Stereo systems are like Harleys

I thought you were gonna say "because the low frequencies of both hit you in the groin"!

You have to give a nod to the pirate spirit of bikers...until it crosses the line.

I remember, decades ago, hitchhiking across Canada, after the band vehicle broke down mid-tour. Between Wawa and thunder Bay, Ontario. Far from home in BC.

The guy who picked us up near Calgary had just got out of prison. He was adamant he would take me and Veronica [Tangent, our sex bomb singer] to the Calgary Stampede, but first he had to pick up his girlfriend.

This woman told us stories about the Hell’s Angels saving her life in the past. And that because of that, whenever they [rarely] asked her to do something, she had to put down what she was doing, and do their bidding.

I like Robin Hood "banditos" as much as the next guy, but controlling women crosses a very serious line.

Just meant as an interesting story to somehow fit in with the first post.

  At 63 years old, I’ve grown up with both. At 17 years of age I had Dynaco MK III’s , JBL 100’s and a Garrard  TT. My bike was a Ness framed, 900 cc cast iron Sportster my friend built . The Danny Gray custom seat cost $60. It was Pearl peach with gold leaf . Tank held about 1.5 gallons and it looked good sitting still .                            Fast forward to the present I have a stage III 2000 Buell and a stage I 2000 Road King . My current system is a Rogue pre and a Had Inspire amp . So 45 years later it’s still tubes and carburetors. Many personalities and experiences along the way . I’m friends with the Mathews family that has the dealership in Fresno . Harold was a world class hill climber and his collection of bikes makes up the majority of photos in the oversize coffee table books that are published. I grew up hanging out in Stereo and repair shops . I’ve logged countless races ( as a fan )  at San Jose and Sacramento miles , Laguna Seca and Riverside . Fresno has produced many racing champs in every discipline of cars and motorcycles. During my life I’ve crashed bikes and blown up  stereo equipment, and survived . My firearms experience is equal too, but that’s for another day . I’ve hung with the 1% crowd , but I neither admire or fear them . As a kid , I grew up on dirt bikes and listened to my Crystal Radio. Then it was a custom van and a modified RD 400. Since then, I’ve always had a Harley and a stereo . I’ve never considered myself a BIKER , I’m a motorcyclist. I never considered the HD Vs Tube comparison much , but they both have big personalities and huge quirks . BTW my Buell will hit 150 mph. Thanks for allowing me to stroll down memory lane. Regards , Mike B. 

For musical enjoyment I feel highly accurate, resolved, tonally correct, full range (with requisite dynamics) musical reproduction is the goal. If others desire something colored, in any direction, that is fine but I feel the one perfect system (or as close...) disqualifies any need for another.

But as for our two-wheeled friends, all my old motorcycles served a specific purpose. I've never owned a Harley, but one old '82 BMW (still) and lots of Japanese bikes and each motorcycle was a very different tool for a different ride, from a little 300cc licensed trail bike to a 6cyl Honda Goldwing. My mid-sized cruiser was fun in different ways from my in-line four 1000cc rocket. I loved 'em all (and still have five around for fun).

Two channel listening wins out, especially in winter but I only need one great system to enjoy all types of music. I'd like to think true audiophiles are aiming in the same direction. I understand variances in how we feel about speakers but hope the goal is the same. With motorcycles it is not, at least for where I like riding (paved, unpaved, dirt).

I live in both worlds. There's good people in both of these passions, and a**holes too. Just sayin........

Like a Harley?  I hope not.  Harley's are all image.  I was in the power sports business, including owning a successful race team, for over two decades.   The last ten years were with Harley Davidson dealers, as a salesman, sales manager, finance manager, and internet manager.  Although there is no doubt that some so-called audiophiles are more concerned with image and looks than sound (Well, that is akin to Harley stuff.),  when we sold Dan Marino and Dave Wannstedtt's Harley's for them, I learned the term, "Garage Jewelry".  Their nearly ten year old bikes, with way under a thousand miles for the pair, certainly qualified for the moniker, but unlike audio Harley's, audio systems must perform, including when being compared to other brands.  In the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina mountains, my crowd called Harley's, "Moving Chicanes".  We just had to ride around these loud beasts, most often on our brakes.  Few audio systems totally qualify as "Den Jewelry", because they must perform, which Harley's do not, unless you are happy paying a fortune for two cylinders from a 100 year old radial airplane engine to fail at keeping up with a Japanese sport bike of 20% the displacement, and price; and without an ounce of fine detail such as handling and brakes.  I have my audio electronics in a small room adjacent to my speaker room.  The system is for sound and performance, not for impressing people who stream music on their MegaBoom's, or add chrome... uh, speaker wire trestles and big meters for show.   As a sociologist, I will be nice, and not discuss the political and human rights beliefs of Harley's Hog Club members.