Quote Originally Posted by E-Stat
You're welcome guys even if it wasn't aimed at you. It was intended as a Rip Van Winkle primer to the state of the twenty first century high end. I marvel at the dual benefits of todays audio market vs. what it was when I got started in the 70s: truly good sounding gear can be purchased for far less AND the state of the art continues to march forward. If I could have had an iPod sound system when I was a kid, boy!

RGA - I thoroughly enjoy participating in informed debates where hearing different perspectives can be illuminating. Most of the time, it simply reflects differences in personal taste and priorities. There is no right or wrong. Vive la difference! What I find monotonous and boring is hearing speculative, yet insistent dial tone responses from those who don't know what they don't know.

rw
Thanks once more for your time and attention as too the references within your post. I’d heard some items along the way. Not in homes as yet. I know few who can justify the costs of those concepts. The guys who can afford six figure systems are in paper shuffling.

Given the many new ways we can enjoy good music, unavailable in ‘the stone age' it is both diminishing returns and for me monster reliability factors.

Strange about the Apple Ear Buds, but makes a great secondary market!

Minor mention: I’ve been using is the C34v with a 7082 tuner. I substituted the C28 as the newest Mc amp for the office momentarily took up smoking when barely beyond toddler-hood. The 34 has a suitable amp to drive the office speakers.

Never considered myself a Mc fan. I had a fairly mixed bunch when the sound engineers in Atlanta and in Northern California did some work and they had no Macs on the repair shelf. When I got clipping I called Rudy and he said to get a 2300 and it worked. I'd had the old tuner since the late 60's so getting a C22, then 26, 28, 32 were logical as I was passing on to the boys. A dealer recently quoted me 20k to replace the C34V and the 2300’s with speaker and amp control. A system would come in over 40k. I make and distribute stuff with similar components and did not see the value from my look under the hoods. I nearly had a stroke when I took the inventory of the 7082. I expected reductions not increases.

I was told pricing is due to profit allocation to remain competitive or gain market in the hot, hot home theatre end.

One of my friends acquired a set up based on the demo at the 2007 CES. After it was in home for a few weeks he got his old gear back from his son claiming the new sound 'tired' him unlike what he compared to old loafers.

There are many claims and few objective ways to compare beyond the old reliable test record and CD plus music we like. The drivers still have to convey the experience we love. We'll frustrate the most perfect engineering for what we ‘feel’ moves us. For me it was pretending I'm conducting a great symphony or being in a comfortable jazz club. If I can have this subjective feeling and also reliable gear I'm warm and fuzzy like some think was Bozak's sound. A couple drivers set ups have 'hi-def' but put me somewhere overhead the orchestra or on one side or the other. On Jazz it was far too sharp, like I find most CD to LP.