Ok, I'm going to be very honest with you guys: Most of my life I haven't had the highest opinion of american engineering and craftsmanship. My audio stuff came from the Brits, zee Germans or my own little country and I was always very happy with it.
But I think two of the most important traits of a grown-up are the ability to change your mind when the evidence demands it and to admit that you were wrong. And boy have I been wrong!
It all started when I bought new headphones, a pair of Beyerdynamic T90 and the A20 headphone amp. Liked them, never loved them. So I kept listening to other headphones, but nothing ever really convinced me. Until a german friend recommended the Audeze LCD2. I really didn't want to spend more than 1000$ for a pair of headphones but my friend's praises were very convincing, so I ordered a pair without having ever listened to them. And what can I say, to this day these things still blow me away and I have completely lost interest in the headphone market.
America 1 skraggs 0
Soon after that I switched out the Beyerdynamic amp with the Schiit Lyr 2, another massive upgrade.
America 2 skraggs 0 (you see where this is going)
Then came the hunt for a new turntable and I had pretty much settled on a Pro-Ject when my record dealer came along with a fantastic offer for a VPI Classic. I had always loved the vintage style of these babies but they were simply out of my league financially but at just a bit more than the Pro-Ject, I simply couldn't resist. Paired with the Benz Wood cartridge it just sounds fantastic and is the coolest thing I've every owned. If there's ever a fire at my place, the VPI is the first thing I will save.
At this point, not even Tom Brady or LeBron could turn this around...
Next upgrade: I like what Schiit are doing and I was wondering what all the fuss about their multibit dacs was. So I ordered a Gungnir Multibit and it completely destroyed my NAD dac. Never heard such good drum sound from a digital source, highly enjoyable.
I think this is what sports commentators call "garbage time".
Last but not least: A week ago I treated myself to a pair of Klipsch Forte III. I listened to a lot of speakers over the past few months. Like, A LOT! Apart from a pair of Tannoys, they were the only ones that had IT. I can't really define what IT is, but it's the kind of thing that makes you listen to the music, not the speaker, that makes you listen with your entire body, not just your ears. These speakers are just pure fun and they are beautifully made, the wood work and the lamb wool grills are simply a work of art. I think speakerwise I'm all set for the next 20 years.
Final whistle, what a blow out...
So, this was a long and silly thread. I guess what I'm trying to say is: Cheers to my american audio friends, your stuff kicks ass and I'm going to play Jimis Star Spangled Banner now.
Also, if there's an american company that builds nice tube amps, let me know...