dep@allegra.UUCP (Dewayne Perry) (03/25/85)
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On Saturday, after having finished the morning chores, Ma and me
decided to visit the Big City to inquire into the latest in the
development of high-figh technology. We'd heard on the audio portion
of the 7 o'clock Net.News that Lyric Hi-Fi had a right smart CD
player that beat the pants off more expensive brands. As a passle
of our LPs had got caught in the hay bailer and had got considerably
squashed in the process, we thought it high time that we got one
of these compact disc players.
So we dusted off the Edsel and started the trek into the Big Apple
and this here high end store on Lex. Ave. We told the young man
in fancy dress that we was interested in the hearing the Meridian
CD player and finding out about the new advances in phono cartridges
(my moving nail cartridge now being 8 years old). He led us into
a room that must have been constructed by a learnin carpenter -
they had terrible problems with the ceiling (up and down, up and
down, ...) - but the bricklayer done a pretty good job on the walls.
Anyway, we asked to hear something in the line of a symphony, an
opera or some organ music (the Mrs really likes the sound of the
Hammond down at the church, specially with the vibrato turned up
real high). Well, he KNEW that we really didn't want to hear
anything of the sort (this was my first clew that this was someone
of considerable knowledge) - he played us some harpsychord music
(I guess it sounds better on his static electricity speakers)
and a pop singer who would have done our hog hounds proud.
We got to compare a bit of the first cd on the Revox, and sure
nuff, the Meridian sounded a bit better.
The young feller then AVERRED that we probably wouldn't buy
anything, us being from the far far west - for you folks
in Californee out in the furthest reaches of the galaxy, the
west starts on the sunset side of 5th Avenue, the far west
at the Hudson River, and the far far west over by the Delaware
River - though how he came to that I dont rightly know
(we'd scrubbed down real good and put on our Saturday best
visiting cloths). He was a mite suprised when we informed
him we was only from the middlin far west (Summit, NJ).
So he 'llowed that we might be able to buy something and let
us ask about cartridges. I explained about my moving nail
cartridge being 8 years old and that I was interested in
trying out some new technology. He asked what sort of
preamp I had. I told him it was a Luxman. He said it
didn't matter what model it was, he KNEW - he had had them all and
none of the Japanese stuff was any good - just all technology -
terrible stuff - if they did'nt sell it, it wasn't any good.
He KNEW there was no help at all for my system -
even without knowin what the rest of the system was -
I guess since I did'nt buy it there, there couldn't be -
there was no sense even of thinkin of getting any of there
high end stuff, nothing could help. Now this got my dander
up - I had just rewired my sound system (having heard on
the audio portion of the 7 o'clock Net.News that heavier
wiring would get better sound) replacing all that chicken
wire with the finest hog wire available - and I do declare:
it improved the clarity of the sound right smart - them
woofers and tweeters come thru much better, though the
tweeters flutter a bit much when approached sudden-like,
and the woofers howl a bit more on a moonlit night.
Anyway, he ALLOWED that his lowest end turn table with
a wedge cartridge would improve my system immensely -
no need for anything fancy like a moving nail. And
it was belt driven. He himself had a 6 grand Goldberg
turntable (I'd wondered who Rube sold that to) but the
cheap model would suit me fine. Well, I knew that belt driven
turntables were quieter, you can keep the tractor outside
with the belt comin through the window. But back 8
years ago they said direct drive was better - so I had
to buy a tractor with a direct drive attachment -
all that noise and exhaust, not to mentioned making a
hole in the wall big enough to drive it through. Ah
well, I'll just dust off the old one and hook it up
again. And my wedges are free, having split the wood
for this year.
We came away considerable let down about how terrible
our system was and obviously without a CD or cartridge.
Moral: Arrogance, Rudeness and Condescension cometh before
the loss of immediate sales and all the possible
future sales.
Recommendation: Dont fail to miss Lyric Hi-Fi.
Maybe it was the wellies?