GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: Who has best sound in High-End Audio?

Post Subject: To push the curtainPosted by Stitch on: 12/27/2010

Romy the Cat wrote:

If not they, then who?
The Cat

Romy, I know, you are one of the very rare guys in Audio who want to push the curtain, to improve reproduction and to serve good knowledge to the mass of discriminated Music Lovers.Unfortunately most don't understand you right, but you can't change it, most wouldn't detect a good sounding Preamp, even when it would be thrown into their face.
The huge difference between you, me and others is the job we have and the definition of "good". We don't need to sell units to survive, we have a real job and High End is a hobby (lets use that definition) and what we rate as "good" from our listening experience/knowledge/understanding/what-is-responsible-for-what has nothing in common with a Manufacturer, Importer, Dealer. Their definition of "good" is based on sold units. Nothing else.
"They" only listen to you when they have the impression you like their units or you are interested to buy it.
When you tell them what is inferior/wrong/cheap they will hate you from one second to the next. And they hate you MUCH more when they know you can afford their units but refuse to, because you got the point(s) of weakness. Then they start to badmouth you (that is much more simple than to think about their own "design"). Same is valid for listening to Systems from Audiophiles, you are welcome as long you are in ave...Based on these experiences I went to dealers to have demos. I offered them money to hire their listening room for 1-2 hours and asked them to connect the units I was interested.
The other way is - or was - getting in touch with Audiophiles who own a interesting System, but this needs a LOT of time, and it is also depressing at the end of day. Most are horrible, because they all believe the monthly nonsense from the mags. And the difference from sound quality between cheap or expensive? None. Only in higher volume and nicer Design.
The very few Systems I listened to which were really outstanding ( maybe 3 from 40 ) are from people which have absolutely no interest to get in touch with other "Audiophiles", are very seldom in Online forums and I found them more or less by accident or private recommendations.In the 90's I had a few dealers which were a bit different, they had 2 opinions, an official one (for the monthly idiots they had to live from) and a private opinion about something (and a private System). All of them are out of business, based on age or frustration. I stopped going to dealers, the whole business changed. Sound quality is only blah-blah but no one knows what it is. When you start to talk about, they nodd, but have absolutely no idea.The only thing you have in common is the sentence "What an idiot". The Manufacturer/Shop owner will say that to his employee when you left the shop and you do the same.Real High End with some (not much) brain behind is a - very - lonely way today.

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