Better half's View on Huge Investment in AV!

[efernand1]

 

[ssf]

I have normal entry level speakers. Wharfedale D220 and Quad S2s. Even with these, I get less complaints from my Better Half with the Wharfedale D220s as they are a more laid back speaker and the high frequencies are not as pronounced as the Quads. Most of the time, with the Quads, she goes straight for the volume control even though I play music at very normal old man listening levels.

However, she surprised me the other day when I was watching a movie by asking my why my system sounds like that (meaning, it was not sounding as usual) My Marantz SR7010 had once again stopped working on the Digital inputs. No sound from either HDMI or Optical. So, tired of all the repairs, I got myself a very basic DAC (SMSL PS100), took an optical out from TV to DAC and DAC to Receiver. So, the receiver was now upscaling a two channel input into 9.1. The sound was not as it was earlier (not talking of the surround sound effects but just the quality of sound) but I was surprised that my wife noticed it.

Might have to change my DAC to something a bit better like the SMSL SU-1 to see if that improves the sound.

I guess, sometimes, we don't give enough credit to our Better Half's listening prowess.

 

[preth30]

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Sometimes , I too feel that way. I believe a modestly priced speaker with a matching amp will give excellent performance which sometimes outshines the insanely priced high ends.

 

[preth30]

I saw a couple of amplifiers for sale in the classified section which were priced over 3 lakhs. Will there be a difference in sound from a 30k -50k amplifier? Of course, there may be improvement in the sound (may not be too, if the synergy with the speaker is not right, but that is a different story).If at all there is improvement, is it worth the extra money, that is almost ten times the price. Definitely NO. At least no much difference that a human ear can identify. Any body have a difference of opinion. I think people who use such expensive amplifiers are fooling their mind, making it believe that the sound is 10 times better because you paid 10 times more money.

 

[square_wave]

I saw a couple of amplifiers for sale in the classified section which were priced over 3 lakhs. Will there be a difference in sound from a 30k -50k amplifier? Of course, there may be improvement in the sound (may not be too, if the synergy with the speaker is not right, but that is a different story).If at all there is improvement, is it worth the extra money, that is almost ten times the price. Definitely NO. At least no much difference that a human ear can identify. Any body have a difference of opinion. I think people who use such expensive amplifiers are fooling their mind, making it believe that the sound is 10 times better because you paid 10 times more money.

There will never be 10 times improvement. The law of diminishing returns kick in at some point and that point is determined by the rest of your system, your goals and needs as well. Keep in mind that someone using a 3L amplifier is asking the same question about the guys using a 20L amplifier.

Enthusiasts at different points of their journey and financial means handle diminishing returns by being honest about their goals and budget, focusing on what actually improves their listening experience, sometimes limiting upgrades, and recognizing the importance of enjoyment, not just technical progress. Emotional satisfaction and personal values play as much a role as any rule about price versus performance.

 

[VRavichandar]

It is not the investment (I kept it moderate) itself that bothers her, but the constant tweaking, adjustments to get 'that better sound' that bugs her no end!
I gave up and switched to a 2 channel vintage stereo amp and both of us are now happy! I never liked the AVR sound as my focus is more on music than movie watching.