This thread is gold...
Location: Coventry, England UK
Posts: 534
I'm Simon.
This thread is gold...
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
Location: Sussex
Posts: 324
I'm Simon.
Of course there is an advantage to improve. They operate in a competitive market, if another brand comes along and beats them on sq at the price, they have to get there stuff together to sell the item at the same price.
They sell the one up the range because people demand it, it's what's driving them making it, otherwise why bother. Can you think of any consumer products that don't allow you to upgrade in one form or another, especially in tv or hi fi. From one product to another.
Location: Sussex
Posts: 324
I'm Simon.
And who say it beats them at the price? The hi-fi press? They are on the inside of the industry looking out. They may not be corrupt like some claim but they are still influenced by the personal relationships they inevitably develop in the course of the job.
Hi-fi is a luxury goods market, in luxury goods you have to create demand for your product, it doesn't come along by itself unless you are the only game in town. And in the hi-fi business there are thousands of games in town.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.
Location: gone away
Posts: 4,870
I'm joe.
I'm more a 'stumbling round blindly, hoping for the best' type than a 'relentless, unending search for perfection' type, but one interesting point arising from this thread is 'how do you judge which system is best, regardless of price?' You'd need to test 'blind', ie without knowing what you were listening to, or how much it cost, for it to be a fair test, and yet blind testing seems to be anathema to many on the subjectivist side of the fence.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!