Disappointing Evening

People see the B&O gear and think: Angelina Jolie!

People see the industrial looking but good sounding stuff and think: Snookie!

I tend to agree with Shadorne.

Good sound at low volumes is passe with most these days.

Most people do not care about really excellent sound and those who do seldom agree on what's best anyhow. So what's the point?

Loud and clear is more impressive! Especially in a big room!

Except if it is too loud you cannot converse with the guests so that does not work.

That model fits my experiences.

I just added a third system. A Squeezebox radio with a pair of 30 year old Realistic Nova 45 headphones.

It replaced an alarm clock on the lamp table next to the bed.

Hey, the sound here is really good!

Its a sharp looking little gadget! Top notch WAF.

Ipods are pretty spiffy looking also and sound pretty good to most.

Given how relatively inexpensive and easy it is to get at least decent sound these days, I think the shock factor of a newbie seeing some of the rigs on this site would be the biggest conversation piece, more than how good the systems sound.

I remember when I was a kid, my first stereo was a Motorola all in on record player with fold out speakers.

Then, as a young teen, I got my first real stereo, for $200 an all in one Sanyo with radio, ceramic cart phono, tape, and speakers, a big step up, but still not really close to the best hi fi of teh day.

Then, finally, going into college, I got a good deal on some real hi fi, Lafayette Criterion integrated and tuner, speakers with Heil Air Motion Transformer, and a Technics belt drive table with MM Pickering cart. A true jump towards hifi. It impressed the other kids (mostly male) in my college dorm so much that they all to come into the shop I worked at then and I sold them their rigs.

Impressing anybody with hi fi has been all downhill since then. I mostly gave up a long time ago. I will show someone my stuff and give them a listen if they ask, but that's about it.