Not impressed

I've worked pretty hard to get good sound out of my second system using whatever I can and not having to make a huge investment. Its currently built around a 30 year old Nad 7020 receiver used as a pre-amp only at present that I picked up in a pawn shop circa 1987 for $20. It does 90% or more of what most anyone would need these days. Via my 20 year old Stax headphones attached, it sounds about as good as most any headphone based system I have heard recently, and I have heard most of the best known ones these days.

Dealijng with room acoustics much less integrating components well is HARD to get right. Money alone is not the solution (but it always helps...). Knowledge and trial and error is. GO with something like the Xeo that is integrated FOR you. Then all you have to do is get teh setup in teh room right. If that's too much still, then headphones are the answer. Even good $80 earbuds of a decent modern mobile device can sound pretty darn good! RIp you tunes and put it out on Amazon player website for access from anywhere for free (up to a few hundred songs and BINGO, audio paradise whenever and wherever you want.

My system is cobbled together from a few things bought new and lots of used stuff, which is part of the fun. Something seems weak I sell it, things that sound great I keep, and the result is music played at a very high level of resolution and accuracy that keeps me spellbound in front of it for hours. You can lament the price vs. value of a lot of things you might like, but if you express it in a defeatist tone you're just whining, it's pathetic, and life is way too short to suffer those who choose to be pathetic whiners. To sum up: Me good, pathetic whiners bad.

Makes no sense to me. Sound quality-to-price ratio continues to improve year after year in the affordable categories, due to an oversupply of capable manufacturers and trickle-down technologies. Excellent sounding equipment at reasonable prices not hard to find these days. Even a poor excuse for an audio magazine such as the Absolute Sound can point you in the right direction and help you avoid making a mistake.

Just getting sick of the Hi Fi Merry Go Around..

This is the reason why hi-end audio is loosing the battle to puny earphones. Trust me. You will not find the perfect sound or anything to close to that even if you pay $million. I've looked everywhere (shows and hi-end audio shops)to hear the sound and music which will satisfy me. No luck!

The speaker is like a monitor or a printer in a computer system. Even though the CPU is highest quality and HDD is 10 TB, people will only see B&W if the monitor/printer is B&W which is a cheaper element. The speaker is what you will hear. The speaker is the most important element in an audio system. Current hi-end audio speakers are not accurate nor detailed to give you feedback. If speakers let you hear the difference between cables or components clearly and accurately, the search will be done quickly.

I don't read anyone talk about musicality anymore in here. All you guys talk about the sound. I feel your pain! When even the sound is not right, how you can talk about the music.

Good luck finding the capable speaker! It's available and very affordable.

Alex
Wavetouch Audio

Good luck finding the capable speaker! It's available and very affordable.

Alex
Wavetouch Audio
Mihorn

annnnnnd heeeeere's Alex! Just in time to pimp his speakers for you, guaranteed to solve all of your audio problems. LOL!

Seriously, I think everyone gets a little burnt out from chasing the absolute sound over the years. Just relax and take some time off. They will still be making this crap in a few years when your batteries are re-charged and you are ready to play again.