If you can’t afford it stop asking. If you are serious then get on a plane or hit the road in your car and go to dealers who have the equipment you want. I also used to own a very high end shop in NYC. Your room is not the issue if you purchase appropriate size speakers Measure your room, understand it’s physical make up—what;s in it that moves and what’s attached like bookcases as well as if they are flat and parallel surfaces or not. The problem with you audiophiles is that most have beer budgets and Champaign tastes. Find a used Ferrari just remember that its maintenance costs are commensurate with the initial and evolved prices. If you purchase from a dealer and you allow them to help you build the system then you are likely to find success and happiness, but if you troll Audiogon etc and buy crap because you heard it was good....have at it. Your speakers are what interacts with your room not the rest of your system. Now, “for a nominal fee” with no restock or shipping/delivery charges”? You are being ridiculous!!! If you want Maggies you can go to Minnesota. But your room is controllable. Know and learn what you like and then buy. Being impetuous is what is responsible for so much equipment being available on the used market. Let me ask one question: have you ever asked to test drive a Porsche 911 Turbo or GT3, no less a Ferrari or Lamborghini? Have you every wanted to rent the $10,000 a month 1-bedroom apartment in LA or Manhattan? You don;’t get through the door with your $75K job; you need proof that you can actually afford it. Sure the $5000 place you can tour, the Maserati you might be able to test drive too, but if you want to purchase anything that depreciates and you can’t handle that they buy your modest house or apartment or condo. No one likes tire kickers! But if you ask a friend of a friend if you might pop by one afternoon for a listen you might find you get a yes. In the meantime, dragging expensive=heavy speakers around town is not something your white collar hands and back are likely to enjoy no less do and you won’t do it without damaging them — scratches, dings...oh, and one last thing, do you think it should be “cheap”? People require money and no one in the AV business is getting filthy rich. I know this for a fact and now I am in the pro world and no one here is getting rich either. For a $20K speaker, how many loans would make it break even? And how many does one need to have around for your whims? Are you willing to pay a grand plus delivery, pick up and installation charges? I have a Porsche too and the only person other than me that’s ever had their ass in the driver’s seat with the ignition key besides me is my mechanic! Girlfriend, best friend? Nope. But I’ll take you for a whirl in the canyons or on the freeway for an hour. Now go buy a boat and find out what a real money pit is! |
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"I also used to own a very high end shop in NYC."Why not anymore? Comparison with Porsches and Lamborghinis is revealing. There is actually a number of places that rent such cars for a day, or a few hours. And that is exactly what OP is asking for. "Girlfriend, best friend? Nope."Would you believe that some people value their girlfriends and best friends more than a conglomerate of metal, plastic, leather, and whatever other material is in the car? Not everyone, apparently, but some do. Still, nice to know you are enjoying your Macan. |
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Wcfeil, i dont know, I think dobnbrav makes some valid points. If you want to hear hi end gear you likely can’t afford, get on a plane to a major city centre and visit some dealers or go to axpona or similar shows. If you can’t afford that, stay in your lane and stop peaking through the toy shop window, it will only depress you. |
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freediver
Imagine how easy to simply rent a set of speakers or amp for a nominal fee so us POOR enthusiasts could demo it in our own home/system without restocking fees or massive depreciation when reselling ...That doesn't sound easy at all. In fact, one of the dirty little secrets of our audio hobby is dealing with carriers and their shipping costs and - when there's damage - collecting on the insurance. Almost every audiophile I know has a horror story (or two, or three) to share. And even with the best outcomes, shipping can be a pricey proposition. I've just come to accept it as part of the hobby. I agree with this guy: dobnbav If you are serious then get on a plane or hit the road in your car and go to dealers who have the equipment you want. |
Fine German iron :-) a souless but Godly efficient appliance that most owners “rent” that is after all the astute definition of a car payment or aghast a lease... as for letting people drive it, short of it being irreplaceable rare, and nobody has a yet mentioned anything remotely in that category, let them have some fun. ( on the before 993 I do start em off in the parking lot to they understand what throttle lift does... ) we skipped acquiring the prancing horse horse after arriving at dealership in our tricked out 993, being completely ignored for 30 minutes - car locked inside... any A H dealer for anything Audio, cars, boats should be shunned... finally boats, OMG what a sinkhole..$$$$ but skippering your own fishing adventure across Queen Charlotte strait, laying into the salmon and Halibut, yep big fun - perhaps priceless ! I let the kids drive the boat from about age 6-7.... the grins are not replaceable, the boat might be The fishing experience, that is rentable 2 they call them guides !!!! |
What is so funny about this is that on the Internet everyone is rich, handsome, and brilliant they are doctors, lawyers and EEs you never here anyone say I Am A Elementary School Student or I Am Unemployed yet most hear are obviously deficient, confused, and disoriented while enjoying a rich fantasy life of Ferraris, boats, and big speaker systems! |
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Are you talking about a very specialized Airbnb? Someone rent's out a place that has a fine system that is available for use. That would be the only way top gear can be reasonably auditioned because such gear must be properly integrated into a system and that system must be fine tuned to the particular room, something that can take many months to accomplish. Yeah, the only problem is that a reasonable price would be many thousands per day to rent a place housing such a system. |
I've loved 911s for years, still do, and then drove a Cayman GT4. One of the great bargains in the "go fast" car world, uses a 911 motor in a mid engine little car, and gets everything right. Lower cost high end audio gear takes a while to assemble, but rewards you anyway...buy some used things, and ignore most advice until you check things out for yourself as there is a lot of nonsense hurled around here. |
@glupson. All the time please stop by when next in Seattle or Southern California! mr_m will be by soon @whart wishing I had bought a few or even one of the 356 that came my way, even the coupes... I can remember like it was yesterday the first time I saw one in quaint little downtown Seal Beach... the perfect California car... Hurley as instructor omg a tower of talent @wolf_garcia so right you are, besides the bevy of 911 at one time we owned a Boxster S in the lil creek bottom one lane roads in rural Missouri, I can tell you it as an amazing scalpel of a car with the Cayman being all the better.... |
My 1st 911, a sub 20,000 mile preowned 1984 Carrera Targa. It had been owned by the chief engine builder/engineer for the Chaparral Can Am and then Indy Car race team. I was told he took the entire drivetrain apart when he took delivery new and went over every part in order to "improve". Improve he did! It was so smooth and easy all the way to redline, which was about 500rpm higher after his touch. It wailed like a Ferrari. When I moved to another town and took it to the Porsche dealer there for some routine service, the entire service team and some of the management were waiting. It was only then that I came to understand how special that car was. The Fuchs wheels has a personalize engraving the the original owner inside each rim. It was explained to me that that particular 911 was built special and to the tightest tolerances they had ever seen. It was a street Porsche built by their racing team. I'll never forget that car...sold it to fund grad school...I dont recall if I met the buyer or not but it sold to the first caller full pop, then onto a trailer. |
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Buy used gear and or DIY what you can and you will have a rich guy system most likely with better sound. Rich guys pay someone to select gear and setup systems the ones I hear I can tell the sellers made good $ off these types and stuck them with just OK sound. After all it goes not were it sounds best but looks best. |
FWIW, I happen to own a Porsche only repair facility so I know of what I speak. At the moment we are working on a few interesting ones. 1960 356 rRadster 1997 993 Turbo S 1995 Techart yellow trouble 1988 959 Komfort 1972 911S 1971 911T 2015 Supercup factory race car 1996 993 cab 2007 997 Turbo 2001 996 Turbo I must admit I favor the older air cooled stuff for myself, but the newer "real" water cooled stuff makes sense for most. Anyone in the Boston area is more that welcome to stop by and visit the shop, or stop by the house and listen to some music! |
