High end redefined

[MacGeek]

While on vacation this week I visited the local MAC dealer, LMC Home Entertainment.  Www.lmche.com

I have travelled a bit and been to a number of hi-end shops.  This place wins.  No NAD, Marantz, Denon, etc and no TVs.  Home Theater was all front projection.  The least expensive system I auditioned was $63k (Wilson speakers, Audio Research 250w mono blocks, and what I think was a Linn server/dad/eq).  My pics won't upload-check out the website.  I also heard the MBL pre-amp and Radialstrahler speakers along with a number of very large Mac amps.  The Radialstrahlers were driven by two MAC Mc 300 w tube amps each and the sales dude said they were under amped.  Eq was used in most rooms and all sources demonstrated were digital (Tidal-red book cd and hi-Rez). They do sell Linn and MAC 'tables

When I get home, I am going to cry-may even throw out all my gear and give up.  In one room alone, this place had $1.0m of gear.  This is stuff I cannot even dream of owing and it sounded unbelievably good.  I'll wager there people buying components there that don't appreciate the sound, as much as they just have money (the Lamborghini and Ferrari dealers are across the street-you can get your Wilson speakers painted to match your car).  Sometimes life is not fair-but this visit sure was fun.  Maybe I'll just consider this a vacation from my system

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Well, some of you guys have "stuff I cannot even dream of owing".   Enjoy what you've been blessed with.

[bearjew]

Which Radialstrahlers did you get to hear?  The regular 101's, or the X-tremes?  I'm told that the X-tremes are the end game speaker.  They're supposed to be as good as it gets.  Which they sure as shit should be since they're 200k.  I consider PBJ and I to be quite lucky to have the Carver ALS's, but those things are just... well... if there is a God, he made those speakers just to piss off us peasants.

[MacGeek]

I heard the Extremes.  Amazing sound, but they had a pair of very large Sonus Fabers at$225k.  Apparently, this store is the only us distributer of the Rafialstrahlerd..  Nothing in that store sounded less than superb.  Lots of attention paid to speaker placement and room eq.  Not so much to room treatment.  The electronics were all top of the line.  No noise, hum, hiss or distortion.  I was very impressed with the several pairs of Wilsons the sales rep demonstrated.

[RuralTom]

Well, some of you guys have "stuff I cannot even dream of owing".   Enjoy what you've been blessed with.

Exactly so... we all work within a budget.  You can really get into negative downward thought pattern when you start getting too envious of other homes, cars, stereos, etc. 

I'm guessing your system if rather good itself, Klaus!

[Jim Pittsburgh]

Interesting observations and comments.... I like it!   One of the many reasons I like this group.

[MacGeek]

RT-yes, my system is just fine and I am very happy and blessed to be where I am.  In my case it's not envy; I learned a long time ago that to be happy, one needs to make the best of what we have.  However, after listening to what I heard, it just raises the bar and is frustrating knowing that after close to 50 years, since middle school, of tweaking and saving and buy/sell/trading gear, I am not there yet.  However, I should also note that listening to kilobuck systems is not a fair comparison.

So, like most of us, I'll keep at it.  The hunt for performance and value is half the fun. 
And, attention to detail and set up mattter.

One other thing I heard is that it's ultimately the source that matters.  Well done recordings, by talented and capable artists and engineers matter more than gear tweaks, and cost much less to find and acquire.

I wish I knew what STaL does about recordings.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

I wish I knew what STaL does about recordings.

I don't understand the question.   I'd be happy to answer if I did.

[bearjew]

I think he's saying that he wishes he knew what you knew about recordings, not what you do about them.

Also, MG, I'd choke a dolphin to hear those Xtremes!

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

I think he's saying that he wishes he knew what you knew about recordings, not what you do about them.

LOL!   I read it exactly the second way you said.   Funny how things can get lost in the written word.   

Most of what I know about given masterings, deadwax, etc., I picked up at the Hoffman Forums.    Like anywhere on the internet, there is some crap, but mostly very useful info.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Here are two very quick rules of thumb...

1) Hand written deadwax almost always trumps stamped deadwax.
2) I've never met a WLP (white label promo) that I didn't like.

For advanced study...

https://richmondaudiosociety.com/2012/07/02/dead_wax_inscriptions/

[RuralTom]

RT-yes, my system is just fine and I am very happy and blessed to be where I am.  In my case it's not envy; I learned a long time ago that to be happy, one needs to make the best of what we have.  However, after listening to what I heard, it just raises the bar and is frustrating knowing that after close to 50 years, since middle school, of tweaking and saving and buy/sell/trading gear, I am not there yet.  However, I should also note that listening to kilobuck systems is not a fair comparison.

I hear and understand completely, I was just trying to commiserate more than anything.  I am -in some ways- happy that I haven't had further opportunities to hear MORE systems that blow me away, as, not unlike you, I'm always surprised how much better things can be not only that I strive for, but that I even realized existed.

[non-prophet]

One of the best things about this hobby is it can start by picking up somebody else's trash.  Most can get started for less than $100 and anyone can have a great setup for less than $500.  After that, each next step is exponentially more expensive.

Getting back to MG's source comment, it depends what you listen to.  You tune your system to your musical tastes.  A $500 system could easily sound better than a $10k one, depending on genre of music.  One thing i found going up the audio ladder, is that i listen to less and less music (and i have about 3500 cds).  I find more flaws in the quality of recordings and production.  A lot of times, ignorance is bliss, it's great having a quarter million dollar stereo, but, what happens when some of your favorite groups sound like a garage band recording?  Is that stereo worth it now?  Sometimes, you cannot unhear those flaws. 

[bmwr75]

I agree with Nick.  As my main system has gotten better, I can't stand to listen to less than well recorded music on it.  Stuff I love to listen to in my truck sounds terrible on my 2 channel system sometimes.  Those radial-strat-farts would have us all listening only to classical music........not that there is anything wrong with that.