Meet the (audiophile) parents

[mouettus]

Well I went to that girl's place yesterday. We were up very late, listening to her parent's system. Let's put it this way: I now know what a 30K$ 2-channel sound system looks like.

- 2 older huge full range PSB speakers.
- ADCOM components (pre, CD player, tuner)
- 2 big bryston amps (the same I saw at the Canadian National Research Council in the anechoic chamber - same place Axiom did their tests on their speakers).
- Bass traps and acoustic panels

That's where it started to slip:
- Components sitting on "cone spikes"
- 1000$/ft speaker cables and interconnects
- cable elevators
- Water pouches sitting on top of speakers (never got to understand that one)

So I wanted to have a listen. Her mom told me that the system must be running for about 24 hours before it warms up and plays well. We listened to it anyway. I'm sure there was no difference apart from the one in her head lol.

When the session was over, she wanted me to touch the amp to see how warm it was and she bragged about the fact that the amp's lights didn't even turn from green to yellow despite the very high SPLs.

So as an audioholic, I started to argument about all those doubious (sp?) things and the only answer I managed to get is "no, it really makes a difference. I heard it when we installed them". Well I couldn't help to smile a little but I respected their things and kept the conversation civil.

Sure it sounded great!... We had some AC/DC, Michael Jackson, A drum solo album (forgot who the guy was) and some bass test material. ...but I now know the TRUE meaning of diminishing returns.

 

[Warpdrv]

Good story.... its so funny to see this stuff....


How does that old saying go....

"A fool and his money are soon parted."

 

[Alex2507]

I would love to hear a system like that even if they wanted me to wear the water bags on my head. Did it sound better than your system and if so do you think it would be fair to say that speakers and room treatments made the difference?

 

[mouettus]

I would love to hear a system like that even if they wanted me to wear the water bags on my head. Did it sound better than your system and if so do you think it would be fair to say that speakers and room treatments made the difference?

Things I liked about the system:

- First time I saw speakers disappear when I closed my eyes. It was litterally just the sound. Special.
- True full range speakers so the bass was a part of the sound, not an add-on.

But after a couple of minutes, I really missed my system. Mine has more kick, is more suited to my tastes. I really feel good about having something cheaper that I like better. I really enjoyed the experience though. Like a good 3some, it's something you have to experience at least once in your lifetime! The other system I would like to hear is 2-channel 802D with MOON equipment.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

I bet the water pouches somehow reduce cabinet vibrations of the speakers.

 

[mouettus]

I bet the water pouches somehow reduce cabinet vibrations of the speakers.

That's what I thought but what's the goal of buying 14K$ speakers if they resonnate to point where you have to put some stupid water bags on top of 'em? What I'd like to do is to close their eyes, remove the bags, put the wires down and the cd player directly on the ground and start the music again. See if there is a reaction.

 

[Pyrrho]

Well I went to that girl's place yesterday. We were up very late, listening to her parent's system. Let's put it this way: I now know what a 30K$ 2-channel sound system looks like.

- 2 older huge full range PSB speakers.
- ADCOM components (pre, CD player, tuner)
- 2 big bryston amps (the same I saw at the Canadian National Research Council in the anechoic chamber - same place Axiom did their tests on their speakers).
- Bass traps and acoustic panels

That's where it started to slip:
- Components sitting on "cone spikes"
- 1000$/ft speaker cables and interconnects
- cable elevators
- Water pouches sitting on top of speakers (never got to understand that one)

So I wanted to have a listen. Her mom told me that the system must be running for about 24 hours before it warms up and plays well. We listened to it anyway. I'm sure there was no difference apart from the one in her head lol.

When the session was over, she wanted me to touch the amp to see how warm it was and she bragged about the fact that the amp's lights didn't even turn from green to yellow despite the very high SPLs.

So as an audioholic, I started to argument about all those doubious (sp?) things and the only answer I managed to get is "no, it really makes a difference. I heard it when we installed them". Well I couldn't help to smile a little but I respected their things and kept the conversation civil.

Sure it sounded great!... We had some AC/DC, Michael Jackson, A drum solo album (forgot who the guy was) and some bass test material. ...but I now know the TRUE meaning of diminishing returns.

Just because someone has money, that does not mean that they are intelligent or reasonable. Very often, rich people can't be bothered with real research, and end up with the same kinds of nonsensical beliefs as those who cannot afford a decent education (and can't be bothered to educate themselves). After all, with spoiled brats, they are not likely to submit to the rigors of double blind testing or other such troublesome protocols. And what spoiled brat will ever want to admit to being in error about anything?

Many who are born with money feel a sense of entitlement, which generally does not go well with serious study. And those who make their massive amounts of money on their own typically have devoted themselves to that task so wholeheartedly that they have little time for other matters.

Of course, there are always exceptions, but it certainly is not the case that money can be equated with wisdom.

 

[Adam]

What I'd like to do is to close their eyes, remove the bags, put the wires down and the cd player directly on the ground and start the music again. See if there is a reaction.

I'll bet that there would be a reaction once they opened there eyes.

"He touched the bags. He TOUCHED the BAGS!!!!"

"Rrrrrrr, my preciousssss. We will teach him. Yesss, we will teach him not to touch us."


I'm glad that you got to experience the system. I've never known anyone that bought into the stuff that is considered silly by most people here. Heck, I've never known anyone that owned $14K speakers. $1K/ft speaker wire...wow. Just, wow. Wish that I had the disposable cash to buy that stuff. Yeah, I'd buy something else instead, but still wish that I had that kind of cash.

 

[Halon451]

I agree with pyrrho - it seems that the more money people have to toss around at equipment the more likely they are to subscribe to the belief that things you mention have a profound impact on a system's performance, with little to no education or research. Those of us who are forced to live a little more on the frugal side end up with no choice but to research these "lucky charms" and see if they are worth they money we do not take as much for granted - 9 times out of 10 they are not.

I don't necessarily believe it makes rich people unintelligent though - they can simply afford the luxury of not having to know what the truth is, and if it can't hurt it, then it can only help it, right??

But hey, it still made for a great story, and I would have loved to catch a listen to that thing myself.

 

[Pyrrho]

I agree with pyrrho - it seems that the more money people have to toss around at equipment the more likely they are to subscribe to the belief that things you mention have a profound impact on a system's performance, with little to no education or research. Those of us who are forced to live a little more on the frugal side end up with no choice but to research these "lucky charms" and see if they are worth they money we do not take as much for granted - 9 times out of 10 they are not.

You might think that people without extravagant amounts of disposable income would be inclined to do serious research to make sure they are not wasting money, but, unfortunately, many people have no clue how to do serious research, and therefore are often subject to the same scams as the rich. Being less affluent is no guarantee of sagacity. This is borne out by the fact that many people without massive amounts of disposable income still buy into (literally and figuratively) various audio frauds.

I don't necessarily believe it makes rich people unintelligent though - they can simply afford the luxury of not having to know what the truth is, and if it can't hurt it, then it can only help it, right??

But hey, it still made for a great story, and I would have loved to catch a listen to that thing myself.

I did not say that all rich people are unintelligent. However, people born with a silver spoon in their mouths can be as intellectually lazy as they want to be. After all, they need not bother to figure out anything, as they can pay someone else to do everything for them.

And, of course, those who single-mindedly devote themselves to making money haven't the time or inclination to figure other things out. There are, after all, 24 hours in a day for everyone, and time spent on one pursuit is time not spent on another. Learning how to examine things carefully is something that takes time to learn, and those who do not take the time or effort for it never learn it.

If you want to have a truly frightening experience, take an introductory logic or critical thinking class at your local college. What is frightening is how many people are incapable of adequately dealing with the subject.

 

[mouettus]

It's funny how we always tend to think that people who own those system are rich and dump people. Her mother went grocery shopping in her 2001 malibu and I chopped some wood with her father in the afternoon. Great normal everyday people. Not as dumb; not as rich. Just that they really slipped into the snake oil.

 

[Pyrrho]

It's funny how we always tend to think that people who own those system are rich and dump people. Her mother went grocery shopping in her 2001 malibu and I chopped some wood with her father in the afternoon. Great normal everyday people. Not as dumb; not as rich. Just that they really slipped into the snake oil.

Anyone with a $30K system isn't poor, though, obviously, they don't have to be rich either, if that is where they have chosen to spend their money.

This, by the way, makes me glad that before you posted this that I responded above with:

You might think that people without extravagant amounts of disposable income would be inclined to do serious research to make sure they are not wasting money, but, unfortunately, many people have no clue how to do serious research, and therefore are often subject to the same scams as the rich. Being less affluent is no guarantee of sagacity. This is borne out by the fact that many people without massive amounts of disposable income still buy into (literally and figuratively) various audio frauds.





I did not say that all rich people are unintelligent. However, people born with a silver spoon in their mouths can be as intellectually lazy as they want to be. After all, they need not bother to figure out anything, as they can pay someone else to do everything for them.

And, of course, those who single-mindedly devote themselves to making money haven't the time or inclination to figure other things out. There are, after all, 24 hours in a day for everyone, and time spent on one pursuit is time not spent on another. Learning how to examine things carefully is something that takes time to learn, and those who do not take the time or effort for it never learn it.

If you want to have a truly frightening experience, take an introductory logic or critical thinking class at your local college. What is frightening is how many people are incapable of adequately dealing with the subject.

One might think that someone who isn't rich but is only middle class would do some serious research before dropping $30K on an audio system, but obviously, that is not always the case. Just think what speakers could have been purchased had they spent that $1K/foot wire money (and other money spent on voodoo) on better speakers instead, and possibly some of the amplifier money on better speakers (depending, of course, on the requirements of the better speakers).

If I were spending $30K on a two channel system, I would almost certainly be spending over $25K on the speakers.