Why are all the Virtual Systems mega-assaults now?


I've noticed that more recently nearly all of the activity on the virtual systems is with really decked-out systems in lavish rooms with $50K speakers and electronics, cables, and single malt Scotch to match.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's nice to see how the upper crust live. But I've always viewed a strength of the virtual systems as showing how people have put together budget items with great synergy. What ever happened to the guys with the Adcom amp and PSB speakers posting about the continuing evolution of their systems? (Maybe they've updated to a spiffy room, speakers that require a forklift to position, MBL electronics, and cables that each cost more than my car.)

I guess Albert Porter's system gets a lot more traffic because people like discussing systems like that, but I really do miss seeing new "bang for the buck" units pop up on the virtual systems and admiring their ingenuity for putting it together.

Am I the only one who's a little disappointed with this?

Michael
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I've posted positive comments on members systems at Audiogon more times than I can count. The amount of money spent has nothing to do with my being impressed.

Sometimes it's the view out a window, unique room construction or style and decor. I'm always amused by pets in the photo's and I appreciate paintings, art work and almost always comment on nice software collections because I too am a software junkie.

This is supposed to be fun. If the system is expensive and no one feels welcome coming in and listening, it's WORTHLESS.

I want my system to be high performance and fun at the same time. This past Tuesday night, among other albums, we listened to Music Matters new Blue Note releases followed by the Rutles, and then some Howling Wolf.

Enjoying music is not predicated on amount spent, it's about synergy of components, and that can be achieved (with high end results) for as little as $1200.00 total to whatever you wish to spend.

It may be possible to get a high end system for even less than $1200.00, that number came into my head because that was a total for a friends system built from used gear here at Audiogon. It's nice, it's musical and enjoyable, which is more than I can say for some systems that cost several hundred thousand dollars.

What I'm saying is, you can get it right or wrong and money does not always dictate how good it will be.
Albert, I completely agree with your statement that "money does not always dictate how good it will be".

I was just making the observation that most of the virtual systems traffic lately has been stilted towards the expensive side. Like you, I appreciate seeing well thought out systems for $1200. I guess I'm just seeing fewer of them now.

Michael
I have an interest in specific speakers, for example, but mostly I just like to see the relationship between room and audio system ... sometimes I'm impressed, sometimes I'm left wondering, and yet other times I count my blessings.
Well, I just did a survey of the posts or updates in the last 24-hours and, your right, the mega-systems outnumbered the mid and low systems about 6 to 4.

I don't see an impediment to prevent those with more modest systems from posting. Doesn't almost everyone own a digital camera these days? My systems passed the $20k mark, so I can't help you out. (One of the few advantages of getting older -- more necessary things are paid for so I can focus more attention on my optional endeavors).

Dave
05-09-08: Dcstep
Well, I just did a survey of the posts or updates in the last 24-hours and, your right, the mega-systems outnumbered the mid and low systems about 6 to 4.


Just out of curiousity, what are your cutoffs for 'mega-systems', 'mid-systems' and 'low systems'? I would think that everyone would have a different answer for this.

Michael, looking in the AudiogoN Virtual Systems library, I find that the top three categories are: Opinions Please (870), Ever Evolving (802), and Done for now (611). The All out Assault (222) comes in 7th place out of 8 categories (only Secondary Rigs (150) has fewer).

Now, maybe folks prefer to talk about the 'All out Assault' more than the 'Budget Minded', but IMHO that's just human nature.
More car enthusiasts would prefer to talk about Ferrari's instead of Toyota's. Motorcycle fans would prefer to chat about a Ducati instead of a Kawasaki. Well, you get the idea.

IMHO, it is human nature to discuss those that are better off than you than those who are not. I work for a large corporation, and I notice this outside of the audio world too. Folks complain about those that make more money then they do, drive nicer cars then they do, own better boats then they do, own better shore homes then they do, etc, etc.
Seldom do I hear folks talking about those making less money then them, driver cheaper cars, or those not owning a boat or shore house.
People tend to look up the ladder at where they want to go instead of down the ladder to where they have already been. Whether they are 10 feet off the ground or 500 feet off the ground doesn't really seem to matter, the human mentality tends to remain the same. I'm not condoning this trait, only mentioning it as an explaination.

It's nothing personal, just the competive nature of the human species.

Cheers,
John