Newly retired, new house, rekindling an old flame (music)

[Macca]

So I'm torn. Part of me loves the idea of getting, say, a £6-7k system for £3-4k. Part of me just wants a new box, a warranty, and a dealer I can call if something goes wrong.

There is a school of thought in audio that the price tag is a spec - that the more expensive product must be better. This is rarely if ever true for electronic components and there are plenty of very expensive speakers that have very poor performance.

Your budget is easy enough to get outstanding sound quality as I think you already discovered on Sunday.

[Barry]

There is a school of thought in audio that the price tag is a spec - that the more expensive product must be better. This is rarely if ever true for electronic components and there are plenty of very expensive speakers that have very poor performance.

Your budget is easy enough to get outstanding sound quality as I think you already discovered on Sunday.

To an extent you are right. Specification depends on circuit design, but sound quality also depends on the quality of the components used. This can be especially true with the choice of capacitors and semiconductors, less so with resistors and pots. Another aspect to bear in mind is the longevity of the electronics and how reliable it will be.

I cannot see how my comments above can apply to speakers, so agree with you there.

[CageyH]

I would also not feel comfortable going to a HiFi dealer to listen to a system with no intention of buying from them.

You have already heard good system at Richer Sounds, based on your shortlist.
If it was me, I would phone HiFi Hut, give them your room details, budget, preferences etc. and see what they come up with as a system.
They seem to stock Wharfdale, but they may have a speaker that you prefer, or a better amp than the Cambridge Audio.
Ask them if they can do a comparison with the Wharfdales and other speakers.

I would also be open with them about your visit to RS, as they may offer you a better deal if they can secure a sale.

[CageyH]

Having said that, RS are roughly €500 cheaper for the speakers.

[Pigmy Pony]

Having said that, RS are roughly €500 cheaper for the speakers.

Not only that, RS have their "price promise", where if you find something you bought from them cheaper elsewhere within 14 days, they'll refund the difference to you.

We found this out last year when the telly we bought off them became £200 cheaper than in their "Black Friday" sale. A quick call to them, and within minutes the 200 quid was in my bank Now that's what I call service.

[Berni217]

That's a really interesting thought – and honestly, not something I'd considered.

I suppose I've been thinking in very linear terms: set a budget, find the best new system within it, buy it, be done. The idea of auditioning at twice my budget and then hunting for second-hand bargains... it feels a bit like cheating, if I'm honest.

And that's where my unease comes in. I'd feel a little dishonest walking into The Listening Suite, letting them spend time with me, maybe even bringing in my own music, all while knowing I have no intention of buying new from them. They're running a business. They have bills to pay. I'm not sure I could look a salesman in the eye and ask for a proper demo if I was already planning to buy elsewhere.

Maybe that's naive. Maybe everyone does it. But it doesn't sit quite right with me.

The second-hand question is another layer. You're absolutely right about depreciation – and I've seen some beautiful ex-demo and used gear on forum classifieds at tempting prices. But I'm also a bit nervous. I've been out of the game so long that I wouldn't know what to look for – worn pots, dry capacitors, mismatched drivers, signs of abuse. And if something went wrong a month later, I'd have no comeback.

I know that's what the forum's "private sales" section is for – trusted members, honest descriptions. But as a newcomer, I don't have that trust built yet.

So I'm torn. Part of me loves the idea of getting, say, a £6-7k system for £3-4k. Part of me just wants a new box, a warranty, and a dealer I can call if something goes wrong.

I suppose I could split the difference – look at ex-demo from a reputable dealer. Still a discount, still some comeback.

Either way, thank you for the suggestion. It's made me think differently, even if I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try it.

Alistair

Hey Alistair,

I understand your feeling of not wasting the vendor's time. Please note that The Listening Suite has a number of ex-display/pre-owned amplifiers & speakers which could still be a good comparison to be made vs the system you auditioned at RS. Have a look on https://www.thelisteningsuite.ie/ex-display-pre-owned/.

Electronics are quite reliable these days so, if you do your homework, you can still source some fantastic kits for a fraction of the RRP price, which is still the best option I would go for IMHO.

[Macca]

Hey Alistair,

I understand your feeling of not wasting the vendor's time. Please note that The Listening Suite has a number of ex-display/pre-owned amplifiers & speakers which could still be a good comparison to be made vs the system you auditioned at RS. Have a look on https://www.thelisteningsuite.ie/ex-display-pre-owned/.

Electronics are quite reliable these days so, if you do your homework, you can still source some fantastic kits for a fraction of the RRP price, which is still the best option I would go for IMHO.

well, they have 2 speakers, one of which is well out of budget but the other one, ATC SCM40, are worth an audition.

[Berni217]

well, they have 2 speakers, one of which is well out of budget but the other one, ATC SCM40, are worth an audition.

They also have the JMR Bliss Jubilé and Magic Stands at 1,640 Eur. These are good French speakers too. https://www.thelisteningsuite.ie/jmr...special-offer/

HiFi+ review: https://hifiplus.com/articles/jmr-el...-bliss-jubile/

[Maelstrom]

Morning all,

Apologies for the radio silence. I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth – nor have I bought anything. I've just been taking a bit of time to step back and let my head clear.

All the options, all the advice, all the second‑guessing... I realised I was getting nowhere fast. So I pressed pause.

In the meantime, I've been doing what I probably should have been doing all along: just listening to music. I've spent a couple of very enjoyable evenings in downtown Dublin, at two bars that seem to be built around good sound and good taste.

The Big Romance (https://thebigromance.ie) – A lovely little spot on Parnell Street. Dark, intimate, very deliberately curated playlists. They play everything from jazz to classic soul to leftfield electronic, always at a sensible volume – you can actually talk, but the music still gets under your skin. Their cocktail list is excellent too. Felt like listening to a favourite uncle's record collection, if that uncle had impeccable taste.

Fidelity (https://fidelitybar.ie) – Down on Abbey Street, a bit more of a hi-fi bar vibe. They've got a proper soundsystem (I didn't quiz them on the components, but it sounded right), and they spin a lot of hip-hop, funk, and house. Busier, louder, but still warm and engaging. I sat at the back and just soaked it in. Reminded me that music doesn't need to be analysed – just felt.

Neither place cares about your amplifier's damping factor. Neither place judges your budget. Both places just love music. It's been a nice reminder that the whole point of this is the music, not the gear.

I'm slowly coming back to the decision‑making table with a clearer head. Not there yet, but getting closer.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Alistair

[CageyH]

A wise decision, in my opinion.
You need to live with the system, so there is no point rushing it.

For me it is all about the music, with a compromise that the system has to fit in my man cave, and a wife who is not really interested in music.
You have a benchmark from your first dealer visit, so you just need to see if anything comes close to what you heard, or is capable of dragging you deeper into the music.