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"And if you can't hear the differences among components in vastly different price categories..."I agree owning mega priced components would be preferred... but one should never totally believe higher price = better performance... it doesn't.
Well, a $5,000 amp, in nearly every instance, will sound better than a $500 one for obvious reasons, so generally speaking, higher price = better performance .... the fact remains that when you pay more, you often get more. Do you prefer a McDonald's Big Mac or a $75 steak dinner? Both are meals centered around beef, but you savor the steak dinner. You don't converse about the colors and flavors of the special sauce or the texture of the beef patty in your Big Mac. Cheap & Cheerful is like fast food -- it's enjoyable and satiates your appetite, but it ain't a steak dinner.
Ouch! Where's the love baby?Not saying Cheap & Cheerful gear competes head to head with $1 million systems. But trying to define "audiophile quality" can't be done either. It's not based on how much money is spent or personal experience. Agree that in general cheap gear shouldn't sound as good as expensive gear, but even that statement is painting with a wide brush. Often the cheaper/smaller systems reveal fewer "sins of commission" which can be more onerous than "sins of omission." Everyone has their own idea of where their point of diminishing returns is that provides the greatest owner/listener satisfaction. Many of us after traveling the audio road for decades have found satisfaction by not chasing the merry-go-round.
Well, a $5,000 amp, in nearly every instance, will sound better than a $500 one for obvious reasons, so generally speaking, higher price = better performance, up to a point. Of course, there are a zillion "giant killers" in the marketplace, but the fact remains that when you pay more, you often get more. All of us can build cheaper systems, but that's not the goal of the audiophile. Neither is musical enjoyment. When my favorite song comes on my car radio, I enjoy the song just as much as I would if listening to it on my reference system. I have a Cheap & Cheerful system, too, and when I listen to it, I sometimes wonder why I spent so much more money on my reference system.So why do we do what we do? Well, this hobby no different than the wine connoisseur who delights in a $500 bottle of wine when most people believe the $5 bottle tastes just as good. As audiophiles, we delight in the nuances and subtleties of music that the vast majority of people never heard and could care less about. Do you prefer a McDonald's Big Mac or a $75 steak dinner? Both are meals centered around beef, but you savor the steak dinner. You don't converse about the colors and flavors of the special sauce or the texture of the beef patty in your Big Mac. Cheap & Cheerful is like fast food -- it's enjoyable and satiates your appetite, but it ain't a steak dinner.
Big Macs and Kool Aid.
Well, a $5,000 amp, in nearly every instance, will sound better than a $500 one for obvious reasons, so generally speaking, higher price = better performance, up to a point. Of course, there are a zillion "giant killers" in the marketplace, but the fact remains that when you pay more, you often get more.
What is and isn't 'audiophile quality' depends on your definition of 'audiophile'. Mine is 'a person who is interested in the science, art, and technology of recording music and reproducing it in the home.'
Most audiophiles don't give a damn about the science and technology of recorded music. In fact, audiophiles rarely discuss how music sounds -- they talk about how their gear sounds. Audiophiles don't enjoy listening to music any more than non-audiophiles. So part of defining an audiophile is their propensity to spend excessively (relatively speaking) on audio gear. Even those of us with only Cheap & Cheerful gear spend far more on audio gear than most people. The defining trait of audiophiles is the desire to assemble an audio system that will allow them to achieve the highest possible level of sonic fidelity (within their budgets, of course). The Cheap & Cheerful circle is popular because many of us want to know -- how can I get more for less?
a definition I like for telling whether a given system was 'good enough': "When you go to their home, is the system usually on or usually off? If it is On, it's probably good enough. If it is usually Off, it probably isn't."
What I will say is that I find it a real joy finding out about C&C equipment, systems, and setups that are "not supposed to sound that good" considering the little money paid. A big thank you to everyone who contributes and posts in this circle.
My C&C system has now crept above guidelines
Before the palace revolt begins, my HT system is still C&C.
