Article: Keeping It Simple - Finding Great Values In Great Sound

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2 hours ago, JJinPDX said:

Okay, I've got to chime in. I don't normally post on this forum, but the topic is timely for my current angst. 

 

I love this hobby; I love music (mostly classical, jazz, some pop, some world, even some rock); I've soldered and built my own systems starting in high school, etc. I've carefully auditioned probably hundreds of combinations of gear; and I've finally settled on a NOS MA6600 integrated from McIntosh, Dynaudio Focus 140's, Bryston BDA-2 DAC, Zuma running Win10, clocking handled by a W4S Recovery, cables by known vendors (but always used), music ripped to FLAC or downloaded in a minimum of 24/96 and stored on a Synology NAS. So, you know, typical mid-fi and not bad, not totally over the top from a price perspective. However, I very much enjoy listening to Mahler on it when the mood happens, or some good jazz vocals. Or a violin concerto. Sweet. I also get a big kick out of when people come over for a party and sit in front of the system that more than one jaw has landed on the floor, mainly because most folks haven't heard audiophile quality playback. 

 

Lately though I have run into a problem, which I think is relevant to the current thread. I'm now living with the woman of my dreams who happens to love her Sonos. I have been trying very very hard to like the Sonos as well. Happy lady, happy guy. I've even purchased more Play 1's to place on the deck, etc. I've even voiced out loud that maybe I should sell my gear and buy another Play 5 for the main listening room, make a stereo pair and be done with it. (We have a Sonos Playbar + sub, 2 Play 1's, 2 Play 3's and a reconditioned Play 5, all in various rooms). So, last night I set up the two Play 3's in stereo mode and put on Mahler's 2nd. No comparison. My system easily won the "contest." So, I put the Play 5 into the fray, and even though it wasn't in stereo, it too could not handle the Mahler, although it didn't do badly with Mark Knopfler's Marbletown. But the violins and guitars even for that hurt my ears compared to my system. 

 

You could have the two Play 5's and the sub for, what, $1,700 retail? That would make a very decent system and it would be 40% less than my amp alone, let alone everything else. Heck, you could get a very good Sonos system using the Play 1's for $238 (reconditioned from Sonos) and the sub for $938, and that would be a good system for many people. One couple I know who could afford anything audiophile put in such a system and loves it. It doesn't sound at all bad, really.

 

I've been trying to decide if should sell my system and go with the Sonos and just be happy. However, when auditioned side by side, it would be incredibly difficult for me to do so. A cello on my system sounds to me like a cello played in my living room. There's a sense of air around the instrument, and sense of vibrancy to the strings, a sense of depth to the notes, a stage presence that just isn't there with the Sonos. Am I trying to make my system better just because I've got dollars invested and years of mixing and matching? I don't think so. It's certainly a sound I love, and others might love the sound of Sonos, but I do think that there is a qualitative difference as you get into these more expensive brands and combinations. So, I'm not going to give up my system (I might have to buy a Sonos Connect so we can integrate mine into the whole house thing....). 

 

Having said all this, I do agree that you can get 90% of the way there spending 15% of the dollars. Equipment just keeps getting better and better, and what we need to push for is to get more and more folks involved in high quality music, both recorded and live! To me that's the goal, and I absolutely love this current thread, but I also love the hobby and the forever search for satisfying reproduction. Cost is critical, but sound is more so, in my opinion. 

 

John J

Speakers are what matter.  A higher percentage of a system budget should go into those as everything else is better at much less cost than in the past.  Speakers, a good enough amp.  The rest can be skimped on heavily without exacting a big toll on the end result. 

 

Look forward to future installments of this series.  Should be interesting.  For one thing there are so many offerings available I bet we all can learn about some useful gear we didn't even know existed.