A golden period for budget hi-fi?
So, although YMMV, two messages. Firstly, inexpensive kit can sound very very good and secondly, expensive kit may not sound any better to you.
Could not agree more.
My current 'cheap' stereo setup sounds great to me and it let's me enjoy the music like never before. 
So, although YMMV, two messages. Firstly, inexpensive kit can sound very very good and secondly, expensive kit may not sound any better to you.
Indeed, which I agree with 100%. See above.
So, although YMMV, two messages. Firstly, inexpensive kit can sound very very good and secondly, expensive kit may not sound any better to you.
Indeed, which I agree with 100%. See above.
That's good, agreement is a positive thing. 
However, I'm not sure I really belive in then 'synergy' thing, beyond getting an amp that properly drives the speakers you've chosen. Which is not necessarily an easy thing by the way.
Do you believe achieving synergy is something beyond this and/or difficult to achieve? What is synergy to you?
If system synergy really is that hard to achieve, perhaps it's not wonder so many people are dissatisfied with their systems given the evolutionary way we change our systems.
So, although YMMV, two messages. Firstly, inexpensive kit can sound very very good and secondly, expensive kit may not sound any better to you.
Indeed, which I agree with 100%. See above.
That's good, agreement is a positive thing.
However, I'm not sure I really belive in then 'synergy' thing, beyond getting an amp that properly drives the speakers you've chosen. Which is not necessarily an easy thing by the way.
Do you believe achieving synergy is something beyond this and/or difficult to achieve? What is synergy to you?
If system synergy really is that hard to achieve, perhaps it's not wonder so many people are dissatisfied with their systems given the evolutionary way we change our systems.
I'm less a believer in "synergy" than some on here, I think. Certainly at the source/amp interface - I think that it's important to get amp and speakers to work well together because they both have characteristics which affect each other (sensitivity, impedance etc), but if I had an amp/speaker combo that worked well together, I'd just buy the matching CD player to make the whole lot look cool
My aversion to some systems tends to be because of particular traits though - I'd rather poke my eyes out with a stick than buy *any* system by some particular manufacturers, for example, since I just don't 'get' them, and I tend to like the characteristics of small standmounts or very compact floorstanders over big old coffins which might have been "reference" in the old days.
I'm less a believer in "synergy" than some on here, I think. Certainly at the source/amp interface - I think that it's important to get amp and speakers to work well together because they both have characteristics which affect each other (sensitivity, impedance etc), but if I had an amp/speaker combo that worked well together, I'd just buy the matching CD player to make the whole lot look cool
My aversion to some systems tends to be because of particular traits though - I'd rather poke my eyes out with a stick than buy *any* system by some particular manufacturers, for example, since I just don't 'get' them, and I tend to like the characteristics of small standmounts or very compact floorstanders over big old coffins which might have been "reference" in the old days.
You're not alone in preferring small speakers; according to some, there are sound technical reasons for this preference, but I'm sure you already know the ideas put forward.
Re: your dislike of some manufacturer's system, I guess manufactuers have to find a niche. I'd suit me if all manufactuers were striving to produce the most accurate systems possible, with size and bass extension giving options for choice. However, others would find this very limiting.
Do you believe achieving synergy is something beyond this and/or difficult to achieve? What is synergy to you?
If system synergy really is that hard to achieve, perhaps it's not wonder so many people are dissatisfied with their systems given the evolutionary way we change our systems.
It isn't hard to achieve, and it's not related to system cost or quality either. Some components work really well together, some don't. I do think it is more the amp/speaker combination and less so the source, but as I've already said, I find some DACs work in some systems but sound like they've done nothing in others.
It isn't hard to achieve, and it's not related to system cost or quality either. Some components work really well together, some don't. I do think it is more the amp/speaker combination and less so the source, but as I've already said, I find some DACs work in some systems but sound like they've done nothing in others.
Do you have a theory to explain your DAC scenario?
I've only ever really heard a difference between DACs once. The analogue output of a Pioneer DVD/SACD player and the digital of that DVD player into a Cyrus DAC-X. The difference was easy to hear. Comparing SB Touch DAC, MF V-DAC, Cyrus DAC-X and AVI DAC produced no differences I could idenitify - blind of course
If some people had chosen their £10k systems properly in the first place
Isn't that because most people end up with a £10k system rather than putting one together from scratch.
Bit of both.
I think the problem lies in people shopping around for prices. Its human nature to want a bargain, but people buy stuff purely because its a good price, with no thought whatsoever about whether the product is actually going to work well in their system. I think some people assume that because its an expensive product, it IS going to sound great, regardless. Technically, it probably is a great product, but if it has no synergy at all with your system, its a waste of money. If people spent time with their local dealers, comparing stuff, and trying it in their own system, no one would be making these costly mistakes and there'd be less people feeling so so about their system. I get it when some people want to simplify their system, I've been there before with hi-fi vs AV - all in one system or keep them seperate? After simplifying and incorporating both systems together, its not long until I find my mind mulling over how much better the system could be if it was dedicated to one aspect, rather than being a 'jack of all'.
Nope
Woahh. Sound of someone with little or no observational skills.
Such systems can and do outperform £10,000 systems.
If you read what Steve says..."90% of the performance of the best £10,000 systems"
This question is one probably best answered in a new thread, but: what are the best £10,000 systems?
It's quite possible that the systems you and Steve are thinking of are what I would call quite mediocre £10,000 systems. It's also possible that the sort of system that I think would be a good £10,000 system isn't as good as the systems you're thinking of.
Oh, I have a nomination: very easy to build a system with 10k
A streamer e.g. Sb touch (from hd or a nas) or mac mini
A good pre amp e.g. Benchmark hdr or many many others
Atc scm 50a
Spot on AlmaataKZ! 
Spot on AlmaataKZ!
That's one, Almaatakz
- « first
- ‹ previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Login to post comments
Punter - "Here John, I've got a £10k hifi system I don't want any more."
JD - "No way, sorry but that system just doesn't have the right synergy."
Let me rephrase - some £10k systems that I wouldn't personally buy, and would much prefer £1k active speakers to. That does not mean there aren't £10k systems which I *would* prefer to £1k active speakers (or indeed £500 systems, or £2k, or £5k, or £250k).
As well you know.
CA StreamMagic 6 | CA 751BD | CA 651A | PMC DB1i
Moderator. mail: john.duncan.whf at the mail of g dot com