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

[Rare Bird]

Although sound quality should be the deciding factor, convenience or neatness usually is.

I've been working on convenience/neatness without hitting the bank for some time now. There is a right & wrong way to do this..I for one have come to the reality that all the money i have spent on very expensive gear over the years has left me with egg on my face.

[Marco]

That's because you've been unlucky, Andre, and unfortunately made some bad buys. It doesn't have to be that way.

If you heard Steve's system or mine you'd not think that we've wasted any money on it, I can assure you

Others here I'm sure would agree in reference to their systems, too. It's a matter of knowing the right equipment to buy, getting it at the right price, and most importantly, how to assemble it, synergistically into a system which plays music the way you want it to.

Only rarely does that process work if your sole source of buying equipment is on Ebay...

Marco.

[Spectral Morn]

You're missing the point Neil...

If it's already been agreed that both partners are willing to accommodate the separates system (speakers included) in their lounge, they can afford it and agree that it sonically outperforms their iPod-based set-up, and they don't really need the 'facilities' of the iPod-based system as they're just into enjoying music, then why wouldn't they buy it? The shops are still selling plenty of CDs!

People often buy new technology out of ignorance just because it appears to be the 'latest thing', not because it's necessarily what they really want.

Of course, one has to find the right customers in the first place, but I believe that they're out there - and out there in significant numbers. They just don't know it yet! What was demonstrated in the video is just the tip of the iceberg.

Marco.

I agree that they do exist, but finding them, thats the trick.

Problem is these type of buyers don't read the audio/video mags, they don't frequent forums. The mainstream mags and press don't feature those types of articles very often. It would take a massive, consistent and sustained effort to educate people involving all the press and media. This would cost a small fortune and require unity.

One of the biggest issues/problems is the so called experts in the media peddling lies regularly...Dab's better than FM, theres no difference in non compressed digital audio to compressed etc, etc.

We would need the likes of the gadget show to do quality audio reviews regularly (last time was 5 years ago..the Linn test) and get the entire audio industry to form one body to promote quality sound at many price points..petty politics would have to be abandoned. Sadly I can't see that happening can you ?

Quality audio must once again become something to aspire to...something it hasn't been since the late 60's early 70's.


Regards D S D L

[Marco]

We would need the likes of the gadget show to do quality audio reviews regularly (last time was 5 years ago..the Linn test) and get the entire audio industry to form one body to promote quality sound at many price points..petty politics would have to be abandoned. Sadly I can't see that happening can you ?

No. But I'm not talking about fundamentally changing the industry (although I'd love to), I'm talking about an idea to run a viable hi-fi business

Personally, I don't think that selling hi-fi equipment soley from a dealer's premises works anymore, or even on-line, (few people make any real money at it that way), and it's because you're relying on the punters finding you, rather than going out and finding the punters

More later after lunch...

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

That's because you've been unlucky, Andre, and unfortunately made some bad buys. It doesn't have to be that way.

If you heard Steve's system or mine you'd not think that we've wasted any money on it, I can assure you

Others here I'm sure would agree in reference to their systems, too. It's a matter of knowing the right equipment to buy, getting it at the right price, and most importantly, how to assemble it, synergistically into a system which plays music the way you want it to.

Only rarely does that process work if your sole source of buying equipment is on Ebay...

Marco.

Marco
I was most active buying hifi donkies years before E-Bay came around, buying top notch (supposidly) such as Naim 250/32/HICAP, Exposure VI/VII/VIII, Sondek with Tik Toks etc etc clearly rubbish these days..E-Bays really for the vintage fettish, have no real intensions in firing them up..I for one refuse to go down the road yourself & steve are travelling, it's a total waste of money IMHO, but in your view not so..

I'm very happy with the FLAC front end, don't give two hoots if it's not a snobbery system or a system of such, certainly sound better than half the rubbish you hear at hi-fi shows from major companies..

So you see you have the wrong impression of me.I for one don't see the justification in buying an amplifier at xxx thousands of pound. Yes you do need a good system to portray the emotion within music but i honestly find buying music more of intresting than actual hi-fi..The Hi-Fi hobby seems to get in the way of what people buy stereo's for in the first place, they are more self obsessed with the hifi components.

[Spectral Morn]

Marco
I was most active buying hifi donkies years before E-Bay came around, buying top notch (supposidly) such as Naim 250/32/HICAP, Exposure VI/VII/VIII, Sondek with Tik Toks etc etc clearly rubbish these days..E-Bays really for the vintage fettish, have no real intensions in firing them up..I for one refuse to go down the road yourself & steve are travelling, it's a total waste of money IMHO, but in your view not so..

I'm very happy with the FLAC front end, don't give two hoots if it's not a snobbery system or a system of such, certainly sound better than half the rubbish you hear at hi-fi shows from major companies..

So you see you have the wrong impression of me.I for one don't see the justification in buying an amplifier at xxx thousands of pound. Yes you do need a good system to portray the emotion within music but i honestly find buying music more of intresting than actual hi-fi..The Hi-Fi hobby seems to get in the way of what people buy stereo's for in the first place, they are more self obsessed with the hifi components.

In many cases that is very true. Its about the music first and foremost imho, but if folks want to make it about the gear too then fair enough. I suspect there are very few who just buy audio to look at like modern art.


Regards D S D L

[alfie2902]

Ipod accessory?

http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/produc...thership.shtml

[Alex_UK]

Ipod accessory?

http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/produc...thership.shtml

OOoohhh - that looks gorgeous - any idea how much?

[MartinT]

I used to advise friends on what to buy in Hi-Fi but I don't any longer. Neil is right: you can demonstrate to people incredible sound quality and they will gasp and say things like "I never knew you could get such sound". But once they have decided to buy they seem to flock to Currys/Richer/whatever and end up with a one-brand micro system because it's easier to use and won't look out of place (i.e. the speakers can be hidden).

There is a decision to be made about how much people are prepared to stop the TV being the dominant focus in the room and making it the hi-fi system (or even both). So many friends of mine balk at it and I cannot understand why. It doesn't seem to be a money thing - after all, many people spend a small fortune on flat screen TVs these days - but more of a resistance to allowing music to dominate rather than AV.

As I said, I'm happy playing my system to friends but if they want buying advice I send them to the local dealer in the hope that they might actually go there. In my entire life I only have three friends who are seriously into music and hi-fi. None of them listen to classical music. Thank goodness for AoS and like-minded people to talk to!

[Rare Bird]

OOoohhh - that looks gorgeous - any idea how much?

Alex:
I had a fatman i tube amp last year as an headphone amp, was a kinda well made except the piano black end cheeks look stupid & were not piano blacked inside in which you could see around the edge, the volume knob was plastic chromed, the engraved fatman on the front looked really childish & the transformer cover was also ugly. The headphone output sounded flat as a fart & to top it off it had an annoying meter tube..Maybe the original Dared manufactured one was better i dunno.