Is now the right time for "Extreme Week"?

[Summit]

8 hours ago, sdolezalek said:

Although I immensely appreciate the amount of thought and work that ray-dude and austinpop put into their all of their exquisite reviews, I have to admit to an odd feeling after reading this week's installment after seeing the title "Extreme Week."  On the one hand I can't help lusting for the quality of sound that the equipment they are reviewing can deliver, but on the other hand I would today feel very guilty spending to buy that equipment in the face of what is going on in the world around us.  In a WFH time, the ability to escape for a few minutes or hours and just listen to some great music may be more important than at any other time in our lives.  But, for many the cost of the kinds of equipment we lust after on Audiophile Style may have permanently moved out of the range of what is affordable.  

 

I'd love to see us equally dedicate a week to reviewing some systems that really deliver the best available listening at an affordable level.  I think if I spent half as much on my next purchase and donated the 50% I didn't spend, that sitting back and listening to those sounds might be a much more satisfying experience...

 

This is not intended as throwing water on the fire of great reviews or great equipment.  Think of it more as challenge to what kind of components (hardware/software) we might suggest for those who may have a lot more listening time on their hands (but not by choice) or who come home from a long day as a first responder and could really use the escape.

 

You asked I good question which I could have answered, but instead of doing that I will ask you one instead. If there are many people that are genuinely interested to know how those "extreme” audio gear, which some member actually own, sounds like and that many of us can’t demo for ourselves (look-down, cost, ability etc). I don’t only read impressions because I want to get the latest or shiniest myself, it’s because am interested in the tech and design progression in (digital) audio. Isn’t it better that we are giving the chance to at least read about how the latest SOTA gear sound like and compared to other more well-known gear now that many are stuck at home most of the time?

[Summit]

Of course the price can be (seen as) extreme, but don’t forget the extreme dedication and effort that is needed to actually evaluate and make a review that has to be split in to not 2 or 3 but 5 part.    

 

One thing is for sure the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme is.... extreme.