Full disclosure I’m a dealer so take this post with a grain of salt if you have issues. I’m just pointing out what I see on a lot of forums and here!
WHY IS THERE SO MUCH HATE FOR THE HIGH END GEAR ON AUDIO GEAR?
It seems like when I see comments on high end gear there is a lot of negativity. I have been an audiophile for the last 20 years. Honestly, if you know how to choose gear and match gear a lot of the high end gear is just better. When it comes to price people can charge what they want for what they create. If you don’t want it. Don’t pay for it. Look if you are blessed to afford the best bear and you can get it. It can be very sonically pleasing. Then do it. Now if you are also smart and knowledgeable you can get high end sound at mid-fi prices then do it. It’s the beauty of our our hobby. To build a system that competes with the better more expensive sounding systems out there. THOUGHTS?
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Buy what you like, and like what you buy. Everyone has a budget. *shrugs* I think there’s a lot of jealousy in this hobby. That, and people who think they’re smarter than everyone else. Either way, you end up with a lot of butt-hurt know-it-alls that tend to lash out, rather than try to learn anything.... |
@mitch2 @coralkong i agree with both of you. I see that hate because some people either are A. Jealous or B. Think we are idiots and they know more in a nutshell. Like when they say cables don’t make a difference. I’ve seen them take a system from blah to really good if done properly. |
I find these are usually the "measurements only" folks who are seeking confirmation that their equipment is better, just as good as, or best because some guy on YouTube with a multi-meter gave it a Pink Panther stamp of approval, LOL. Cables can’t possibly make a difference, because copper is copper.....they’ve never tried expensive cables, mind you....but they KNOW it can’t make a difference, and they’ll argue until they're blue in the face about it. Usually hurling thinly veiled insults while they’re at it. Same goes for fuses or what-have-you. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." 😉 Ignorance is bliss, I guess. I enjoy a lively conversation as much as the next guy, but the idea behind the conversation is that I should get something out of it. In other words, I should learn something or teach something. Most of these folks don’t want to learn anything, they just want to appear (at least in their own mind) that their set up is just as good as someone else’s, usually at pennies on the dollar. "Giant slayer", "Punches above it’s weight class", "Just as good as..." are all turn-offs to me. |
@coralkong exactly. I had a great conversation with our cable maker on how he chooses materials, shielding, connectors etc. Keeping outside noise out. Limiting things that can affect and change sound negatively and it all makes sense. But you can’t have that conversation with them. It turns into a measurement argument. Then they tell you. You can’t hear. When it’s actually them that can’t hear. Lol |
@calvinj - At the end of the day, its just a stereo. |
@mitch2 there in lies the problem. They take it way too seriously. They make themselves experts in technology, science , hearing and finance all in one degree ! |
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@lalitk i would do it if I wanted to. We are all grown men. Come on let’s keep it real. We are all 50 and above. Grown men don’t tell other grown me what to do. But anyway. |
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I can afford a lot of audio gear; however, I have learned that you do not need to spend as much money as I did in the past to get comparable and sometimes better sound. First thing for good sound is the room. Cables make a difference in most gear (not all). Speaker cables always make a difference. Good hearing also makes a difference. |
@jacobsdad2000 Schtick? Man to each his own. Look we are all men who say what they want and do what they want. I might not like your comments but you have a right to say them. If I get tired of you or what you are saying I just don’t comment on your post or don’t read them or respond. Best wishes take care. |
Look everyone I posted this because this particular subject over the years is something I see repeatedly. Dissing of high end gear. The rest of us ignorant for paying the prices. The snarky comments about the gear. The snarky comments about you discussing their snarky comments about your gear. The thing that surprises me is that most haven’t heard a lot of high end gear. They haven’t lived with it for months or years. They are annoyed by it. They don’t get it properly matched in their systems if they have heard it. Most don’t have systems resolving enough to tell the differences. They don’t understands the depths that people go to to create the gear. To get the low noise floors. To maximize the gear performance. It’s a lot that goes into cables and components to make things happen. |
@ghdprentice i agree 100%. The crazy part is they wanna tell you how to spend your money. Also, if you spend X$ you are an idiot for doing so. I chose my gear carefully. Yes it’s expensive. But I believe in the science and engineering of how my electronics and speakers were made. Are they expensive yes but I research and listened to these items and I’m sold on the sonics enough to be happy for a very long time. |
@lalitk wow I didn’t know you owned WBF and that you can make me not say what I wanna say. Didn’t know that at all wow. All in fun man don’t take this that serious. |
@coralkong @mitch2 i guess I should be surprised by the snarky comments. If you will tell a guy how to spend his money on gear. You will also have the nerve to tell him when, where and how he can say what he wants to say. The most annoying part is that it comes from a place of stereo knowledge superiority complex. It’s a new sickness that I have diagnosed most that speak this way with. STEREO KNOWLEDGE SUPERIORITY COMPLEX! |
@coralkong yes I see it’s serious. Must be when you are telling someone that posting in caps will get them violated. Lol |
All is a question of informed choices ... I choose low cost or vintage components + Acoustical,mechanical and electrical embeddings controls over way higher cost gear ... Top vintage gear is not obsolete ... low cost dont means bad sound ... I am not jealous of anyone nor of any gear ... It is the opposite which could be true , many will be surprized if they listen what a 700 bucks speakers/system can do well embedded and synergetical ... My system is not high end for sure but not as far from high end that many people imagine ... Acoustics is the main key not price tag ... Acoustic deefinition of immersiveness and timbre and his qualities dont change with price tag but change with acoustically well embedded basically good gear ... I enjoy what i called the minimal acoustical satisfaction threshold ...This is defined by a general good balance between all acoustic factors defining all aspects of sound in acoustic for ANY gear at ANY price ...For sure this threshold is independant of the price because it is a balance relative ratio not an absolute classification... The fact that better system than mine exist dont means that my soundfield is trash in a word ... The problem of sound is solved in my system , i listen music without being bothered by the sound defects, and i choose the best system in the world for my taste : the best S.Q. possible at the lowest price ... I am not jealous at all but you, you must be, if you spoke about jealousy here because i am not so far from high end that some claim ... 😊 Here i always promoted creativity, homemade tweaks only and especially studies of acoustics and basic experiments ...I never promoted costly upgrades because it is up to each person wallet dimensions and half the time it is bad informed choice...I never bragg about high end products ...I dont needed to for justifying my expanses ..... Anyway my 100 bucks hybrid headphone is unique and is a high end product never reproduced or imitated again for 45 years ...it beat most speakers in a living room because he gave when optimized a soundfield out of the head and speaker-like and bass near 20 hertz with non artificial headphone timbre which i experienced with all my 9 others headphones ... My low cost speakers dont beat my TOP headphone for sure so good they are but beat most headphones , it is enough for enjoying music ... It is not enough to bragg about high end price for sure, i pay them 100 bucks 12 years ago ...😊 i am very proud to be creative... It is enough for me ... Keep your high cost upgrades... my only upgrade will be a BACCH filters DSP ...
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Why are you so triggered by what others say or think? And so much so that you have to repeat the topic over and over. As you say, we are all grown men, so grow up and get over it. YOU are the only one in control of how you react to what others say here. Why are you always so defensive about your position? You have other problems if you let some random guy on the internet get you so riled up over a comment. |
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@csmgolf ok! There you go! I’m not riled up at all. Pretty much expect it at this point. I’m not the problem or a problem at all. I just wonder how a simple post like this one leads grown men to tell other grown men what to do. What to think and who they are. I posted this because I wonder about it. I’m not triggered at all. I got my system. It’s sounds great and I’m happy. Take care. Sorry about being so defensive. Lol. Anyway. Take care. Anyway. Everyone enjoy your systems and just ignore my posts if you don’t like them. |
@jacobsdad2000 not being abrasive at all. Man look. We all get to talk about what we like want or things that we ponder. This particular thing I see come up quite often so I’m just seeing how people feel or what they think about it. Not being abrasive at all. Just saying why do a lot of guys think they have the right to tell me or anyone else what to post or how to post or what subject to post on. |
@mahler123 I posted this because I was reading some of the comments about the gear. I see the snarky comments that happen I just wonder why. I wanted to know what people think. Look we all can say what we want and post what we want. I might not like something you post or say but I’m not going to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. I just don’t do that. Period. |
How many times has this topic come up? I don't know about anyone else but I'm way past that and can give a tinker's fart about it. There's this phenomenon of some deluding themselves into thinking they're "influencers" and love to dominate others online for fame, relevance and money. To hell with them. They pollute all manner of discourse and it's getting worse. Spend more time listening and enjoying what you've got. All the best, |
@nonoise great take on it all. We all have our opinions about this all. At the end of the day. We all purchase what we want. Have our opinions and express them in any way we feel like. There are those that think it’s ok to,post this. There are those that don’t. The truth of the matter is that most of us will never hear each others systems. Most of us will never do any business together or even talk to each other in person outside of these forums. Most of us are so strong willed about how we feel that we wouldn’t listen to each other anyway. I see posts all the time that I don’t like or agree with and I pass them up. To each his own mind and opinion. This is only audio. A hobby we all should enjoy. But like I said before I would never tell you or anyone what to post or how to post. Not my place. |
You must have mistaken me for somebody else who actually cares how other people spend their money because I don't, and occasionally say so in my posts. I am possibly guilty of occasional snarky comments (although I mostly aim for sarcasm and innuendo). I don't quite understand the new SKSC sickness you have discovered but suggest is is possible you are projecting. Interesting concept for contemplation - if you don't want comments or feedback about your posts then quit asking questions on a public forum. Some may think you are simply searching for an argument. |
@cmsgolf I met you a few years ago in person . I have actually bought smthg from you. You ought to know I’m not going to tell you what to do or post. You are not going to tell me what to do or post. That’s just how the world works. Not trying to be abrasive or anything. We have our opinions etc. But I’m not going to be mad at you over an Audiogon post. Doesn’t make any sense. Anyway. Take care. |
@mitch2 maybe Im projecting. That’s possible as well. But look we all have our opinions about what we see and feel and I’m ok with all of it. At the end of the day it’s a forum. People talk and have opinions and I will mostly leave it at that. Not searching for an argument. Also I haven’t complained about the feedback at all. The only thing I complain about ever is anyone telling anyone else what they can post or not post. The rest I’m ok with. |
@calvinj I know that we met a couple of years ago. I am trying to understand why you let what other people think of equipment or how much others spend on it impact you in any way. If you do, that's on you and you need to look within and understand why it bothers you so much. If you take that as me telling you what to do, so be it. It used to bother me, but I let all of that crap go. I am much better off for it. People spend so much energy needing to prove that they are right instead of realizing that they are different and no amount of energy spent is going to change that. |
@coralkong i guess it is serious business you are 100% right. I’m argumentive. I’m projecting and I’m supposed to get my posts approved by certain folks. Interesting. Anyway it is what it is. |
@calvinj - For clarity, I never said you "complained" but if you want to argue about that you will need to pay for an extra five minutes... |
@mitch2 add it on my bill. It’s cool. Lol. Anyway I get what you are saying. Take care |
@jacobsdad2000 i saw that article before and I agree with most of it. When I go to audio shows the prices for gear are all over the place. There is a segment of the population that can afford the gear. There is also less of a middle class now. In addition to that the music sometimes becomes secondary. I listen to a lot of fast quit hitting jazz that I want to sound live. Some people have taste that don’t require that and don’t need gear to the level of what I have. We all have different goals in audio and sometimes just a warm relaxing full sound will do. Some of us have taken it to extremes. But reading the article he makes several great points about affordability, need, accessibility and the actual music. When I demo tracks I know the artists, when it was made and the story behind it. That makes the music more enjoyable to me. Also I can’t stand the same track that we ALWAYS LISTEN AT THESE SHOWS! |
@calvinj Perhaps it's because a lot of people hate the rich. Because once people get that rich, something is out of whack. This happened in the French Revolution. I'm not saying that's correct the correct attitude to have. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with 81 billionaires having more wealth than 50% of the world combined, or the fact that they are taxed the least (only 4 cents in every dollar of global tax revenue coming from wealth taxes). No, I'm not saying anything is wrong with this picture at all. But some people are annoyed about this, so when they see examples of "conspicuous consumption," it triggers them. |
@hilde45 i agree with you on that I come from very humble beginnings. Built my law firm starting with $1500 I’m in my 21st year of business. I definitely understand. The cost of some items to some people are just not how they see the world and money. I can respect that. |