Lamp cord and speaker hanger audiophiles


I am retired now, but while I was working - I had probably a dozen or more coworkers within different departments reach out to me about system building. 

The enthusiasm was certainly there - but what’s missing is their commitment to actually building a system; or a decent one at that. 

These so-called gentlemen were the same people who pulled up to corporate dinners in their semi-high end luxury cars (i have a Bentley so I’m not picking on anyone) but it seems the best most of them could afford was BMW or Mercedes Benz. I sold my Maybach last year and acquired a Bentley; and I’m never going back! 

With that said - the point I’m trying to get across is  - they have the MEANS to spend, (doesn’t have to be excessive) but cheap out on everything. You find out later that they’ve been leasing their vehicles, don’t own any or very basic real estate, etc. 

Sometimes they complain when a steak dinner is about 50 dollars or a pasta dish is just over 30 dollars. This is not even expensive. I told some of them to get with the program, and they apologized to me in person and over email.

And with rising gas prices, they’ve been complaining even more, and trying to save money at every turn. 

These guys don’t really live their lives. They just live to exist and impress their wives - You know, happy wife - happy life. And they are miserable. 

Before I retired, one such fellow was annoying the daylights out of me.

Showed me an all plastic low-fi system from the 1990s that he had inherited from his deceased brother. Told me he had 100 dollars to spend to make it sound better. I told him that was not good enough considering the amplifier was just so lousy.

Well guess what? He passed away a month ago. He died in his sleep. He was going through a very turbulent marriage and his daughter wanted to move to Nigeria to live with some guy she met online.

The one thing he told me that he had was - alone time, because his wife would barely talk to him. It’s sad and unfortunate that he never got to enjoy his money.

He was earning about 150k a year, which is kind of okay.

What’s not okay was trying to save money at every turn. You can’t take any of the things you acquire with you; and we only have this one life... 

He was the perfect example of a lamp cord and speaker hanger audiophile. 

At one point, he tried using bent coat hangers on speaker terminals. I am actually serious. he found an article that was linked to Audio Science Review.

Godspeed.

frank009

I may have the means for some car that the boys may drool over...But, i find cars very very boring, its like some dumass tub a guy has to in and hit a pedal, whoop di doo... very very boring. Its utilitarian crap that you oughta have to get your groceries home and that's about it, can't put enough lipstick on that pig.

On the other hand, I picked up a used Yamaha Raider muscle cruiser for around 6k on marketplace. That motorcycle is so much fun dude...but, relentless attention it demands...Yq can't be a adhd space cadet on that thing...attention...it is the key to opening more intricate things in existence.

I sat in uppity restaurants sometimes and they do nothing for me dude

I go to this Thai restaurant, 13 dollars a plate..the old lass there cooks up a storm, I am in nirvana eating there.

Cheap things are sooo enjoyable dude...

These so-called gentlemen were the same people who pulled up to corporate dinners in their semi-high end luxury cars (i have a Bentley so I’m not picking on anyone) but it seems the best most of them could afford was BMW or Mercedes Benz. I sold my Maybach last year and acquired a Bentley; and I’m never going back! 

With that said - the point I’m trying to get across is - they have the MEANS to spend, (doesn’t have to be excessive) but cheap out on everything. You find out later that they’ve been leasing their vehicles, don’t own any or very basic real estate, etc. 

These so-called gentlemen were the same people who pulled up to corporate dinners in their semi-high end luxury cars (i have a Bentley so I’m not picking on anyone) but it seems the best most of them could afford was BMW or Mercedes Benz. I sold my Maybach last year and acquired a Bentley; and I’m never going back! 

With that said - the point I’m trying to get across is  - they have the MEANS to spend, (doesn’t have to be excessive) but cheap out on everything. You find out later that they’ve been leasing their vehicles, don’t own any or very basic real estate, etc. 

@frank009 

I'm right with you on a number of topics, but......what does this post have to do with audio? Seems more like a life's choices post.

I have actually used some very thick (10 ga) solid copper wire from my preamp to power amp. Worked great! System sounds the same as with my 12 ga stranded copper wire.

Older audio electronics used copper wire in power supplies without problems.

I didn't keep it in as it is impractical - zero flexibility, hard to fasten to terminals, and not significantly cheaper than stranded.

@deep_333 

So far I’ve been a fan of you posts, but will have to deconstruct what you said, just so I can understand it better.

First of all, when people like me drive a costly car (my Bentley is a little over 500k) we are NOT doing it to show off and make others feel helpless or make others drool over it. Now you might say - Well why did you mention the price? Because why not. You mentioned some dollar amounts, too.

There are many men all over the world (and even some women) who love a good muscle car, or a luxury car like me. That doesn’t make them a dumbass. You are entitled to believe that cars are boring; but that is your opinion. If you drove my car for example on a highway; or on the Autobahn in Germany, then you may have a different opinion of: 

 Its utilitarian crap that you oughta have to get your groceries home and that’s about it, can’t put enough lipstick on that pig.

Congrats. Well since you mentioned something that cost 6k, my scotch bottles are typically around that price; because I am a scotch connoisseur. I have many hobbies actually, not just audio systems and music enjoyment. 

I sat in uppity restaurants sometimes and they do nothing for me dude

I go to this Thai restaurant, 13 dollars a plate..the old lass there cooks up a storm, I am in nirvana eating there.

Cheap things are sooo enjoyable dude...

The best things in life are free - friends, family, loyalty, and devotion to ones craft. But everything takes effort, time, and dedication. I found this particular part of your post to be very heavily influenced by status resentment, class resentment, and overall just plain jealously.

I may have the means for some car that the boys may drool over...But, i find cars very very boring, its like some dumass tub a guy has to in and hit a pedal, whoop di doo... very very boring. Its utilitarian crap that you oughta have to get your groceries home and that’s about it, can’t put enough lipstick on that pig.

On the other hand, I picked up a used Yamaha Raider muscle cruiser for around 6k on marketplace. That motorcycle is so much fun dude...but, relentless attention it demands...Yq can’t be a adhd space cadet on that thing...attention...it is the key to opening more intricate things in existence.

I sat in uppity restaurants sometimes and they do nothing for me dude

I go to this Thai restaurant, 13 dollars a plate..the old lass there cooks up a storm, I am in nirvana eating there.

Cheap things are sooo enjoyable dude...

kevemaher

I’m right with you on a number of topics, but......what does this post have to do with audio? Seems more like a life’s choices post.

I have actually used some very thick (10 ga) solid copper wire from my preamp to power amp. Worked great! System sounds the same as with my 12 ga stranded copper wire.

Older audio electronics used copper wire in power supplies without problems.

I didn’t keep it in as it is impractical - zero flexibility, hard to fasten to terminals, and not significantly cheaper than stranded.

And I’m glad we agree on this subject. You are obviously an audiophile who knows what he’s doing. Have the knowledge, and know how to apply it correctly. 

It’s just something that’s been bugging me over the years. Folks who are amazed by high end audio systems, yet who can’t get themselves to spend the coin on them.

I wrote about numerous reasons for this in another post - the truth is that many non-audiophiles don’t want to invest the time, money, effort, or dedication. Other hobbies can provide instant gratification; and audiophile hobby isn't like that.

Now I’m not saying this is true for every non-audiophile out there. But of the 100 or so people I’ve asked, their reasoning has aligned with what I said. 

What really bugged me was them getting me excited, asking me technical questions, and ultimately giving me the impression that they were going to be building a system. It was wasted time.