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Searching for the stereo holy grail

I think chasing the perfect system is like chasing the perfect meal.
You'll just have to eat again.
Yet, I'm not trying to be cynical. The pursuit is fun. A good meal with a mix of good spices well put together is a wonderful experience.
I don't think in audio there's a perfect. Every room is different. Every head is shaped differently. Everyone's experience of the same music varies.

I will say that learning where the law of diminishing returns sets in . . . for each of us . . is part of the gear hunt.

I'm kind of with oneinchside on the music part. I've gone sideways with musicians, producers, production companies, etc. The one thing I won't do anymore is build a system that's best for only one type of music. So, I may never have the best system, but then again, there's more to music than female vocals in an echo type acoustic environment with understated drums, bongos, and stand-up bass.
Metal and Mahler both have to sound good.
Cash and Carey have to sound good
Eagles and Ellington have to sound good.
Porcupine Tree and Pastorius have to sound good.
 
I vote with hdted....

I set up our Futterman / Tympani 3A system in 1974 and we have stayed with it. It is a bit harsh on the electric bill..... And I have added to it (not "upgraded" it) over the years by (for example) adding a Velodyne 15" ServoSub. The grand total is noticeable, but the weighted cost is about $360 per year of use.

Only fairly recently have I been adding new systems, for example, the speakers in the kitchen used to annoy me but what should I have expected when I can easily walk from the kitchen to the Futterman /Tympani 3A / Velodyne / etc. system in the living/great room where I would hear a really gross improvement? So- new kitchen speakers.......

My next project is reworking the acoustics in the living/great room. Which (so far) has led me to http://www.fabricmatestore.com/default.aspx

Anyone have other companies to recommend?

I thought about using acoustic foam panels, like the purple kind that often have an array of 2" to 4" "Pyramids" on one side. But, in the house?
 
I'm finding it to be a matter of shifting perspective. You get a new component or set of components, hook them up into your system, listen to favorite tunes through it, and feel like "wow, this is great, the best it has ever been!" And quite frankly, you could be happy for the conceivable future...

But then you start acclimating yourself to your system, and after paying close attention to the details you hear, begin to feel like you need something more. Maybe you've achieved a setup that delivers incredibly clarity and detail, but lacks warmth... or gets too bright at higher volumes, where turning down the treble on your preamp loses some details that you'd rather keep.

Or better yet, you get to hear another system that blows you away, leaving you wondering if you could achieve that level of performance in your system with a few upgrades.

Yet, I do have to believe there are people here who have put together a great system, maybe not the epitome of all out perfection, yet close enough to make them sufficiently content not to pine for something better. I'm not sure I've gotten there yet. I've definitely improved my position, but I have a feeling I need to broaden my exposure to other capable components in my price range before I can say I'm done. ;)
 
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myu701 said:
I'm finding it to be a matter of shifting perspective. You get a new component or set of components, hook them up into your system, listen to favorite tunes through it, and feel like "wow, this is great, the best it has ever been!" And quite frankly, you could be happy for the conceivable future...

But then you start acclimating yourself to your system, and after paying close attention to the details you hear, begin to feel like you need something more. Maybe you've achieved a setup that delivers incredibly clarity and detail, but lacks warmth... or gets too bright at higher volumes, where turning down the treble on your preamp loses some details that you'd rather keep.

Or better yet, you get to hear another system that blows you away, leaving you wondering if you could achieve that level of performance in your system with a few upgrades.

...
Click to expand...

Well put.

s.
 
I have hit a few holy grails through luck and perseverance. The oak Thiel 3.6s in the family room are tailored for their location, match the decor, look sweet and sound superb.

The modded 1963 Khorns downstairs also have been dialed in to a spot where I am very happy. They play well with quite a spectrum of amps, and sound quite divine with a fair number.

Our JuicyMusic Blueberry tube preamp and NOSValves VRD tube monoblocs are a very substantial rhythm section, and have held their own in numerous head to head competitions.

Finally, the Marantz 8B is one of the best sounding vintage tube amps I have ever heard, and it looks cool to boot.

Keep in mind, the original holy grail was a humble vessel, with its power and glory being a part of the process for those who partook in its contents. Too many people build up the search for their holiest pieces, and miss the process that makes the search a worthwhile cause.:scratch2:

Any keepsake is a holy grail, for it is what fills us human vessels with music and happiness. It can be a 1948 Zenith Trans-oceanic, a 1954 JBL cornerhorn, a 1964 Citation I, II, and III, a 1971 Advent 300 receiver, or a 1983 Sony Walkman. Hopefully your family. Know your limits, learn all you can, and most of all learn to be happy with what you are graced.
 
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avguytx said:
The "Holy Grail" of audio is in direct proportion to the size of my bank account. Or lack thereof... :D
Click to expand...
There's truth in that -- how much are you willing to spend to see if it's worth it in the end? For me, I hunted and played around until I had a system that did what I wanted it to do: look good, sound great (and sound great with ANY kind of music), and to be able to do it at any level from microwatts to "Holy crap, that's loud!". I think I'm there -- at least I'm not willing to spend the $$$ it'd take to get my system to sound any better.

I have a nice vintage tube setup that I'll use one day, a few monster receivers that I may use some day, and my daily driver that I use everyday. :) Now my hunt is for the music, and that's a hunt that I hope will never end -- it's really much more fun than gear hunting. :thmbsp:
 
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I know that some people simply don't want the search for their holy grail to end, because they love the thrill of the hunt, and I can certainly understand that! :)
 
It's the system you have that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you here that certain sound. Like the band is there in the same room. It's happened to me a few times and it's awesome!
 
Well Said.

sheltie dave said:
I have hit a few holy grails through luck and perseverance. The oak Thiel 3.6s in the family room are tailored for their location, match the decor, look sweet and sound superb.

The modded 1963 Khorns downstairs also have been dialed in to a spot where I am very happy. They play well with quite a spectrum of amps, and sound quite divine with a fair number.

Our JuicyMusic Blueberry tube preamp and NOSValves VRD tube monoblocs are a very substantial rhythm section, and have held their own in numerous head to head competitions.

Finally, the Marantz 8B is one of the best sounding vintage tube amps I have ever heard, and it looks cool to boot.

Keep in mind, the original holy grail was a humble vessel, with its power and glory being a part of the process for those who partook in its contents. Too many people build up the search for their holiest pieces, and miss the process that makes the search a worthwhile cause.:scratch2:

Any keepsake is a holy grail, for it is what fills us human vessels with music and happiness. It can be a 1948 Zenith Trans-oceanic, a 1954 JBL cornerhorn, a 1964 Citation I, II, and III, a 1971 Advent 300 receiver, or a 1983 Sony Walkman. Hopefully your family. Know your limits, learn all you can, and most of all learn to be happy with what you are graced.
Click to expand...


Last two paragraphs sums it up pretty well for me too.
 
To me, Holy Grail is all about perception and perspectives, certainly when it comes to audio equipment.

When I showed up here I'd had a long history with both good and bad gear, but not stellar gear, not top of the line gear, just mid-priced, mid-line gear from different decades. I've learned a lot about different gear by different brand producers and that knowledge seems to go with me when I'm hunting for any new hi-fi equipment.

I think my own experiences still dictate what I see as being a personal Holy Grail piece of equipment for me, but there are some vintage pieces out there that a high percentage of members see as being Holy Grail worthy. Those pieces take on a kind of aura all their own because they are so universally respected by fellow hi-fi enthusiasts, and if I stumble on any one of them at what I see as a steal of a price I'd jump on them - even though they may not be my Holy Grail, I know they're capable of changing my perspective. The problem with a universally coveted Holy Grail piece is, they're highly sought after and you're competing with LOTS of covetous potential buyers who have far deeper pockets, so the chance of scoring, say, a Pioneer SX-1250 at a very low price is slim. Some Holy Grail pieces are not just about sonic bliss they are also about bragging rights, and that makes the price of ownership go up times at least two.

Having said that, I see several of the pieces I'm currently running as being just below what is Holy Grail stuff in my eyes, I'm only one notch down. Growing up and getting older, I can easily say that I owned nothing approaching personal Holy Grail level until 2 years ago, which gives me a lot of satisfaction with the system I'm currently listening to. My personal Holy Grail pieces have definitely changed since owning components just below them. There are a few pieces that I'm keeping an eye out for because I see them as my personal Holy Grail components, that last big score and then you're done for as long as it still fires up each time you hit the power stitch/button.
 
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Audio nirvana is a cruel, cruel mistress. When I was 13 or 14 I met a very spoiled and older boy who lived up the street. In his room he had a full quad setup with JBL speakers hung from each corner. I can remember listening to ELO and getting a warm almost vertigo feeling. I've been chasing this dragon for a long long time. I've quit out of frustration over the years but then come back to the chase. Unfortunately, I've yet to get that feeling that I had when I was 14 but someday I hope to again.
 
I'm in a never ending loop of upgraditis.
See my Batertown add selling my Thorens TT so that I can by some Kef speakers and you'll know what I mean.
I think that heroine may be more foregiving.
I can't wait for those Kef's, drool, drool, drool.:D

Al. Wise
 
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