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The 5 stages of making a bad audio purchase

This is tongue in cheek people, so let’s keep the replies light shall we?
The 5 Stages of Making a Bad Audio Purchase:

1. Denial: "My system, which before was of course totally awesome, is now totally awesomer! The sound stage isn’t just 3 dimensional any more, it is 4 dimensional. I can feel fingers sliding across guitar strings, drums are like my head is against the snare, and the bass goes 10hz lower ...."

2. Anger: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T BELIEVE MY SYSTEM WENT FROM AWESOME TO AWESOMER!!!. You obviously have a crap system, your ears are crap, you are just jealous."

3. Bargaining: "Hey, this gadget will make your already awesome system totally awesomer! 60% of MFR list is a great deal for it! That’s 40% off and you don’t even have to pay tax. I am only selling it because I am upgrading to the even awesomer version 2. My loss is your gain."

4. Depression: "I can’t believe I spent $5,000 on this thing ....."

5. Acceptance: "Sure, 75% off list is fair."
atdavid

Showing 6 responses by ieales

ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
@elizabeth 
Planning, can I afford this?
Why always the money?
If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

@millercarbon
Here in Washington we have some sweet green bud that will get you there in one step
Comments like that negate all post validity. c.f. "What have you been smokin'?" Perhaps we should have icons next to names : wine or shot glass, joint, bong or syringe?

In more than ½ century, I've never evaluated anything when not stone cold sober. I don't even look that dumb!!!

ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
But having a super awesome stereo ... I doubt it.
Except when sharing and enlightening a knowledgeable music lover as to just how good reproduced music can be: "Wow... Wow... Awesome!!... Joe Pass is sitting right there!"

Then, and only then, is having a fine HiFi of any more import than having 32GB RAM. The other 6 nines, it’s just something to annoy the missus.
"Without music, life would be a mistake" - Friedrich Nietzsche
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
^^^ None of which he comprehends...
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
There are no STANDARDS for OVERALL SOUND QUALITY.
Said the deaf NASA engineer.

The standard for a HiFi is that one must have the semblance of being there, irrespective of the program material. It must emote.

If I’m impressed, it more than likely SUX!
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
the assessments are split right down the middle 50-50

Simple explanation: Half can hear and half can't.

More likely explanation: Any particular component may have some particular merit in a particular system. However, the remainder of the system may exacerbate or ameliorate its flaws.

People do not have identical hearing. Any sonic claim for any component is mostly hogwash and applies to only a miniscule subset of the population with similar systems.

Unfortunately only a tiny subset of audiophiles frequently attend live acoustic performances in good spaces and therefore base their assessments on their fantasies.
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
I spent last two weekends checking out two audio shows.
A fate worse than death. My condolences.
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