How important are demos?

[altruistic.lemon]

Everything I've recommended is available in the UK, you sometimes just have to get off your backside and look . Walked into a shop the other day and there was Hegel in all its glory, plus Leben. You can't ask for much more, except enough money to buy their gear.

 

[CnoEvil]

Ahem... finding out the merits of less usual suspects? Marantz ML 2060 tuner was a limited edition; couldn't find reviews when I first purchased nor since. Even contacting Marantz UK a few years ago, the archive had info on it but no reviews, yet it is still a cracking, albeit wrinkly looking, sounding piece of kit. I'd certainly put it up against any modern budget tuner... in fact have, about four years ago, and it fared very well.

Wharfedale E20s, ClearAudio Classic Wood Cartridge which gets totally ignored on here... there are many other products down the line which most mags ignored but sounded great.

Over to you, Cno...

It has always been my aim to come up with interesting suggestions for people to try, that might otherwise have been overlooked....if my 37 years of "messing about with hifi" can do some good to folk, then that's a win for me.

 

[plastic penguin]

Everything I've recommended is available in the UK, you sometimes just have to get off your backside and look . Walked into a shop the other day and there was Hegel in all its glory, plus Leben. You can't ask for much more, except enough money to buy their gear.

Sorry to disagree - I've looked on various websites of companies you've mentioned: Marti Logan there is ONE UK outlet, in London; there are no UK outlets for Magnepans; Atoll Elec there is no UK outlets. This isn't me being argumental, I've just checked the websites. Plus the others you do mention are way beyond many people's budget, including yours truly.

If you can prove otherwise, please correct me and I'll apologise wholeheartedly.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Then check further and apologise. Cheers - says it all, really.

Try, for example, googling "martin logan price" (uk pages) and see what happens. Better check before making rash claims, mate.

Mind you, don't know about Atoll to be honest, but, since I haven't recommended them, then what's the problem? Mentioned them here as an esoteric brand that rarely gets mentioned, which is fair enough.

 

[chebby]

...there are no UK outlets for Magnepans

Sorry...

http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/?product=magneplanar+mg+12+%28mg12%29+loudspeakers

...and at £1495 they are not much more than the Totem Arros you have recommended in the past. (Arros are £1295 - £2025 depending on finish.)

 

[plastic penguin]

Then check further and apologise. Cheers - says it all, really.

Try, for example, googling "martin logan price" (uk pages) and see what happens. Better check before making rash claims, mate.

Mind you, don't know about Atoll to be honest, but, since I haven't recommended them, then what's the problem? Mentioned them here as an esoteric brand that rarely gets mentioned, which is fair enough.

Nope - checked and can't find a recognised dealer in the UK, apart from the one I've mentioned. Most are auction sites (usually Stateside), but surely they should be on the company website - they're not!

Can't be bothered to this any further. Not much point because you'll always band makes that're rarer than rocking horse dung in the UK.

Let's just draw this conversation to a swift conclusion. End of.

 

[plastic penguin]

...there are no UK outlets for Magnepans

Sorry...

http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/?product=magneplanar+mg+12+%28mg12%29+loudspeakers

...and at £1495 they are not much more than the Totem Arros you have recommended in the past. (Arros are £1295 - £2025 depending on finish.)

Okay, one outlet on the Dorset coast. Sure there aren't many more Totem UK dealers, but they are scattered about. Plus Electro statics need a lot of breathing space, according to WHFI. On the flipside you could virtually put a Arro in your pocket and would sound decent.

 

[chebby]

...there are no UK outlets for Magnepans

Sorry...

http://www.stoneaudio.co.uk/?product=magneplanar+mg+12+%28mg12%29+loudspeakers

...and at £1495 they are not much more than the Totem Arros you have recommended in the past. (Arros are £1295 - £2025 depending on finish.)

Okay, one outlet on the Dorset coast.

Dorset was in the UK last time I went there.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

And here's a list of Martin Logan dealers: http://www.absolutesounds.com/index.php?brands=9&uk_regions=&Submit=Find+Dealers&page=18&search_type=adv

I'm not usually this petty, by the way, but you have accused me of lying...

 

[chebby]

And here's a list of Martin Logan dealers: http://www.absolutesounds.com/index.php?brands=9&uk_regions=&Submit=Find+Dealers&page=18&search_type=adv

.

Includes Guildford Audio which is a hop and a skip from PP's place.

 

[CJSF]

No, my point was to do with the whinging about not being able to get to demos because of "seclusion". Did you not follow that?

It's pretty easy to get to anywhere in the UK if a few hours by bus, car, train or whatever. Surely travelling a few hours to go to a demo isn't that hard in the UK, Outer Hebrides excepted .

I with you 100% on this one 'altruistic. lemon' . . . I'm driving every one mad including myself, I wont part with cash with out auditioning a cartridge, same applies to amps, speakers etc. I live fairly remote . . . In terms of London, but I will travel 2 hours (each way) if I'm parting with hundreds of hard earned £££££'s

How often does one see the, I'm not happy' type post . . . I buy nothing without at least an addition or better still a home assessment, 'buy or return' . . . If a dealer wont play, go some where else, its a telephone call. My cartridge search has taken me to a dealer who will send me a couple of my choice to install and listen to in my own TT.

Its the new way, fewer dealers, those that are left need to take up the slack . . . Yes, perhaps its some dealers that are not to keen to play the game??? As far as I can see, if thats the case, buy cheapest you can on line?

CJSF

 

[plastic penguin]

And here's a list of Martin Logan dealers: http://www.absolutesounds.com/index.php?brands=9&uk_regions=&Submit=Find+Dealers&page=18&search_type=adv

I'm not usually this petty, by the way, but you have accused me of lying...

Yup, I apologise for being a clunk head about the Martin Logans, and I have a confession to make: When I heard the Totems I went because they had another speaker that had your backing... Martin Logan Electrostatics. It just so happened he is one of the few Totem dealers in the south, too.

How did I find the MLs? Very good actually: The clarity and precision is very high for the price, although with the Leema I found them a tad on the mechanical side. Personally, the Totems had a slightly better organisation and sounded bigger boned, but not by huge amounts.

The biggest shock is the strange membraine thingy which seems to reach the ceiling (slight exaggeration) but were taller than the Totems and MAs.

After all that, I still prefer a conventional box, both sound equilibrium and aesthetics.

 

[Anonymous]

The alternate to demoing is just getting a 5* system and sticking to that for a few months, and liking what you have, rather than trying to find faults in it and trying to get the next best thing. To a certain degree, you'll get used to what you have and like it.

"Don't worry about the restaurant giving you a dodgy stomach, go there enough and you'll get used to it."

That is a very strange unless, of course, you have bottomless pockets.

Ok. Strike that. Just get a Rega Dac, Rega Brio-R, and a RS5. And be happy. That's what I've decided to do with my second system. And I'm happy with it.

In my 'primary system', because I'm being so obsessive compulsive about it, just not reaching the promised land.