I don't frequent high end salons often, but I was just at one on Saturday. What I learned was the most important thing is the recording. I stopped in to listen to their 'top room'. It had a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C4's being driven by $12,000 Krell monoblocks (I don't know the model number) through Transparent cables. I listened for a few minutes and was extremely unimpressed. The sound was sterile, and uninvolving. There was a guy in there drooling over the Krell monoblocks, I remember thinking 'Why? My system smokes this junk.'. Anyhow, I spent another 45 minutes going through other rooms, as I was getting ready to go, I stopped back into the Krell/Dynaudio room. The sound was phenomenal. I sat down and couldn't believe how rich, warm, BIG the sound was. It was a different cd playing. I always knew to bring my own software when making a serious audition, or it's best to try in your own system, but I had never heard a system change so much just by changing a disc. I left wondering why they would even play that first disc, it couldn't be good for sales. Although the guy drooling over the Krells didn't seem to notice.
Regards,
John
Regards,
John