Old Hi-fi Maxim? [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

PDA

View Full Version : Old Hi-fi Maxim?



ijenk64
12-10-2005, 02:41 AM
Have myself and my ears been deceived over the last 30 years, or has nobody heard the saying, if you put **** in you get **** out. Meaning the quality of youre source component in my case a cdp a Wadia 16, should be the most important part of your system and your work towards your speakers from there.

I as thinking about upgrading my Wadia 16 to a 861 and asked for advice, this question was met with howls of laughter.

Is this just a British thing or am I in the wrong place.

Cheers Ta
Ian

markw
12-10-2005, 06:07 AM
IMNSHO, the software and the speakers/room interaction are the two most important parts in this equation. The next step would assure you have enough clean power to drive those speakers. Everything else will fall into place.

Many devices, such as speakers and others, can be intentionally designed for a specific sound quality. I tend to prefer electronics have as little sonic signature as possible. If one prefers one brand's interpretation of what good sound is, then be prepared to pay it's asking price.

But, to some extent, you do get what you pay for as long as you are aware of what it is you're actually paying for and where the point of diminishing returns kicks in.

Pat D
12-10-2005, 12:11 PM
Have myself and my ears been deceived over the last 30 years, or has nobody heard the saying, if you put **** in you get **** out. Meaning the quality of youre source component in my case a cdp a Wadia 16, should be the most important part of your system and your work towards your speakers from there.

I as thinking about upgrading my Wadia 16 to a 861 and asked for advice, this question was met with howls of laughter.

Is this just a British thing or am I in the wrong place.

Cheers Ta
IanI agree with markw. I would add that while Garbag In, Garbage Out (GIGO) is a good general principle in this context. If you put garbage, then you get garbage out (but this is not true of the water treatment plant!). However, it dodes not establish that ordinary CDPs put out garbage. By and large they don't.

Jim Clark
12-10-2005, 12:34 PM
I as thinking about upgrading my Wadia 16 to a 861 and asked for advice, this question was met with howls of laughter.

Is this just a British thing or am I in the wrong place.

Cheers Ta
Ian

It wasn't hilariously funny but I thought the comments were at least moderately amusing. There are a couple of things here, like I said in your other thread, it doesn't look like anybody here has either of those units. While a number of people here have some nice gear, this board is by and large more of a midfi hangout. Heck, I still have the stock tubes in my Jolida CDP and that's the most expensive CDP I've ever owned (by a large amount).

I would take exception to your philosophy of gigo when taken to the extreme as it appears you are doing when you say that you feel the CDP is the most important link in the chain. I don't feel that's accurate at all. I think it makes more sense to view things equally but even then I don't think it's a sure bet that the amp is going to be as important as the speakers. Don't even get me started on cables.

You called your CDP your pride and joy. If it's such a nice piece of gear, why are you suddenly questioning it's value in your set up? Of course without hearing it plugged into your system there's no way to be certain if the cost is going to cover the benefits which are clearly going to be very, very small if noticeable at all (another maxim: The law of diminshing returns)

Regards,
jc

ijenk64
12-10-2005, 03:15 PM
Thanks for listening and replying to a Class - A addict who needs medication in reaching his unreachable goal. Spare a thought for us in the Uk we have two choices, the masses get cheap japanese systems which are dime a dozen, and the serious listerners have to shell out 1000`s for Class A/B stuff, there is no middle ground to speak of. While you in the Good ole USof A have choice the world envys no that im bitter or twisted or anthing. your made to feel guilty, over here if you cant afford Audio Note, I think that speaks volumes. On the snob front though hypocritically i would buy on because im fickle

Audio shops in this country think a $10k is a starting system, you really dont know how lucky you are .

Thanks for listening
Ian (its been a pleasnt experience and at the end of the day im a listner first and am an elecronics man secound as you may have gathered.