Life is too short to buy someone else's favorite stereo gear


That's it. That's all I have to say.
erik_squires
TBH
I really have no idea what it is you are trying to say here Erik.
All sarcasm aside from previous posts but just what are you driving at?
Or have I not had enough coffee yet to get it?
Maybe this is tied to the " donate a dollar to have these Members Review a Product" post and he is saying that folks should figure out their own purchases for themselves rather than purchase stuff based on vehemently impassioned opinions posted on audio forums.
We are all lucky you are not keeping your best thoughts to yourself.
Witness this, and other posts you have started...
It seems that I am not the only cryptic one and with incomprehensible post...You beat me... :)

Maybe this is tied to the " donate a dollar to have these Members Review a Product" post and he is saying that folks should figure out their own purchases for themselves rather than purchase stuff based on vehemently impassioned opinions posted on audio forums.

Yes and he said that because each one had different "tastes" habits... when I said that this explain nothing in audio experiences and explain why, he said that he does not understand what in the world I speak about...:)


Without rancor I wish you the best....I apologize for being here but it was irresistible attraction...I will vanish now...



" The dog said he bite me because he was bitten, it is only the great chain of beings " -Groucho Marx
I really have no idea what it is you are trying to say here Erik.

@uberwaltz

Haha, funny how we post things that seem very clear to us, and not to others. I thought I was immune from this effect, but now I am humbled. :-)

What I mean is that knowing what others like is fun, but in the end, you need to buy what you like the most, regardless of prevailing wisdom, reviewers or other taste makers may think.

Best,

E
I think @erik_squires is asking why someone would buy a system recommended by another in the absence of any other supporting information to make a decision? I suppose you could do that assuming a good return policy but honestly, who does that?  There are so many ways to hear what you like before buying.
who does that? There are so many ways to hear what you like before buying.


Right? But some of the questions and arguments here make me worry this point is not clearly or universally understood. :)


Please make a list of the different ways to hear what you like without buying. I find this very hard to do in my situation.  I'm sure many others have this problem too.  I'm particularly interested in the good stuff, not lower sound quality stuff.

Hey @tomcy6 

I don't mean people buy without listening at all, what I mean is that they take the opinions of others with far too much importance. Hope that clarifies.

Best,

E
Listening before buying is not always possible indeed.... And anyway no electronic components can be evaluated in the same manner in the different mechanical embeddings, in different acoustical fields, and in different electrical grids...And no audio system can sound the same in a showroom and in your house...If I can say that without offending him, erik_squires is right on that, but like I just said not just because our taste are different....

" The opinion of others help others first " Groucho Marx





:)

It is called many names...I like koan...But it is called" dark humour", "spirit" " bad joke" or "good joke" ... But perhaps you dont know Groucho Marx ? Young people dont know him anymore... Also it is fun to use common places in different context... My best...


"Smiling is like luck, we need it the most when we have no reason to give it " Groucho Marx

I thought it was because he had a friend who died and he would not buy his favourite system ...

"Is this a koan? If not, I don’t get it. If so, maybe not the right venue."
The post of the thread. We are done.
I thought it was because he had a friend who died and he would not buy his favourite system ...
I realize I make my post out of ignorance of the context of the situation lived by erik-squires...

It was not an audio discussion like usual...

I offer my sympathies to him and to the family of his friend, and I apologize for my bad venue comments and displaced  dark humour... I am truly sorry...
Mahgister

What happened to “I will vanish now” that you offered up about 3 posts ago...
You left off the rest of it "...unless it is also your favorite and you can buy it from someone for half the retail price."
very prophetic title ,wont get many hits though. It just further confirms this place must be full of salesmen. A good title would be : To log out ? Or not to log out. 
Haha fair enough regarding the OP but buy the Herron VTPH-2A Phono Preamp. 🤯
Thx Erik
I do believe I get your intent despite the "tough crowds" worst intentions at deflection.

I am probably as guilty as any at reading others views and thoughts and sometimes being swayed by that vein of wisdom rather than sticking to my own thoughts.
Probably why I have ended up with two new to me streaming units and let the best one win!

Doh!
There’s no real practical way to listen to everything you might want to for many people. If you go by one persons opinion, then you’re just buying into their likes. I look for as much info and reviews as I can on a product, and a picture will usually emerge to give you a decent idea of what to expect. 
I get it and could not agree more. I could say more but would undermine the purpose of Erik's post. 
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher

wander in the desert....

and of course , an imbedded musical quiz
Of course there just not enough hours to do an exhaustive listening evaluation of the 30 “ best “ tube preamp on the planet ( n=30 ).....


And yes, I find the half a million $ power amp shootout thread laughable....


Post removed 
"There are so many ways to hear what you like before buying. "

How do you do that? Most brands have limited dealerships. One would have to drive thousands of miles and listen to gear in unfamiliar rooms with unfamiliar equipment. 

It's spelt "favourite". You're welcome.
 Report
It most definitely is .... If you are in England of course.🤔🤔
The used market is so yummy thanks to this mindset......

Keep it up and spread the word.
Life is too short to base your audio buying on someone else’s audio preferences.

If that’s what you mean I couldn’t agree more. But it also raises the question of the value of expert reviews when one doesn’t know the audio preferences of the reviewer. Professional reviewers always list the associated equipment used in the review but when was the last time you saw a side bar describing the audio preferences of the reviewer or it even explained?
And while "let your ears be the judge" is ideal it is not ALWAYS practical in the real world. Hence we are dependent on honest professional reviewers for guidance.
And, in UK/Australian English it can be "spelt" but in US English it is "spelled"
You learn something every day.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming.....
I have had very good results by asking for advice on the audio sites.  That's how i ended up with my fav speakers Ref 3A de Capos
Life is too short to buy someone else's favorite stereo gear


I want to buy the tee-shirt!

Before developing our own preferences based on experience, we tend to rely on the expressed preferences of others. Even later, after we have your own body of sonic evidence to draw upon (via buying & selling gear), other people's preferences are often the only way to assess some higher-level/more complex audio design with which we have no experience.

Early on I learned to read between the lines of reviews & user comments, picking out nuggets that signified something to me, that in some way resonated with my own knowledge. And especially with user comments, one must do some compiling & refining to detect trends (potential truths) across a range of comments.
I disagree.  I buy only used based on reviews and input from Agon members (and a once every three years a visit to AXPONA).  My system-- Magico, ARC, Merrill Audio, Feickert, Reed, Ortofon, Esoteric was purchased for 40% or less off of list.  Doing your homework works.  In 20 years I have only regretted two purchases-- KEF 201/2s and a Modwright amp that could not drive Thiel 3.7s. But there is no doubt I love those people that buy from dealers and absorb the initial depreciation.
   
This is one of those rare times I'm going to agree with a sweeping generalization in regard to audio gear. Whatever some may suspect of OP's motive, he nailed a basic truth. 
Really ,I guess my time is near ,I buy used stuff all the time.Thats the only way I can effort  it.
The vast majority of my components were purchased second-hand, most often without hearing them.  Rarely have I been disappointed with this type of purchase as I do a lot of research and try to find everything I can from both professional reviewers and actual owners.  I try to pick through all the fluff and pay close attention to comments about the character of the piece and comparisons to other components, especially if they are ones I'm familiar with.

Some of the few times I have been disappointed were when I auditioned something in person that I hadn't researched.  I really liked the audition, but then after listening to it in my system for a while discovered shortcomings that weren't apparent at first.  Things I would have avoided had I paid attention to other people's impressions.  

Buying second hand allows me to flip things if I outgrow them and get close to what I paid for them, so if I do end up getting something that seems like it would be a good fit, but isn't, it's not a big loss.
I want to buy the tee-shirt!

Oh, I can use this to fund my next audio convention trip. :)
I have had very good results by asking for advice on the audio sites.

And at no time do I want to discourage asking for and listening to advice, but in the end, no one can reach enlightenment for you.

Best,

Erik
Dont want to invade the post but, Erik. how do i get in touch with you  Would like to ask you some questions about Power conditioners and such Read some of your other posts,.somehow PM If you dont mind
Mike