I'm one of the complete nuts,... that's being objective!
I've been in the hobby since 14 and am now 39. I buy mostly used equipment but from reliable sellers, and befriended the owner and craftsman of PBN Montana, a high end company based on the west coast, the best move I've ever made. Since his company relies on word of mouth and consumer electronic shows for advertising, with only a few dealers worldwide, he virtually cuts out the middleman, and uses little to no advertising. Therefore he can offer his gear for far less $$$ than the competition. Pick up a Hifi magazine and scan all the pages.....how many PBN advertisements do you see?,...how many for B&W, Paradigm ,Focal, Kef, and Rotel,? to name a few
I recently acquired PBN's, now retired, XPS Signature front towers. I paid roughly 1/6th the original retail cost, otherwise forget it.....but to make a long story short,
I'd rather run my system in a 2.0 DTS-HD configuration with these monolith, than use my less expensive 5.1 channel rig.....that's the difference speakers can make, some people deny it, others live it....
Amps and electronics make a difference, but as long as they function well enough, focus on the drivers......they can last you a lifetime. Receivers and players will always need upgrading....speakers won't if chosen wisely. Stereo sound and Vinyl will be around for quite some time....ATMOS will not improve that....and lead to its unpopularity amongst even those deep into the hobby.
Quality trumps quantity in my experience, but everyone has had their own journey. My post here is meant for older guys who are looking to get to the next level....and to those just starting out as well. If your just starting out go with a new receiver, player, and 2 high quality used speakers.....then throw in a sub to handle the lfe when you can afford a capable, one which can remain in your rig. Build over time and don't listen to friends unless they are in the business and have extensive experience within this hobby, otherwise your just listening to what someone heard from another one's mouth. Be patient, the biggest mistake is to buy without listening first, get it right the first time and you'll end up with great sounding equipment in a much smaller swath of time.
....I had thought the law of diminishing returns had a much lower starting point, but when it comes to getting speakers, the sky is the limit. Go with used, the least marketed, yet highly respected brands and negotiate.....I found a hidden gem with PBN, it took awhile, but was well worth it. If I can do it, anyone can. Enjoy guys! Just sharing my experiences....love to hear others'....
