2. amps-preamps
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When someone tells you it's a $40,000 amp, does it sound better?

I've always been a little bit suspicious when gear costs more than $25,000 . At $25,000 all the components should be the finest, and allow room for designer Builder and the dealer to make some money.

I mean that seems fair, these boxes are not volume sellers no one's making a ton of money selling the stuff.

But if I'm listening to a $40,000 amplifier I imagine me Liking it a whole lot more just because it costs $40,000. How many people have actually experienced listening to a $40,000 amplifier.  It doesn't happen that often and usually when you do there's nothing else around to compare it to.  
 

I'm just saying expensive gear is absolutely ridiculous.  It's more of a head game I'm afraid. Some how if you have the money to spend, and a lot of people do, these individuals feel a lot better spending more money for something.  Now you own it, and while listening to it you will always be saying to yourself that thing cost $40,000 and somehow you'll enjoy it more.

 

jumia
terry9
2,333 posts
 

'Best' components? At Parts Connexion, right now, there is a Vishay VAR series 120K 0.6W resistor marked down to $58. One resistor.

larryi
3,982 posts
 

A $58 resistor from Vishay—I hope at that price it doesn’t sound like a Vishay.  I saw listings for film caps that cost more than $1,000 each for the second to the top of the line (for a quote on the top line, you have to call).  I have a headphone amp with a nice potentiometer (Alps RK 50).  My friend wanted one for a build he was planning and called a distributor and was told that the price is $850 each with a minimum order of 50 units.  

Vintage parts can be even crazier.  The input transformers on my amp are now being priced at $6800 each and the output transformers are about $5000 each. I have another amp that has output transformers that cost about $22,000 a pair.  I am really happy I purchased these things before the prices were that crazy.

rbrandt58
3 posts
 

My personal experience is everything makes a difference.You can put a $40,000 amp with a $1,000 preamp, the amp will only produce what the preamp sends it. (cables can make a difference too.) I have tried several different combinations of everything and right now my most expensive parts in my system is preamp, speakers, amp and DAC about the same, and I found Siltech cables sound the best for my ears. You just got to listen to what is best for you and your ears.

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

@dwmb : as regards Jay's Audio Lab, this is what Rocky the Squirrel said to Bullwinkle the Moose: "You don't have to be a squirrel to be NUTS".

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cleeds
5,947 posts
 
roxy54

No matter what level you subscribe to on his site, all you're really getting it to see this very expensive gear; you can't hear it in any real way because it is replayed over inexpensive computer speakers.

That is true, @roxy54. And even if you route Youtube through your big rig, the fidelity is still limited by YT's compression, which is substantial. So between that and the other problems with Jay's system - especially his electric service - there's no way to tell what the gear actually sounds like from his videos. His attitude seems to be that there's no other way to hear these uber-priced products, but that's absurd: If you want to hear a Boulder amp, simply visit a dealer for an audition.

@jays_audio_lab isn't a dealer for most of the gear he's promoting. And with his combative attitude, I don't think he'll be picking up many fine lines any time soon. He's just a showman.

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