Emotional rollercoaster


I think I've been slowly improving my system over years. Starting with garage sale finds and tip finds to eBay and ultimately spending serious dollars on some decent amplification and speakers. I was even going to post recently about how the journey has been worth it.
Then this afternoon I tested an old Akai AA-5200 that I'd retrieved from under my ex's house (left it there 8 or so years ago) and I connected it to some old magnat 10p speakers I picked up for about $40 ages ago.... and behold.... I was listening to about $60 of hi-fi equipment that sounded extraordinarily nice and made me wonder why I'd spent a hundred and fifty times that much "improving" my main system over the years. 
It's left me disillusioned and fragile. Is spending big bucks a sham. Where have I gone wrong. It's an emotional rollercoaster. Help.



mid-fi-crisis

Showing 3 responses by glupson

"U.S. mags would never contemplate this as they'd immediately lose all kinds of advertising revenue..."
Wouldn't the same happen to those British ones? I know nothing about differences.

cd318,


If we ignore speakers. do those British magazines ever do group tests of other higher-end equipment? I have never paid attention to that stratification and, until you mentioned that nobody compares directly, have never noticed this difference between British and U.S.A. based magazines. I do not think that those from U.S.A. do group tests of anything ever. Interesting how they have different approaches.

cd318,

"For example where, in the miles and miles of column inches can you find a group test review of high end speakers?"


At some point, I have not cheked in some time, British magazines had comparison tests of speakers. I am not sure how believable they were and if they ever had high end, but they existed.