Words From the Wise

The last guy was great. But virgil's remarks "are out to lunch" I will tell u right now he isnt the guy who will sit down infront of his hi-fi and listen. He will turn on his hi-fi and maybe listen for awhile. Probably use it for company and recreational time. To use line conditioning and snake oil in the same sentence tells me he isnt listening to hi-fi at all. Just another, at home appliance. It makes a big difference and is well worth the time to hear if for yourself.

Since we are on audiogon, I'll stick to audio words of wisdom (IMHO).
1. Purchase the best used $1000-2000 SS midrange amplifier you can find >200wpc doubling into 4 ohms(ARAGON, PROCEED, B&K, ADCOM, even the top of the line ROTEL or ARCAM units are ok starter amps).
2. Purchase a $700-3000 preamplifier that you like with a phono stage if it is available. This is the biggest commitment and a big fork in the road. Make certain you can live with your decision if you choose tubes because it will color your eventual selection of speakers.
3. Audition a variety of speakers with similar components to those selected in #1 and #2 above over about a 6 month period of time. Borrow from friends or dealer if they will permit so you can live with them for a while. Purchase the speakers you love, rather than what you think you can afford. Use the VISA or beg borrow and hock other valueables to get what you like and will love over the long haul. This could be really expensive but it could also be not so expensive. It really depends on what you like. Thiel 22's can be purchased used for less than $1k.
4. Purchase a good Rotel or Arcam or NAD (or similar Japanese models) CD player which you will upgrade every five years or so as technology advances.
5. Purchase a $500-1000 turntable if you don't already own one with a good $300 medium output cartridge. Listen to older recordings and get some variety into your listening library.
This forms the basis for many years of listening pleasure and future component upgrades as time and money allow.

The music you listen to and you what sounds good to you is the foundation. The room (size,neighbors,spouse) are the next important. Buy the best speakers you can afford. Speakers are the hardest and most expensive thing to do right. Get a bigger amp than you need. Go solid state unless you have lots o $$.There is a difference in cd players, amps, tubes, etc., but everything above has to work first. Source is cheapest to get right (except turntables).

Thats pretty good Infinity Audio. One more thing. Find someone to share the excitement with or it will become a labor of love that you alone must experience. Also read as much about whatever it is in audio that interests you . Be it vaccum tubes or the Absolute Sound. Buy back issues of say... FI magazine . This continued reading excites you into listening and learning . The more you learn the deeper you go and the more you will get out of it .... or put into it! $$$$.

From the perspective of a psychologist who is somewhat new to high-end audio, I have the following to offer:

1. Take your time to choose and keep organized. At least three to four months allows for good research and plenty of time to listen to things. It is also fun to search for various components and learn about the different nuances of each. As buying hi-end equipment is a big investment and there is a lot of equipment out there to choose from, take notes or do some sort of rating system. Personally, I rate on themes such as "emotional impact" or "goose bumps" in addition to "soundstage", "transparency", and "musicality."

2. Audition speakers (or other components) in your home for as long as possible. Factors such as your mood, time of day, or even being hungry can influence your perception at any given time. Having the component in your home for several days or more allows you get to know the component in the confines of your room and equipment, which is likely much different from the sellers. If you fall in love with a piece, its time to buy, unless you love two of the contenders.

3. I f there is a tie between two or more components, try to audition them blind - if possible. This is difficult to do, but worth the hassle, and can only work if you are choosing between several components at the same store (e.g., different models of a CD player) or amongst various friends components. Not knowing which one of the two or three contending components that you are hearing removes any bias that you might have formed. (Of course, someone will need to tell you later which was component A, B or C.) In essence this makes your choice cleaner and based on your reaction only to the sound. It is easy to become influenced by "expert" salespersons, a friends opinion, or some other factor.

4. Someone else said this (12-14-01: Justlisten), and I agree - don't listen to salespersons opinions about equipment that they don't sell. I've experienced too many salespersons subtly or blatantly putting down perfectly good equipment. (E.g., one guy told me that he was "embarrassed" by the fact that had previously sold B & W speakers (which I mentioned that I had auditioned). This can be a manipulative strategy designed to create doubt about the other product.) The best salespersons have just let me listen and decide for myself, or may discuss the qualities of their product. If a salesperson tells you something "bad' about the competitors equipment, it's probably best to assume that s/he doesn't really have your best interest in mind.

5. Use several different types of music during auditions, and use the same pieces for each audition. Select amongst songs that you know very well. I like to use instrumental jazz, good male and female vocalists, classical, and rock and roll. This helps to capture the range, dynamics, and emotional impact of the component that your listening to. Ultimately, in my opinion, it is our emotional response to the music reproduced by the various components that makes buying audio equipment worthwhile.