What I learned on Audiogon This Year

...talk can be cheap and listening can be priceless.

Happy, the later!

a) Everything is Seller Suggested "Priced to Sell" - when in fact isn't that the buyers decision?

b) I love headphones.

c) A headphone system is not substantially less expensive than a nice small room system!

d) Sometimes you have less than 1 day to pay for something or you will get negative feedback.

e) Several folks here are into racing, especially those I met at the Monterey Historics (or whatever it is called these days).

f) Rockpile Zin rocks (2008 vintage).

g) Transducers can actually SMOKE if overdriven.......

The 'Feil has hit on all cylinders today. My favorite points there are the censorship (I get moderated a lot, and can't figure out why most of the time), and the cartridge hours.

Ironically I just sold 2 cartridges, the one I sold on here, literally had never touched vinyl, the other I sold to my friend who is a scientist, and he checked it out on his microscope before he bought it. It had well over 300 hrs on it at my house and I bought it used. Makes me really believe in how well made Grado cartridges are, especially if you take the time to set them up correctly.

As soon as I buy something somebody posts the very same item for less than I paid.

Some audiophiles shoppers have the communication skills of Rain Man. Yes. No. Maybe. Long silences.

Some of the nicest people in the world are fellow audiophiles.

Happy New Year!

these are lifelong learning experiences...
1) that all audiophiles are a little crazy (including me)
2) that if something arrives damaged, it is ALWAYS the other persons fault.
3) that anyone can make really, really expensive cables AND sell them, IF they are good at marketing.
4) that SOME of those expensive cables are really, really worth the money.
5) that MOST audiophiles need someone ELSE to tell them which are are good, and which are not. (they can't tell).
6) that a good percentage of audiophiles think the other percentage are idiots, because of some trivial belief.
7) that it takes at LEAST 5 audiophiles to change a light bulb..
8) that all audiophile have at least a few recordings they like to play over and over. Some of those audiophiles.. because they love the music, others because they think it makes thier system sound good.
9) that audiophiles are a dying breed.
10) that endless debates NEVER solve anything, that listening for ten minutes DOES solve.
11) that the gulf between audiophiles and mp3 lovers will someday close in our favor!!
12) that buying something NEW is not always the answer.
13) that selling the thing we just replaced has WAY more seller's remorse than we like to admit.. later...
more to come....