I've always said that people were discerning...

[Marco]

Aye, that's one of the things that happens!!

Marco.

[MartinT]

But people seem to need expensive things to survive, they can't breath without a name tag stamped on their products, they need to tell people what they have knowing that people know their is a price tag attached to own it ..Far east circuit board in a flashy box complete with a name tag seems to make a hell of a difference to their lives for some reason.

Not all expensive equipment is about brand or hiding Chinese made circuit boards between wooden end cheeks rolled on the thighs of handmaidens or whatever. As far as brand goes, the only one any person visiting my system is likely to recognise is Technics - having an association with medium quality ghetto blasters. Hmm, there goes my credibility.

Much of my equipment is supremely well made American kit. It wasn't cheap, but much of what's inside is high quality, hand-built circuits inside sturdy casework, made in small cottage industry companies who need to generate a profit to pay their salaries and keep some back for R&D. Not to mention the eye-watering cost of passing CE to sell into the European market, marketing costs, shipping and distribution/dealer mark-ups. You might be surprised to know that no-one is making a mint, the proof of which is the many small companies going to the wall unless they diversify into (spit) AV. Dealers even more so. They can't survive on selling the kind of kit that you seem to think is making them laugh all the way to the bank. On the contrary, the hi-fi industry is becoming marginalised and few companies can be accused of making excessive profit. Bose excepted, of course.

[Rare Bird]

As you mentioned USA i know your taking the piss..Take away the importers/Distributers fee, USA wage structure, Expoting design for construction to far east & back costing, Brand names overheads..Massive rag salery etc etc, you have a cheap as chips product that sounds typically USA sounding what u got??

[Rare Bird]

Best not go there, matey. If you ever come to visit (and incidentally, you're most welcome), we'll test that theory... I already know the outcome

Marco.

No falling out but i've clearly said before MANA were bollox..You don't have LINN/NAIM so why even still entertain em? Something you forgot from the flat earth mags or summert??

[Marco]

You can say what you like dude about Mana but that doesn't make it a fact... You're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine

Marco.

[Steve Toy]

Either Andre is spoiling for an argument or he just doesn't get what this place is about yet.

Mana is not some symbolic clinging onto the last bastion of flat earthdom. It actually works. It may be replaced by something even more effective but that's another matter.

[Marco]

I suspect that Andre had a few sherbets last night...

Marco.

[Peter Galbavy]

I think the other factors in the choices "normal" people make when spending substantial amounts of money are both the "aspirational" and the "show off" values.

The sheeple have been indoctrinated to believe that they will only have arrived in society when they posess branded products A, B and C with 2 perfect children called Tarquin and Olivia who get into the local Roman Catholic school even if "we don't go to church that often". How do you show-off your rather wonderfully sounding but not B&O/Sony/whatever sound system when your neighbor would much rather ask about your new BMW in the drive ? The chattering classes / champagne socialists are not just in Islington anymore...

Over my 40+ years I am now convinced I have made the mistake of believing that other people think at least a little like me (and others I respect/admire) - but this is bollocks - most people are not independent of thought, have no background understanding of anything remotely scientific and are actually 100% in the grasp of the mainstream media and the advertising industries.

Cynic, moi ?

[Marco]

Over my 40+ years I am now convinced I have made the mistake of believing that other people think at least a little like me (and others I respect/admire) - but this is bollocks - most people are not independent of thought, have no background understanding of anything remotely scientific and are actually 100% in the grasp of the mainstream media and the advertising industries.

Great post, Peter - I completely agree (especially with the "independent of thought" bit)!!

A 'high-end' hi-fi system without the requisite badge considered as de rigueur by the aspiring middle-classes (they rarely get there though, as they're usually too vulgar) has zero cachet when compared with a BMW, or such like, parked on the driveway.

I just cannot relate to the sheep-like mentality you refer to either; it's a completely alien thought process for me. I have never 'gone with the herd' in my life - if fact, I usually seek to do the exact opposite.

I care not a jot about trying to 'impress' people - I just do my thing and get on with life; people take me as they find me, and too bad of they don't like it. I'm in a position where I'm completely content and comfortable with my life.

As for the "chattering classes" and showing off to your neighbours; don't get me started on that! That's one of the main reasons why we moved from a 'posh' part of Glasgow to North Wales: to escape from the 'keeping up with the Jones'' idiots

Anyway, rant over... For now!

Marco.

[MartinT]

you have a cheap as chips product that sounds typically USA sounding what u got??

You can see in my footer. Take the Pass preamp: superb internal construction, huge power supply, incredibly neutral and detailed sound quality. Nelson Pass is world renowned as a designer. Take the Ayre player: again, fantastic construction quality, leading edge MP filters and the best player I've ever heard bar none. Lots of industry plaudits too, including Stereophile A+ recommendation. What on Earth is typically USA sounding?