For years I was happy enough with my stereo set up. I really didn't have the time to make changes. I had a pair of Paradigm Reference Studio 60s V1's bi-amped to the x-overs via 4 channels of a Pioneer elite 36TX that was displaced from the HT set up years ago. I used my cheapie Sony SACD player, first gen bass shy, but heck, good enough. My favorite CD, "JUJU", Wayne Shorter recorded in 1964 sounded just fine on it. Symphonies, well you could get the gist of them, not that I've ever heard anything besides the real deal to pull off the last movement of Beethoven's 9th!

Then one day while perusing Craigslist I saw a pair of PSB Stratus Golds for the irresistible price of $200! I tried to resist, Ha, lasted 10 minutes! I brought them home on the Trailer and rigged them up. Humm, not much bass, and I suspected this would happen, as the ancient Stereophile review noted less than 3 ohms impedance through the low range, a little beyond the operating range of the Pioneer that has 3 ohm resistors between both power rails and the output MOSFETs (no wonder that sucker gets so hot!).

Even not being properly driven I loved the sound of these freaking speakers, something must be done besides using the bass control! An Adcom GFA-5400 from that sucking list again, less than $100 (less than I spend on a trip to the grocery store even when I don't buy Prosecco!) set up to drive bass via the bi-amp, (Ahhh!), there it is!

Meanwhile, I dust off the Panasonic RP-91 from the garage (from the days of 480i DVD), Wow, much better CD player than the Sony, and I get more bass from it, and really everything is better, even the digital remastering nonsense in this player is making a difference I can hear, though I haven't A-B the two players, I should do that for fun!

Since then I've been playing mixing and matching amps, more stuff from craigslist, ordering jazz and Classical CD's, and having a wonderful time futzing!

I remembered before having children and starting my own business, in the days after College how I delighted in playing with my stereo, moving my Advents around, building Dynakits, making a new tonearm from scratch for my AR Turntable!

What a wonderful hobby! On my recliner with Tchiakovsky's 4th blasting lovely liquid horns, I'm as happy and comfortable as I've ever been!

My stuff is kind of crap, but at this point, I'm like someone who is happy with Cuervo because they never drank good Tequilla, and I have to admit, as I spend $50 a bottle, I am somewhat jealous of them!