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why to throw away my ol
In answering last week's VOTE! question, many indicated that they're looking for new equipment. What, if anything, are you currently considering?
After more than 25 years of solid-state pre/power amplification, I purchased an ARC tube preamp at the start of this year. What a revalation . . . I hadn't realized what a huge impact this could have on my listening pleasure. Within a few days an ARC100 amp was on my "must have" list. Unfortunately, in the same time-frame, due to a corporate disaster, I found myself out of work for the first time ever. So until I find that (elusive) appropriate new job, the amp remains on my most-wanted list. I'm sure that the waiting will make it sound that much sweeter.
To make my self-built/-designed speakers sound like they're expected to, a new amp is needed to replace my poor little H/K 6150. Sounding good for its lousy $250 (used), it really should be replaced by something more powerful & refined, especially in the upper Hz. Considered are, among others: Electrocompaniet EC-2, Densen Beat100, Copland's new integrated, & the Edison 60 tube kit. Knowing that I would fare better if I doubled the investment from $550 to $1100, this is what might just be the best way to balance funds and sound quality relative to my speakers/CD/turntable for the forseeable future. Norwegian, Danish, & British/Swedish seems to be the way to go if you both want very good sound and do Not want to become too cashed-out to still manage to buy the music to enjoy from these little boxes that so many of us musiclosorry, audiophiles, like to adore & debate. I really wonder, though, if that extra money would lift performance enough, or if I had to get myself an even better CD and part with the speakers for something terribly dear. I'd better not think of it, and just keep on refining with better placement, cables, and the likes. But I must get out & have that new amp, NOW . . .
I'm sure you would be inundated with requests, however, the greatest service you could afford me would be a personalized response to my questions on matching certain components with others. From what I read in your magazine, you claim that you can't offer this service now, but I would be willing to pay extra for your expert advice. In fact, I am hereby officially suggesting that you offer two levels of subscriber service: 1) magazine only; 2) magazine plus x hours of consultation time. These membership levels would be priced accordingly. In essence, you would become like audiophile attorneys on retainer. You could even take it one step further and convert the "second level" of membership to a "billable hours" approach. It would be fun to see which of your staff was sought out more for consultation. I think this would be an approach favored by a majority of your readers, and would provide an additional income stream for your publication.
Jeez, I'm an audiophile. I am always looking for new components. It has been a busy year for me, I've added a surround-sound system, put a CD jukebox in for my wife's convenience, upgraded my amp, and went back to tubes. Am I satisfied? No! I want another pair of speakers that will pass on more of the musical detail that the C-Js are delivering to them. I am looking at the CD player in my main system and thinking it's time to upgrade it as well. I have been an audiophile my whole lifebought my first audio equipment over 30 years ago and have been a subscriber to Stereophile for 20 years. Has there been a time I haven't been looking for something or other? Not so far!
Now that I'm through with college, I'm going through with an overhaul of my whole system. My current Sony CDP-XA7ES stays as the front end. The first to change are the amps. I'm replacing my present biamped integrated/power amp setup with a C-J Premier 11a, driven directly by the 7ES. Joining in later will probably be a pair of Sonus Faber Signum. A preamp and a pair of subs might also be in the works much later.
I am very interested in purchasing a new preamp. I have heard so much about the new BAT VK-50SE I am truly want to know more about this component. If anyone out there in audio land has had experience with this unit please contact me at RPeck8954@AOL.com. Keep up the good work, Stereophile, and never stop reviewing components in the +$10k range. I love that ultra cutting edge stuff. It gives me goals to shoot for.l