Home Theaters

I know I was going to talk about a couple of speakers that, through the years, have been updated, and continue to amaze. I am still going to do that. However, something I don’t think I have really stressed in the time of this offering is very important to your total enjoyment of the system you build.

I know I have stated that one must go out and listen to real music, not reproduced, but produced, from non-electronic instruments. This is getting harder and harder to do, as not only are most of you inconveniently located to a place where symphonies are performed,  other types of music are rarely performed fully without amplification these days. Nonetheless, you should make every effort. Perhaps listening to non-amplified music is a goal to not be achieved, but strived for - kind of like the concept of limits in calculus.

The other thing might seem much more crazy than the first. Find  a high-end stereo store and go in for a demonstration. Be frank with the salesperson (I know about this, I used to be one). If you have no intent of purchasing anything, tell him or her. Truth is wonderfully refreshing, and hope springs eternal. Both of these truisms are what audio salespeople live by. On the one hand they are going to hope you change your mind and buy something, even if not today. On the other, you have been truthful from the start - that scores you major points. Salespeople approached in this fashion will usually be kind, patient, and amazingly generous with their time. This is especially true if you do one more thing - tell them at the outset to quickly move to any other customer that might appear.

  Not many have the budget to purchase a multi-thousand dollar tube amplifier (some would not want one if they could), such as these Audio Research models pictured here - nevertheless, being familiar with their sound is a good thing - it allows a reference to judge against

Now you can inquire about things that interest you - like the best (name your piece of gear here) that the store has to show off. If you show some intelligence, or at least some eagerness to learn, you will be surprised at what you pick up. You will be rewarded with a very nice time, listening to music of great quality, on great equipment.

This is one of those speakers I’m going to speak about soon.  If you’re lucky, you might get to listen to a pair of these on your ‘crazy’ outing! If you see one - definitely ask to listen!

Now the point of this is twofold. First, you will no longer be able to fool yourself into the idea that people who spend ‘that kind of money’ on equipment are crazy. Second, although you may not have the words to describe it (you know, not technical jargon, but the vernacular that the really rabid audiophiles use - words that you may have never heard before put to use in description of sound) but you will be able to say you heard the difference between bland sound provided by mediocre equipment, and the best sound available at a price. You will also be able to listen for flaws in things you are able to purchase, and know which flaws you can live with, and the ones that simply can no longer be tolerated.

If all you learn by this experience is why cables like this for speakers are better, you’ve accomplished something.

If you become friends with a dealer of ‘that kind of equipment’ two things might happen. You may become privy to sales coming up, allowing you to purchase some great stuff at a fraction of the list price - a boon to your system and your enjoyment of it, or you may simply continue the education that allows you to critique sound very competently, and allows you to build, within  the limits of your budget, the very best sounding audio/home theater system available.

Would either possibility be so bad?

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