How do you feel when high-end audio manufacturers use mass-market components as the basis for their own products?
Recently, there has been a on-line furor over an audio manufacturer having supposedly re-badged another manufacturer's component as its own (with a sweeping price increase). This <A HREF="http://forum.stereophile.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=80790">pra…; has been going on for years: Some high-end audio manufacturers have always taken mass-market components and used them as the basis for their own products. How do you feel about this?
How do you find new music?
Finding new music used to be easy: listen to the radio or find a talkative clerk at the local record store. Now that the Internet has changed everything, how do you find new music?
How do you find out about the music you buy?
The world used to be a simple place, where a record would sell only if it was big on the radio. These days, folks get their information about music from all over the map. Where do you get yours?
How do you have your audio system set up in your listening room?
It's not easy being an audiophile. Once you finally get that perfect (or near-perfect) pair of speakers, you've got to find a good location for them in your room, along with your other furniture. Did you build your room around your stereo, or do you prefer your stereo to fit into your mixed-use room?
How do you listen to the majority of your music during the year?
Formats change, resolutions change, but the music remains. Sure you may pop a record on the turntable once in a while, but how do you listen to the <I>majority</I> of your music during the year?
How do you primarily find new music you want to buy?
Radio and then television used to be formidable sources for exposure to new music, but the Internet has taken over for many people. How do <I>you</I> discover good music?
How do you store all of your music?
If you're an audiophile, that probably means you have tons of music that needs proper storage. So how do you do it? Do you have racks, shelves, boxes, drawers, or do you put it all on a hard disk and stick the original discs in the garage?
How do you terminate your speaker cables on the speaker end?
Many loudspeakers come with five-way binding posts, allowing a choice of connectors. Others are specific to one type of connector. How do you terminate your speaker cables on the speaker end?
How easy is it to find the components you want to audition?
When it's time to audition that new preamp, living in the big city with plenty of audio stores can be an advantage. But sometimes, no matter where you live, finding the products you want to consider before purchase can be a challenge.
How far has audio advanced in the last 20-30 years?
Have we come a long way baby, or are we still struggling to get out of the chute? Do you think audio reproduction has made much progress in getting listeners closer to the real thing in the last 20-30 years?