Spending Most Of The Budget On Amplification?

[paulf-2007]

According the the Bank of England website, the £120 I spent on my Quad ESLs in 1974, would be £314 today. So about 1% of a typical annual salary.

i wonder if they have their figures right. I finished my apprenticeship in 1974, I may be wrong but I seem to remember a skilled turner was on £1/hour. Going by the Bank of England a skilled man wouldn't make minimum wage now.

[paulf-2007]

Probably doesn't account for the rise in the prices of Hi-Fi. The Quad ESL 2812 is now £6500.

Obviously not, it's supply and demand and idiot audiophools.

[paulf-2007]

interconnects found in recording studios, albeit fitted with 'posh plugs', as I can hear the difference they make - and my system sounds MUCH better for it!



Marco.

now you're scaring me

[nthall]

No problem, I understand that and agree. I also get the 'downgrade in price, to upgrade in sound quality' thing.

For example, in my 'sillier days', I used to use £800 mains leads and interconnects from the likes of Transparent Audio and Siltech. These days, I mostly use (hardwired) DIY solid-core mains leads, and interconnects found in recording studios, albeit fitted with 'posh plugs', as I can hear the difference they make - and my system sounds MUCH better for it!



Marco.

I think most of the reason mains cables aren't effective for me is caused by the differences in our mains systems. All of our large appliances run on 240, and everything else is 120. Most of the noise is isolated from the outlet the stereo is plugged into already.

I would not call the ends on my interconnects posh, but they aren't the cheapest ones I could find either. They do make a difference.



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[Macca]

I don't think so.

Okay true, according to the BOE it would be £6280.09

Expensive speakers the ESL

[Macca]

its not just about bass, higher frequencies bounce around and meet your ears at different times, I don't need to tell you that of course. When I built my room albeit very small I could have been content with it but planned to treat it anyway. When I did the difference was astounding. If you've never felt the need all well and good but I'd bet it would be even better with treatment, especially first reflection on the ceiling.

Totally agree. For it to be worthwhile the system itself needs to be already properly sorted though. It won't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, was the point I was making. Ceiling is where I would/will start.

[Macca]

I think most of the reason mains cables aren't effective for me is caused by the differences in our mains systems. All of our large appliances run on 240, and everything else is 120. Most of the noise is isolated from the outlet the stereo is plugged into already.

Why have so many U.S enthusiasts spent crazy money on mains cables then?

Don't get me wrong I am sceptical about mains cables too, my own admittedly limited experiments have yielded no benefit but I have not fully written it off as a factor.

[icehockeyboy]

I don't think it's as high as that.

Fwiw, Dr Amar Bose claimed that at a concert, 89.9% of sound was reflected, and 10.1 % directional.

[Barry]

i wonder if they have their figures right. I finished my apprenticeship in 1974, I may be wrong but I seem to remember a skilled turner was on £1/hour. Going by the Bank of England a skilled man wouldn't make minimum wage now.

Oops - my mistake! I didn't use their on-line calculator correctly.

£120 in 1974 is, according to the Bank of England, equivalent to £1,148 today. So about 4% of a typical salary today.

Another inflation calculator returned a value of £1,310.

[nthall]

Why have so many U.S enthusiasts spent crazy money on mains cables then?

Don't get me wrong I am sceptical about mains cables too, my own admittedly limited experiments have yielded no benefit but I have not fully written it off as a factor.

I fell for it, and I didn't notice a difference when it was gone. I can't explain what anyone else hears. Maybe it's my ears, or their imagination, but I've dismissed it as one of my needs.

If it helps someone else enjoy the music enough to justify the cost. More power to them.