Hearing a superior system - what does one do?

roger06

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As hi fi nerds we all like to hear other people's systems. Being a solid Naim fan I've heard other systems that are better than mine, but I've not particularly lusted after them.

Having recently heard a colleague's SuperUniti streamed off a UnitiServe into Rega speakers (not sure which) I was blown away. I didn't even dare put my kit on for a couple of days and when I did, then sure enough, by comparison is doesn't sound that great.

So what does one do?

a) sell a kidney and buy better kit?

b) Sit in the Ford Focus for half an hour listening to the gawd-awful car stereo to make yours sound awsesome again?

c) Cry

d) do (what I did) silly little things like tighten up all the screws on one's speakers in the hope they'll suddenly sound much better.

Therapy ideas welcomed.
 

Cypher

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e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)
 
T

the record spot

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Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

This. :clap:
 

matthewpiano

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Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

I think this is the best philosophy. There is always going to be something better, but very few of us can afford to keep throwing money at it so enjoy the investment you have already made.
 

roger06

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matthewpiano said:
Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

I think this is the best philosophy. There is always going to be something better, but very few of us can afford to keep throwing money at it so enjoy the investment you have already made.

Yes. You are, of course, quite right. I've found another option - a couple of glasses of red, stick on a bit of Johnny Cash and just enjoy a good listen.
 
A

Anonymous

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roger06 said:
matthewpiano said:
Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

I think this is the best philosophy. There is always going to be something better, but very few of us can afford to keep throwing money at it so enjoy the investment you have already made.

Yes. You are, of course, quite right. I've found another option - a couple of glasses of red, stick on a bit of Johnny Cash and just enjoy a good listen.

+1 for the red wine and enjoy the music
 

Cypher

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From my experience ; my mate has a very expensive system. Sonas Faber speakers and I believe an Krell amp.

When you play a CD with good production it sounds absolutely amazing.

When you play a CD with a bad production it sounds so bad it's almost unlistenable.

The system is so neutral and revealing. Some CD's he doesn't listen anymore because of the production. I don't know if I want that.

A budget system is somewhat 'friendlier' sounding with bad sounding productions because it isn't so revealing.

Agree or not ? ;)
 

stevebrock

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Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

Me too!

Yes the Brio R is a £500 amp

There are better TTs better than the RP6

But I tell you what my system is used everday for hours, I love it its so involving and I am on my 2nd play tonight of Boards of Canada's new LP and it sounds absolutely fantastic on my RP6

I am sure I would love a Naim or Linn system, but tonight my Rega sounds excellent!m (and yes nearly drunk a bottle of Rioja)
 
A

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stevebrock said:
Cypher said:
e) I'm going to enjoy my system like always.

I have absolutely no problem with people owning systems that will sound better than mine 8)

Me too!

Yes the Brio R is a £500 amp

There are better TTs better than the RP6

But I tell you what my system is used everday for hours, I love it its so involving and I am on my 2nd play tonight of Boards of Canada's new LP and it sounds absolutely fantastic on my RP6

I am sure I would love a Naim or Linn system, but tonight my Rega sounds excellent!m (and yes nearly drunk a bottle of Rioja)

Only nearly just going to open a 2nd bottle of red light weight ;)

agree with 'e' tho
 

roger06

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I feel a 'hi fi is like wine' analogy coming on...

1. If you like it; drink it / listen to it. Doesn't matter what others think

2. Your friends will always like different wine / hi fi

3. People talk an awful load of rubbish about both

4. You get into diminishing returns on both. A £20 bottle is not twice as good as a £10 one... same with hi fi.

Er, etc etc.

But. Hi fi doesn't give you a hangover!
 

roger06

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Covenanter said:
Every time you get in your car do you think "Damn there are people out there with better cars than mine"?.

If not why are you worried about your hifi?

Chris

No! I think people with expensive cars have simply bought a pointless depreciating asset in which to sit in traffic.

Cars are an interesting one. I know people who thought me mad spending thick end of £3 grand on a hi fi, yet they'd buy a £30k car and lose that in a year in depreciation alone.

Anyway, I ride a motorbike! My wife drives the 10 year old Focus. Cars = total waste of money in my opinion.

smiley-laughing.gif
 
roger06 said:
Covenanter said:
Every time you get in your car do you think "Damn there are people out there with better cars than mine"?.

If not why are you worried about your hifi?

Chris

Cars are an interesting one. I know people who thought me mad spending thick end of £3 grand on a hi fi, yet they'd buy a £30k car and lose that in a year in depreciation alone.

Anyway, I ride a motorbike! My wife drives the 10 year old Focus. Cars = total waste of money in my opinion.

smiley-laughing.gif

Owning a motorbike is selfish. cars and hi-fis aren't.
 

matthewpiano

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Cypher said:
From my experience ; my mate has a very expensive system. Sonas Faber speakers and I believe an Krell amp.

When you play a CD with good production it sounds absolutely amazing.

When you play a CD with a bad production it sounds so bad it's almost unlistenable.

The system is so neutral and revealing. Some CD's he doesn't listen anymore because of the production. I don't know if I want that.

A budget system is somewhat 'friendlier' sounding with bad sounding productions because it isn't so revealing.

Agree or not ? ;)

A very good point Cypher, and one of the things that really worries me about thoughts of a more neutral and revealing system. I've had equipment that has really laid bare the poor production of some recordings and it can ruin enjoyment of some music.

I think there is a lot to be said for a decent budget system that attains a certain level of performance but nevertheless enables enjoyment of all music and not just the well produced stuff. For me, if the hi-fi stops you listening to some music then it has really failed (based on my criteria that hi-fi should serve the music - others will disagree).
 

MakkaPakka

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Covenanter said:
Every time you get in your car do you think "Damn there are people out there with better cars than mine"?.

If not why are you worried about your hifi?

Chris
o

I don't have a car, I have a push bike. When I see someone with a better bike than me, I race them. I race them and beat them so bad they're ashamed of the fact they bought an expensive bike.

I'm not entirely sure how that combative attitude carries over to someone having a better hi-fi. I'd probably just dent their tweeters when they weren't looking or something. |(
 

roger06

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MakkaPakka said:
Covenanter said:
Every time you get in your car do you think "Damn there are people out there with better cars than mine"?.

If not why are you worried about your hifi?

Chris
o

I don't have a car, I have a push bike. When I see someone with a better bike than me, I race them. I race them and beat them so bad they're ashamed of the fact they bought an expensive bike.

I'm not entirely sure how that combative attitude carries over to someone having a better hi-fi. I'd probably just dent their tweeters when they weren't looking or something. |(

LOL!

On the odd occasion I cycle to work I often get overtaken my some girl with a flowing skirt and basket on the bars riding most serenely when I think I'm peddling quite hard.
 

davedotco

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Interesting, I have hear many systems that were better than mine, I do not find that a problem.

What I do find to be a problem is what someone hinted about in an earlier post, the fact that you system can sound great one minute and awful the next, mostly this is down to the recording, but not always.

Putting together a system that is good enough for your needs, yet comfortable on less than great recordings is a real art and over the years some of my favourite systems fall into that class.

Many years ago I bought a system entirely on the recommendations of a 'hi-fi guru' friend of mine, a really simple inexpensive system of Dual 504 , Nagoyoka cartridge, NAD 3020 and a pair of AR18s. He set the system up on a SO table and Kan stands, screws in the floor and all that and it sounded fantastic.

Virtually any record I played sounded great, I regularly heard better, my friends Linn, Naim, ELS 57 for example but my basic system was so well balanced, so well sorted that it really did not matter. After a while I wanted better so sadly screwed up my system by buying better components, first a Rega turntable which was worse than my Dual, then an Audiolab amplifier that was so bad that it turned me off the brand for life.

It took me ages and a fair amount of money to get a genuinely better system with the same synergy, so the moral is clear, if you system really is together then spending anything but a serious amount of money is not going to help!
 

chebby

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I am envious of the system I will own in the future.

I don't yet know what it will be (or how much it will cost, or by what criteria it will be better), but I am a bit miffed I can't have it now.
 

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