What do you do when you live hours from nowhere


Any suggestions when you live someplace with zero audiophiles and no stereo shops? I have, by far, the best system of anyone I know and I can't find anyone to relate to or from whom I can learn and experiment with.

I've tried to talk to some audiophiles in metro areas and get the snobby "brush off" and I find the advice here spotty (newbies showing off what they don't know and old guys not sharing what they do). In talking with the snots, If you happen to use a term incorrectly or don't mention soundstage or dynamics in describing a system they conclude you don't know anything about sound. If your equipment is different from what they think is correct then you're an idiot. If you ask a simplest question, you're an idiot. I've had good to excellent component systems for 40+ years, but I don't tend to use the lingo. The attitude is part of what has high end audio "shooting itself in the foot."
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Showing 2 responses by mapman

In OPs case the Internet and sites like this are the solution.

There are many well intending members here that will give straight unbiased answers to specific questions.   Figure out who you trust and consider what they say.  Ask specific questions and once you get to a point where things appear to make sense perhaps give something new a try.

I recommend focusing on tweaking and optimizing whatever you have this way first before changing a thing.    Many have gear capable of really good results already but perhaps have not been able to get things set up optimally to-date.

Once you know what what you have can do, then you are in a good position to make changes as needed.

Only you can hear your system and determine whether it floats your boat or not.  In the end that's all that matters.   There is no other way. 

If interested try to attend live concerts and performances and use that info to help learn what things really sound like in different venues, amplified versus acoustic, listening from different locations/seats, etc., if that matters to you.   It may not to many and that is fine.  Only you know what matters to you.   Don't let extremist audiophiles take you somewhere that perhaps you are not interested in being.
Tost, me too.

I have bought various audio components previously unheard in recent years based on what I learn from sites like this and others and have yet to be disappointed. So it can work though in most cases probably reasonable to expect some hits and misses along the way. Just don’t overpay and buy and sell as needed and you will get there sooner rather than later.