top ten things you learned about HiFi on Agon


Here's my list in some semblance of order:

1. how to more critically listen to music and determine what my system is doing right and what areas could stand some improvement
2. room shape and speaker position matter a lot
3. about other websites where I can get more detailed information on a particular subject
4. importance of the source
5. importance of good power cables
6. importance of a solid foundation for your equipment
7. importance of tonearm and cartridge matching and setup
8. about silver fuses
9. concepts related to amp and speaker matching
10. the concept of overall system balance and working towards a particular system sound.

I have really learned quite a bit by coming on this site. I generally used to think I knew my way around HiFi gear, having built speakers and owned various systems over the years, some that worked "pretty good" (put together by budget, market research, ear and accident), and some... well, not-so-much. I have a much better idea of where my understanding is now (thus the screen name), and feel like I am only scratching the surface.

With that said, every time I listen to my system these days I am aware of how much better it sounds compared to only a few years ago - due in large part to advice based on your writings and rantings on here. And this accomplished by adding many tweaks, a few key accessories and without adding or swapping very many major parts over that time span (except three turntables and four cartridges [but no microphone!]). Thanks Agoners for all the great information!!!
Ag insider logo xs@2xknownothing

Showing 1 response by almarg

"then" for "than" being perhaps the most common confusion in Audiogon posts

Together with advise/advice, and lose/loose.

I can't quite get to 10 either, after everything else that has been said, but here are a half dozen, in no particular order:

1)The ability to quickly create a short list of products to consider in whatever category and price range I am looking to purchase, by researching member comments (and heavily filtering them based on my accumulated perceptions of the members' strong points and weak points).

2) The technical aspects of power distribution, grounding, and shielding (even though I am an experienced electrical engineer). Special thanks to Jea48.

3)About room equalization, subwoofer integration, and some of the subtleties of speaker design. Special thanks to Shadorne.

4)Lots of good things about amplifier design. Special thanks to Atmasphere, Steve McCormack, and Charles Hansen among others.

5) How satisfying it can be to help someone I don't know solve a frustrating technical problem.

6)Everything that Entrope and Elizabeth said, which I guess means that I'm "good at sorting out the bs." :)

Regards,
-- Al