Best price range for the money ?

[aznbladez]

What is the best price range for average users who won't notice the sound difference of a average priced system and a high-end system ?

I don't want to spend alot of money if I'm not gonna notice a lot of difference anyways.

[L.J.]

Perhaps you should go out and audition some gear. Find a audio shop that has demo setups at various price ranges and go from there.

[GMichael]

LJ is right. Everyone is different. It depends on your budget and what you are willing to settle for. Some people are very happy with a $500 system while others are not satisfied with a $10,000 system. Go out and listen to see what sounds good to you.

[BadAssJazz]

I don't want to spend alot of money if I'm not gonna notice a lot of difference anyways.

So what you're saying is that you ARE willing to spend an arm and a leg if the fidelity is as pronounced as night and day? Maybe not the best approach either way.

Tell you what: if you want a suggestion of a bargain vs. middle of the road vs. high end gear is, pick up a copy of What Hi Fi magazine. Review some of their recommendations and then go out and audition. Or if you don't have a very good newstand in your area, go here: http://whathifi.com/Default.aspx

At the end of the day, it's not what you pay that matters. It's what you like.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I wonder how markw would've responded to this.

[Palmz]

Perhaps as a fellow newb to the HT world I can put some things in perspective. I'd say the bet price range for the money is the lowest price range, like sub-$1000 for everything. Because any lower than this and you don't have audio at all.

Enthusiasts in these forums will be sure to let you know that there is "value" all the way up the price spectrum. There are bargain-buys all the way up too, but "value" is in the ear of the beholder in the world of audio. I am constantly amazed (and a little confused and annoyed) at how many speaker manufacturers there are, how many so called "good sound for the money" models there are in every price point, and literally how there seems to be more product available for every individual than you could possibly listen to. When you consider these things you realize just how valuable these forums really are.

If you're just starting a new HT set-up, go have a listen at some local audio and audiophile stores (imo skip the big-box stores like best-buy, they will be overpriced compared to the hole-in-the-wall audiophile stores, provide weak advice from inexperienced sales staff, and carry inferior products at any price-point...for the most part). Once you've heard what's out there set a budget. If you have an untrained ear then obviously take the opportunity to save money and buy a lower-end system that will still give you 'big' sound for movie watching and call it a day. You wouldn't buy a Porsche if all you cared about was getting from A to B.

[GMichael]

I wonder how markw would've responded to this.

I'm guessing that it wouldn't be pretty.

I miss Mark. Is he still spending all his time over on AH?

[Rich-n-Texas]

Dunno. He had a pretty good set-to with pixe... Maybe he's waiting for his blood pressure to even out.

[Ajani]

What is the best price range for average users who won't notice the sound difference of a average priced system and a high-end system ?

I don't want to spend alot of money if I'm not gonna notice a lot of difference anyways.

Based on that definition, I'd say: whatever you consider to be the price of an "average priced system"....

I don't think it's really a matter that people don't notice the sound difference between average price and expensive... more that they don't think that the benefit obtained from spending more money is really worth it...

In my own experience... with 2 of my preferred speaker brands: Monitor Audio & B&W... I find that I can achieve a satisfying sound quality at about the $1K Mark with Monitor Audio RS6 Towers or B&W CM1 bookshelfs... in order to significantly increase the sound quality, I have to jump up to the $3K price range and get Monitor Audio GS20 Towers or B&W 805S Bookshelfs... Now is spending triple the money for that improvement worth it??? Depends on how much money I have available to play with at the time... Right now I'm building a house, so No it's not worth it... but if I wasn't, then hell yes, it would be worth it...

[pixelthis]

Dunno. He had a pretty good set-to with pixe... Maybe he's waiting for his blood pressure to even out.

He just tried to push his weight around and got it pushed back.
Trying to make himself look good at others expense,
being nasty and hatefull, typical Markw.
I might get carried away sometimes but its never intentional, my houmor is just a bit dry, with him its a hobby.