"hi-fi"
Posted by: seagull on 10 June 2002
We were visiting some friends recently and somehow the conversation moved round to money and hi-fi. Our friends were amazed when my wife told them how much I'd recently spent - I didn't like to tell them that was only for a cd player, speakers and a rack (I already had the Naim amps).
"£2000 on stereo!? But that's a holiday!" (julie thought it was for a complete system)
Hmmm, Julie never takes into account the cost of clothes, meals and DRINK! but I understood where she's coming from, she didn't rate hi-fi very high on her list of priorites... She then said that their cd player (meaning the **** mini stack thing) wasn't working. A quick glance showed a huge vase of flowers sitting directly on top of the unit. I suggested that she should move the vase because mixing water and electricity is never a good idea I reckon that the weight of the vase, water and flowers probably distorted the (plastic) case of the unit resulting in the laser alignment being out. She also said that they didn't listen to music much anyway (I'm not surprised - it sounded dreadful when it used to work!)
A visit to some other friends at the week-end I was subjected to more crappy 'hi-fi', although the volume levels were low the ridiculously over boosted bass overpowered everything else to the point of the music being played being almost unrecognisable (mind you, I thought that was just as well given what I did recognise!). I ended up with a head-ache (this is someone who once fell asleep propped up against a PA stack at Reading Rock) and was releaved to go home.
At another recent party I was asked if I could sort out the row emanating from their speakers (again ridiculously overpowering flabby bass). It was a party, I had been imbibing several pints of ale (see my "what were your last five pints" thread for examples) and like most of you I'm used to only having input selectors and volume control on my amplifier. The 'hi-fi' had this funny dial thing on it which allowed you to select all sorts of settings (like Disco, concert hall etc.) all of which sounded crap. It also had a very bright led display which danced to the music. I couldn't find how to remove the bass boost etc and soon gave up trying.
If you're still with me you're probably wondering "What is the point of this rambling?" and "Why would some one with the obvious wit and itelligence of Seagull bother to waste his life writing it in the first place?" and "Why am I still reading this drivel?"
I just thought I'd like to remind everyone here the reason why they buy Naim gear is to improve their own quality of life by listening to music. Also that there is a huge gap between the amount of listening pleasure to be derived from music played on real hi-fi and music played on the statistically modal level midi system found in most homes. Its not really a case of value for money (£550 vs £5500) the difference is not ten times better its a case of the real hi-fi being the absolute minimum level for listening pleasure. If I had a cheap stereo at home it probably wouldn't get played that much either. My wife claims not to be able to tell the difference but she rarely plays music at home - she was always wary of the LP12 but even using the CD5 scares her.
If I had the money I'd probably spend it on more gear (yes that Armageddon and Aro for my LP12, the CDSII and XPS, perhaps the 552/500 and SBLs etc.) but as I don't I've probably come to the end of my journey for now (its about 18 years since my last foray into hi-fi, about the same length of time I've been with the boss!) so I don't suffer from upgrade-itis (not terminally anyway). I just think that being subjected to other people's "hi-fi" systems has made me appreciate my own even more.
Try it some day (if you only know audiophiles go to Currys or Comet and have a listen) then go home and enjoy what you have already.
"£2000 on stereo!? But that's a holiday!" (julie thought it was for a complete system)
Hmmm, Julie never takes into account the cost of clothes, meals and DRINK! but I understood where she's coming from, she didn't rate hi-fi very high on her list of priorites... She then said that their cd player (meaning the **** mini stack thing) wasn't working. A quick glance showed a huge vase of flowers sitting directly on top of the unit. I suggested that she should move the vase because mixing water and electricity is never a good idea I reckon that the weight of the vase, water and flowers probably distorted the (plastic) case of the unit resulting in the laser alignment being out. She also said that they didn't listen to music much anyway (I'm not surprised - it sounded dreadful when it used to work!)
A visit to some other friends at the week-end I was subjected to more crappy 'hi-fi', although the volume levels were low the ridiculously over boosted bass overpowered everything else to the point of the music being played being almost unrecognisable (mind you, I thought that was just as well given what I did recognise!). I ended up with a head-ache (this is someone who once fell asleep propped up against a PA stack at Reading Rock) and was releaved to go home.
At another recent party I was asked if I could sort out the row emanating from their speakers (again ridiculously overpowering flabby bass). It was a party, I had been imbibing several pints of ale (see my "what were your last five pints" thread for examples) and like most of you I'm used to only having input selectors and volume control on my amplifier. The 'hi-fi' had this funny dial thing on it which allowed you to select all sorts of settings (like Disco, concert hall etc.) all of which sounded crap. It also had a very bright led display which danced to the music. I couldn't find how to remove the bass boost etc and soon gave up trying.
If you're still with me you're probably wondering "What is the point of this rambling?" and "Why would some one with the obvious wit and itelligence of Seagull bother to waste his life writing it in the first place?" and "Why am I still reading this drivel?"
I just thought I'd like to remind everyone here the reason why they buy Naim gear is to improve their own quality of life by listening to music. Also that there is a huge gap between the amount of listening pleasure to be derived from music played on real hi-fi and music played on the statistically modal level midi system found in most homes. Its not really a case of value for money (£550 vs £5500) the difference is not ten times better its a case of the real hi-fi being the absolute minimum level for listening pleasure. If I had a cheap stereo at home it probably wouldn't get played that much either. My wife claims not to be able to tell the difference but she rarely plays music at home - she was always wary of the LP12 but even using the CD5 scares her.
If I had the money I'd probably spend it on more gear (yes that Armageddon and Aro for my LP12, the CDSII and XPS, perhaps the 552/500 and SBLs etc.) but as I don't I've probably come to the end of my journey for now (its about 18 years since my last foray into hi-fi, about the same length of time I've been with the boss!) so I don't suffer from upgrade-itis (not terminally anyway). I just think that being subjected to other people's "hi-fi" systems has made me appreciate my own even more.
Try it some day (if you only know audiophiles go to Currys or Comet and have a listen) then go home and enjoy what you have already.
I am lucky in that my other half understands my passion for hi-fi and doesn't prevent me from indulging. I think the key factor in smoothing this path was to introduce her to the benefits of it. She's a musician studying at Welsh College of Music and Drama, and grade 8 distinction on both saxophone and cello. She tells me she loves being able to hear the individual strands of various performances, and the system drives hard enough to allow her to practice to a CD at full tilt, which she loves! It also allows me an interesting opportunity to compare how well my system reproduces the sound of a solo cello as I have a benchmark right there and then. It's still some way off, I have to report. But that means I have an excuse to upgrade! 
She's basically said I can upgrade as much as I want because it makes me happy. And as long as she can get that £40,000 cello, it's cool. Each to their own, that's what works!
Someone somewhere has a fantastic signature line which I reckon pretty well sums this thread up - "The best upgrade you can make is to forget your hi-fi." Music isn't about hi-fi, it's about music. My mate's happy with his flashy Pioneer boombox - that's great! He enjoys what he hears! I hate it, but then I love marmite and he doesn't.
All I can say, I guess!
Gav
She's basically said I can upgrade as much as I want because it makes me happy. And as long as she can get that £40,000 cello, it's cool. Each to their own, that's what works!
Someone somewhere has a fantastic signature line which I reckon pretty well sums this thread up - "The best upgrade you can make is to forget your hi-fi." Music isn't about hi-fi, it's about music. My mate's happy with his flashy Pioneer boombox - that's great! He enjoys what he hears! I hate it, but then I love marmite and he doesn't.
All I can say, I guess!
Gav