You are right on with your statements and goes back to what I said about it’s what makes this hobby so great. That there are so many different pieces of gear to choose from that it’s almost impossible for someone to not find the sound they like.
Everyone hears differently and like you said , the mood, environment, setup etc make a big difference from day to day in how a system may sound to someone. Even my Vandys sometimes don’t do it for me at certain times but 99% of the time I love them so the good outweighs the bad.
Audiofreak71
I think the reason audio forums get more argumentative than other hobbies is because I think most people do hear things similarly but that there is no shared experience. As you say the Vandys don't always do it for you so if you take that instance where you are "meh" imagine that that is the one and only experience someone else has of them. So now you get where they are coming from. I run into a lot of gear that doesn't do it for me and then one day - wow this is quite good. Sometimes it's totally bizarre matches - take B&W - not really a fan but I heard a nice set-up 801s being driven with a 27 watt Wyatech Labs Single Ended tube amp using 211s - you could not play loud but man it was a nice sound.
Even within brands - I was never much of a fan of the Audio Note SORO or Meishu amplifiers. I preferred the sound of the OTO which is considerably cheaper (half the price of the Meishu). When I would hear systems the SORO seemed to in your face and the Meishu was, as my Hong Kong manufacturing friend describes, lady like. Too genteel and soft. I felt it was a pretty amplifier and I loved it with strings but it seemed too soft and for the money it's a big outlay for something that can't really play everything. I felt that way about all 300B amplifiers, some like the Cary are even softer and mushier.
I am somewhat fortunate to live in Hong Kong because the top of the line models are typically stocked from all the major brands and the dealers are seconds walk from one to the next. I remember listening tot he top of the line ATC system walk down a flight or two and listen to $2million Rockport Arrakis, VTL, Clearaudio Statement (the turntable set-up is a million US) and while there a pianist in a jazz band was auditioning the first cut of his soon to be released LP. Hey why buy the stuff when you can just sit down and play your music on their set-ups?
Here are some examples - some outlandish some not but take this room - Harbeth/PMC/Sugden/Nagra/Naim/Bryston/Moonrver Audio and I think those are Brinkman monoblocks on the floor. So you see one room like this - that dealer has 4 rooms. there are 4 floor below and 8 floors above with 3 to 4 rooms and most with big open showrroms with dozens of brands.
Then you have your Fyne, Tannoy, Sonus Faber (I think) and AvantGarde (left to right)
And when you set up an audition they'll take it into the room and the room (unlike an audio show or a lot of dealers in the west) is actually a quality room.
Standmounts anyone?
Don't worry they have a dedicated room and can bring these into those spaces for a better audition. Few dealers in North America carry the numbers - and again 12-20 floors carrying a different amount of stuff. and 2 minute walk and another building carry all different gear and another building and another building and another still. Some are dedicated to carrying used so you can get those old 1970s McIntosh or Sonic Frontiers.
Heck you can even get yourself a Jukebox if you have $20 grand lying around
