Wilbur's First Rule of Audio

[Wilburchubs]

I have a theory based on personal experience,and would like any-one else who has found the same First Rule to let me/us know.

In a case of multiple components,IE Identical pre/power amps,turntables,cd players etc, the most shabby,beat-up,scabby looking one performs the best.

As well as Wilburs First Rule,its also known as Bloody Typical Theory.
Case in point,I have 3 Quad 33 Pre-Amps.1 looks as if it just left the factory,no scratches,discolouration,all buttons solid and uncracked,lamp panel unfaded etc,its mint...........but has a source of hum
Number two looks as if its had some use,sure,not mint but quite nice but one or two of the buttons have split,and the lamp panel faded slightly,also a bit noisy.
Third one looks like ive pulled it out of a dumpster out of a tramps pocket.Buttons cracked,case and front panel scratched,paint rubbed through to metal in places,lamp panel almost totally worn through,and the first time I plugged it in,it started smoking like Cheech and Chong......but sounds amazing(after being took apart to see source of smoke,none found....fried spider??)left it powered up,and watched it like a hawk.No more smoking,so plugged it into the system.Silent.No hum,no bleed-over from other sources,only a slight hiss when wound up wayyyy over listening level.

Bloody Typical....
Anyone else had this happen-The supermodel looker who wont put out-or Quasimodo's ugly sister who goes like a train......tough choice!
i think ill go with Quasi-Quad and hide it away from the front of the system!

 

[mhardy6647]

Virtually every piece of equipment at my house is homely, so I cannot provide much perspective.

 

[71Challenger]

Bloody Typical....
Anyone else had this happen-The supermodel looker who wont put out-or Quasimodo's ugly sister who goes like a train......tough choice!

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

71Challengers Second Rule Of Audio

"DO NOT let your wife paint your speakers".

 

[AgentOrange]

A couple of years ago, before I bought my b&w 685's for my bedroom system. My dynatron LS1428's suffered both tweeters blowing due to the pc sound card jack plug going faulty and making them buzz. I unscrewed the tweeters, extended the wires a few meters and put my keesonic kubs (tweeters disconnected and connected to the wire from the dynatrons) each on a high shelf directly above the dynatrons. So I had the dynatrons for bass and the keesonics for highs. Sounded pretty good actually despite lacking mids. Looked like total junk!

 

[Wilburchubs]

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

71Challengers Second Rule Of Audio

"DO NOT let your wife paint your speakers".

Did you see the Pioneer HPM 100's some tool painted pea-green that someone on here rescued?Jeeeeezzzz

 

[71Challenger]

No didn't see those. But I have a pair of AR11s i bought at a garage sale that someone had painted black all over. Oh the humanity!

One of my Spring Projects to fully restore them.

 

[just dave]

What!? You mean you guys DON'T paint your speakers? I bought this audiophile paint thats supposed to .....oh wait thats another thread.

 

[vinyldavid]

vinyldavid's third rule of audio:

If you have one, you will soon have four.

 

[SpruceMoose]

and a corollary to Wilburs First Rule:

If you swap out a good-looking case or faceplate, the ugly guts will not work at all!

 

[Wilburchubs]

Which is why im stuuck with Quasi-Quad for now!!

 

[sfox52]

If ugly always sounded that way- I'd be out of luck!

 

[Impedance]

Your rule holds true for cars too...

 

[SchoolDozer]

beat up, old, wise, and extremely tough! display that one proudly!

 

[33&athird]

Your rule holds true for cars too...

ya!, our 1968 mustang leaks less oil than our '90 camry:scratch2:

Same for guitars, the older beat-up ones are better:yes:, ever seen stevie ray vaughan's "number one", stripped down to bear wood, but great tone.

 

[bluesky]

rule #68: no matter what you drop, it will always go to the hardest possible place to reach.

rule #98: oh, I really did it to myself this time!

 

["ItsTooLoud"]

I have two Marantz PM-74 integrated amps. One looks like no-one but me ever cared for it at all. The other it mint. The minty one has a buzzing transformer. The used-up one is silent as a church and gets nice and hot like it's supposed to.

 

[x_25]

The integrated amp I am giving away today was found on the side of the road. Scratched up, some stains on the outside (it has just started to drizzle when I found it), bulbs burned out, two of the speaker posts are broken off. Not in super bad condition overall, but man does it work well. :yes:

vinyldavid's third rule of audio:

If you have one, you will soon have four.

So far only true for speakers and turn tables for me. But 80% of my system was bought while traveling or shipped here because there is a huge lack of audio gear where I am.

Oh, but man was it true for LP's when I stared. I bought around 5 at the thrift, then a few more, then my friends parents found out I was buying them and gave me there LPs. My parents let me have theirs, I started buying them at garage sales. Found a lot of classical on craigs list. 8 months after I bought my first LPs I had about 1200 of them.

 

[Arkay]

Did you see the Pioneer HPM 100's some tool painted pea-green that someone on here rescued?Jeeeeezzzz

When I first got my HPM-100s, someone had put ugly white patterned vinyl wallpaper over some sides. I guess they'd put the speakers up in the kitchen or somewhere and covered over the exposed sides. Really, really UGLY! On the good side, at least the stuff kept the finish underneath from deteriorating worse than it had already, and at least they stuck the stuff on so it was removable, instead of nailing it one.

I also narrowly missed getting AR-3as, because someone had put them in what I took to be DIY cabs. In fact, they had taken the cabs and covered them over with white formica-sheet stuff, with black and aluminum over the joints. Again, ugly but good-sounding. Should have got those!

beat up, old, wise, and extremely tough! display that one proudly!

You mean as in the attached pic?

 

[Wilburchubs]

Here's Quadimodo!!

For all you sadists,here it is,the winner of the Susan Boyle Wouldnt-Want-To-Bump-Into-THAT! award,I present........the newly christened....
QUADIMODO..

 

[Numistrek09]

Might this crappy-works-best be because the beat up units got lots of use, while the minty ones just sat unused?