there is only one rule:find out by listening to as mutch systems that you can where your hart goes out for and then you wil have "your" system. Regardless what brand, cost or pricipe it is made off.
The Ten Rules of high-end audio
1. Room acoustics can make up to 50% of the final sound.
2. With cables you can only "tune" the sound: they don't make a flawed system sounding good.
3. Tweaks can change a system's sound, but a different sound doesn't have to mean that there is better sound.
4. System synergy is not brand dependent. It has a weak relation with the costs of the individual components. It has also a weak relation with the technical design of the components (for example tube or solid state amplification, cone based or ribbon speakers).
5. It is better to have a good front end (where music reproduction begins) than to have very good speakers but only so so front end.
6. The importance of a clean AC power shouldn't be underestimated.
7. It is more worthwhile to invest in electronics and/or acoustics than in so called "tweaks".
8. It is better to strive for a "balanced" sound with some comprimizes than to strive for a "perfect" sound by frequently mixing and matching things. This way you will likely end up with a less satisfying sound.
9. Older high end components are not inferior to more contemporary units by definition. Some older units sound even better (= more musical) than the newer ones. This is also true with newer iterations of the same basic concept (Mk II, III, IV, etc).
10. When you are building up a high end system (or replacing units in your system) you should ask yourself two questions: What are the goals I'm striving for? What can I expect sonically from the component(s) I'm purchasing?
Comments please!
Chris
2. With cables you can only "tune" the sound: they don't make a flawed system sounding good.
3. Tweaks can change a system's sound, but a different sound doesn't have to mean that there is better sound.
4. System synergy is not brand dependent. It has a weak relation with the costs of the individual components. It has also a weak relation with the technical design of the components (for example tube or solid state amplification, cone based or ribbon speakers).
5. It is better to have a good front end (where music reproduction begins) than to have very good speakers but only so so front end.
6. The importance of a clean AC power shouldn't be underestimated.
7. It is more worthwhile to invest in electronics and/or acoustics than in so called "tweaks".
8. It is better to strive for a "balanced" sound with some comprimizes than to strive for a "perfect" sound by frequently mixing and matching things. This way you will likely end up with a less satisfying sound.
9. Older high end components are not inferior to more contemporary units by definition. Some older units sound even better (= more musical) than the newer ones. This is also true with newer iterations of the same basic concept (Mk II, III, IV, etc).
10. When you are building up a high end system (or replacing units in your system) you should ask yourself two questions: What are the goals I'm striving for? What can I expect sonically from the component(s) I'm purchasing?
Comments please!
Chris