What's the story...

[Joe]

Didn't you get one of those Devaliet things? You do know that you are supposed to go round the forums tut-tutting at all of us still using half a dozen boxes to make sound and wondering aloud about the inconvenience and clutter of 'legacy systems'? I think it's on page 37 of the manual. Somewhere near the back anyway.

Indeed. I used some of my pension lump sum to buy it, and very nice it is too. I'm also supposed to go on about how valve amps are full of distortion so can't be 'hifi' by definition. (To be fair 'legacy systems' is copyrighted by the AVI bloke who thinks we should all be using teeny-weeny active speakers). Anyway the clutter in our house is almost exclusively books. I should get a Kindle then I could tut-tut about 'dead trees' as well.

[Audio Al]

No you've been elevated to the rarified and honourable position of 'Super-daftee', as you've well earned that title... Martin, in comparison, is just playing at it, so is merely a 'daftee'!

Marco.

OK

[jandl100]

That, I believe, is where Jerry's at now, which shows he eventually got it right!

No, I don't think that's the correct way to look at it.

Over the years I tried enough gear, that with the excellent (for me) items I have now I wouldn't have anything more to learn by swapping in major new stuff, it would just be going over the same or very very similar ground again.

So I have kept "spare" preamp and have a choice of excellent (to me) solid state and valve power amps. I even have a spare pair of speakers (Podium panels) for the rare occasion when a short change from the MBLs feels right.

I really do not feel I have been forever searching with my box swapping, I've been exploring and learning, and genuinely enjoying the journey. No "boxswap angst" for me. And the "hifi space" there is to learn within is large so it's been a very enjoyable few decades of boxswapping.

[Marco]

No worries, Jerry That's cool. I respect and accept your summary of events

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

In any case getting 'neurotic' about your hi-fi system is clearly a first world problem for people whose lives are so perfect they've got nothing more serious to worry about.

Or possibly people who suffer from extreme anxiety as is similar to those who suffer road rage.

[Haselsh1]

The only way, therefore, to come to any meaningful conclusions about specific valves, is to use them in an amp that's been designed, from the ground up, to get the most from the output valves it's been built to optimise.

Marco.

Marco, a very sound (geddit) statement. Makes a lot of sense as I know that Prima Luna valve poweramps are designed to be used with EL34's. Yes they are compatible with KT88, 120 and 150 et al but they are designed for EL34 usage.

Cheers for that. One satisfied customer.

[Marco]

No worries, mate. I can safely predict that if your amp has been designed around EL34s, putting KT88s in will simply result in a different, but not necessarily overall better sound.

Now if Prima Luna make a dedicated KT88 amp, then it could be a different matter...

Marco.

[AJSki2fly]

Firstly, I'm not confusing anything. I'm simply commenting on the subject, based on my experiences, and relating how it has *directly affected people I know*, and so stand by every word I wrote. Interesting that you thought I was referring to you... Did you think you fitted the profile?

I can assure you that you weren't in my mind, and neither was Roy. Jerry, I've already discussed. We've known each other for years, I've met him a few times and visited him at his home, so by now I'd like to think I've got a reasonable handle on his 'hi-fi habits'. However, he's free to correct me if I'm wrong!

This is rather like the recent discussion on retirement... There's nothing wrong with anything, *if* you ENJOY doing it, and it's FUN, hence why I've highlighted the above. Therefore, whether you're working into your dotage doing a job you love, or dicking around with hi-fi gear for the same length of time, and you can afford it and it MAKES YOU HAPPY, there is no argument.

My argument here, as indeed it was on the retirement/pension thread, solely refers to the behaviour of those who claim to be doing something that they enjoy, as you've outlined, BUT deep down are far from happy or having fun. And trust me, in terms of hi-fi enthusiasts, there are plenty of them about. I've met them not only on forums, but in real life at bakeoffs, hi-fi shows, and sold to them when I worked in the industry, so they *do* exist.

Also, you're right, hoarding excessive collections of records or CDs, or any other form of physical music media, largely for the sake of it and gaining no real pleasure from the exercise, is just as bad as doing the same with hi-fi equipment. It doesn't matter WHAT it is you're collecting or doing. If it's no longer fun, and worse causing you financial hardship or affecting your marriage/relationship, then it's time to think about stopping and doing something else!

Anyway, Sean's Gallery thread isn't really the place for this sort of discussion, so we should leave it there. I only commented, as I did, because Sean had indulged in a little introspection, which appeared to have been beneficial for him, as he's now in a happy place, when once he wasn't, and I think that others could learn from his experience

Marco.

Loving the paragraphs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Marco]

See how easy it is, sweety?

Makes what you've written *so* much easier on the eye, and encourages folks to read it, rather than ignore it...

Marco.