ben. Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I do what I can to convert my friends. I love the looks on their face when they hear that edge to Bob Marley's voice, the scrape of a fiddle bow, or the round throb of a synth bass line. If they could sell as well as some of us, they'd have bigger speakers at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 You know what, I'm a little PO'ed. I've got that "Where have all the flowers gone..." stuck in my gulliver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Oh you swine BC, I'll be humming that for weeks now!! Long time paaasssing...too bloody right!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76scalas Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I have 4 grown children, they grew up with my Scala's, L- 100's,Mach 1's etc. Stereo was what I did. I set each one up with a decent system. Out of 4 only my youngest son has an interest. He loves his Cornwalls and Kg 3.5's and vinyl. My oldest actually has a Bose system. My feeling is people just don't have,or take, the time to really "listen". It's difficult to get people to stop long enough make it through an entire song. They like the sound,just not how they want to spend time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 At home, we really didn't have that much time to listen to the stereo or watch television, as we had a lot of chores to do after school. I believe that the stereo that we had was a Juliette. It had a cassette player, radio, record player and 8 track all in one unit, with a set of speakers that consisted of a simple 6" fullrange in a ported enclosure. It was ok for listening to the radio and tapes, but was far from anything considered fidelity. I had my first exposure to klipsch when I went to a friend's house ( a friend of my older brother ). He has a set of klipschorns that he had purchased in 1986 and they just blew me away. I then had something to compare to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whell Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Here in Detroit in the mid 1970's, we had Almas Hifi, the Gramophone, Pecar's Electronics, Shaak Electronics, Advance Electronics & Tech Hifi, and probably w few others that I can't remember, all of whom sold what at the time would be considered moderate to high end gear. Each of those stores/chains had their own repair team in house, or had a close relationship with one of the many independant repair shops in the area (like ABL Electonics). Equipment was expensive, repair prices were relatively reasonable. Later in the 1970's, the large chains, the forerunners to today's big foot "warehouse" stores moved in: Highland Appliance, Fretters, etc. They carried much of the same equipment that the little guys did, except for the most high end stuff, at prices that were difficult to compete with. They also carried stoves, TV's, refrigerators, etc., so they had more inventory to spread out their costs. That, coupled with the recession of the late 70's & early '80's had collateral impact on home stereo: - It forced some of the dedicated hifi chains to close their doors, as price competition of the bread and butter items (receivers, turntables, moderately priced speakers) became more fierce. - The customer base for high end stereo equipment became much smaller during the recession as disposable income shrunk - Equipment changed, and businesses responded to the recession by reducing productions costs and manufacturing processes in a fight to maintian market share. - with tube equipment almost completely flushed from the scene, and transitorized equipment easier for the average consumer to use, manufacturers of mass market equipment flooded the market with inexpensive alternatives to bring hifi to the mass market. Prices fell further, and high end manufacturers either adapted or left the market. Many of these forces still dominate the market today. One of the reasons that SACD or DVD-A is looking to "find its voice" is that most consumers have found they can live quite comfortably with the lower priced alternatives in the stereo marketplace. Lets face it - the boom boxes of today are much less expensive and do a much better job of producing decent music than their forerunners of the 70's and '80's, and don't need SACD or DVD-A to sound their best. One thing that still blows me away - today's kids would rather plunk a huge chunk of change on their car stereo's, and listen to crappy systems at home. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strabo Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 ---------------- On 3/1/2004 11:16:11 AM bclarke421 wrote: You know what, I'm a little PO'ed. I've got that "Where have all the flowers gone..." stuck in my gulliver. ---------------- Funny, I hear Van Halen singing 'where have all the good times gone', whenever I look into this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strabo Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Very well said Whell. Look at Best Buy for example. They started out as a mid to hi-fi store in the mid sixties, until damaged by a tornado. In the aftermath they sold everything at a huge discount to clear the inventory and they never recovered. Instead they decided to sell cheap products at cheap prices and from a business standpoint it worked. They became a giant. From audio standpoint they fell apart along with the slide of most hi-fi shops. I only have a couple of friends my age (mid 30's) that have nice systems, and care about the sound. Sad really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avman Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 i think BOSE is to blame!!! well, in a way... as speakers(in GENERAL)have gotten smaller,sound has changed for the worse.those 'cute little cubes' are an example of crappy sound that sells. people buy $200 and up home theater in a box systems... they buy boom boxes that have more lights than sound... they buy off the internet w/out listening... they buy from a store where bose IS the best... they DON'T listen,side-by-side to anything else... this is in part to the 'wal-mart' philosophy of life-cheap/cheap/cheap!(bose isn't cheap-it just SOUNDS that way) i TRY to expose my customers to something better,and have been selling ALOT of klipsch! I think MY big speakers are BEAUTIFUL(man-would you look at that REAL WOOD VENEER!) saturday i sold a rc-7 center to a customer who had bought rf-5's just the day before. as i was bringing it out thru the sales floor, i said out loud:'$800 center channel speaker coming thru!' 'real wood veneer!' i think people who buy cheap,crappy speakers get what they deserve-something LESS than WE get! end rant- avman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschfoot Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Would YOU let those guys into your stereo sanctuary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avman Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 ---------------- On 3/1/2004 2:01:48 PM Strabo wrote: ---------------- On 3/1/2004 11:16:11 AM bclarke421 wrote: You know what, I'm a little PO'ed. I've got that "Where have all the flowers gone..." stuck in my gulliver. ---------------- Funny, I hear Van Halen singing 'where have all the good times gone', whenever I look into this thread. ---------------- O.K.!! i am glad i wasn't the only one who heard Dave singing avman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I used to scour the weekend papers for sales at Dixie Hi-Fi, Myer-Emco, etc. I'd wait for last years top-of-the-line models to go on clearance then buy. That's how I got all my gear in the mid-70's. Now most hi-end shops seem to be owned by snobs. You mention klipsch and they turn their noses up. That's when I walk out. I have very few friends with decent systems. Only one or two. I have a couple friends with nice HTs but that's because of me. I can't even talk my brothers into getting something decent. It's sad. Nobody seems to care anymore although they love spending big bucks going to concerts. I'd rather give up a season of concerts and buy a good system although it's more fun doing both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just1n20 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 garymd, i wouldn't go that far as to say i'd rather have a good stereo setup versus a season full of concerts. granted i don't have a great stereo setup.. but there are many concerts i've been to that i will say were the best times of my life and i won't forget... but i can't say the same about being in my bedroom listening to music. that type of music will last versus a concert which is an experience. i think its time for some teenage input on stereos and how guys my age look at them... drive down the road in the summer and you'll pass half a dozen kids with subs in their car going 400watts each in some little coupe. doesnt make sense but its all to impress for who has louder bass not for a musical aspect at all. even though their systems, minus the 1000 wats of eardrum shattering bass, are decent enough for an enjoyable drive with some good music going.... their arent doing it for that. i tell my friends i spent $500 last year for my SF-2's(which we know aren't the best)... they tell me how ridiculous that is. but they spend the same amount on an amp that pumps 450wattsx2 RMS into 10" subs that have the worst distortion and they brag about it. then there is the god awful music that is being produced nowadays.. its terrible. stupid pop bands with singers who can't sing for sh*t. avril lavigne im sure most of you have heard of... she did a live concert for Nickelodeon. she sounds awful. the music that is put out these days.. people forget about what real, good, talented music sounds like. if you ask an entire highschool how many kids listen to Bach or Beethoven.. you'll be lucky if you get 10 or 12 people to say yes.. i'm one of the lucky ones to know what good music is and how listening to music isnt about the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Justn, I was referring to older folks, specifically people like my bros who go a dozen or so concerts each year and have been to hundreds or more in their lifetime. I think they'd be happier in the long run by putting some $$$ in their systems at home since they use them all the time. I wouldn't give up the concert experiences of my youth for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 This could be a big part of it. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/ZDM/smaller_home_entertainment_pcmag_040301.html Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-MAN Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 It's a sack-cloth-and-ashes time, alright. Here in Seattle I was appalled at the local high-end hi-fi shop that I have been visiting for years has up and quit selling tube gear, and reports that stereo is on the way out; evidently prefering to feature "home-theatre" installations that cost more than my house. For us stereo nuts that just downright sucks! Looks to me like the tube and stereo market is moving to the internet for lack of interest on the part of retailers. More niches are opening up, but one has to wonder why they got out of that niche in the first place. Uninformed retailing lameness or a sound business move? DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 ---------------- On 3/1/2004 8:38:00 PM D-MAN wrote: It's a sack-cloth-and-ashes time, alright. Here in Seattle I was appalled at the local high-end hi-fi shop that I have been visiting for years has up and quit selling tube gear, and reports that stereo is on the way out; evidently prefering to feature "home-theatre" installations that cost more than my house. For us stereo nuts that just downright sucks! Looks to me like the tube and stereo market is moving to the internet for lack of interest on the part of retailers. More niches are opening up, but one has to wonder why they got out of that niche in the first place. Uninformed retailing lameness or a sound business move? DM ---------------- I don't understand the move away from tubes, really. Hell, I'm moving into a relationship with Wright Sound specifically for HT! Why is it so hard for these goofs to understand that a great SS HT would become an INCREDIBLE HT with tubes to drive the top speakers... Of course, with 7 Wright 70W PP monoblocks driving 7 Triad Platinum LCR's, plus two Triad Platinum In-Wall subs, you're looking at just a hair over.... what you paid for your house - and that doesn't include a preamp or the labor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 ---------------- On 3/1/2004 8:53:11 PM Griffinator wrote: Why is it so hard for these goofs to understand that a great SS HT would become an INCREDIBLE HT with tubes to drive the top speakers... ---------------- Yes, tube HT definitely can be done. But you really have to be determined and knowledgeable, and have the money, and have the space. It's not an appealing proposition for the normal person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I like the new avatar Paul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 ---------------- On 3/1/2004 9:10:03 PM paulparrot wrote: Yes, tube HT definitely can be done. But you really have to be determined and knowledgeable, and have the money, and have the space. It's not an appealing proposition for the normal person. ---------------- I understand that, but what he said was "HT systems that cost more than my house" - so we're talking about people who have the money. When people have that kind of money already (based on my own experiences with such people) they basically look at you and go "Whatever I need, get it, and tell me how much the bill is when you're done." They don't want to hear lengthy explanations, they just want it done and over with so they can enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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