rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (07/10/84)
Responding to Phil Rastocny on the grand ratings... >...Flames to /dev/null. Arguments anyone? Well, if you insist...actually, Phil's ratings are pretty much a list of price groups. As he said, there are some substantial variations in some, but not as much as he would have you think. The groupings are almost entirely by manufacturer without regard to component type. OK, how many of you believe that? You can't make a good preamp without making a good amp, and vice-versa...come on. And do we really believe that Phil has managed to listen carefully and categorize most of the electronic components made by these 60+ manufacturers? To do this to an extent that would justify his groupings (let alone approach any sort of completeness) he'd have to listen to perhaps 300 components, all the time being careful to keep the same program sources, speakers, listening room,... On hearing minor details in recordings: >...But yet I cannot hear these same details at >all if I swap out my equipment with something like a 110 or 220 Hafler. Well, for starters Phil, you should know the difference between the 110 and the 220, since one is a preamp and the other is a power amp. If you've got some serious music where you think a mid-priced amp or preamp is losing detail, I'd like to know about it. I'll go for rock, jazz, whatever - but I'd rather steer clear of Michael Jackson as reference material, thank you. >[Before the innuendos start, I don't like alcohol and aspirin is the >strongest drug I take.] Too bad. You just blew off a good potential excuse. >Other recommendations? Well, since you ask... - Go listen and ask questions. - The single worst aspect of Phil's article is that it's oriented around manufacturers rather than components. Look for what you want and look at a broad range of manufacturers. "Brand identification" is a marketing ploy. - Go listen and ask questions. - Use specs to weed out the worst. Don't count on them for a lot unless you really know what they mean, but they're a place to start. - Go listen and ask questions. - Give some thought to controls and features. Preamps without any sort of tone control, for example, are for people who have perfect recordings and perfect speakers in ideal listening rooms. What controls do you need. - Go listen and ask questions. - Watch out for the high-price items. High-end audio equipment has a lot of snob appeal. There are many people who will buy audio equipment because it costs a lot - unlike more sensible domains where people shop for value. The key to a lot of the high prices is expensive design/manufacturing which emphasizes the optimization of irrelevant parameters. -- Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086 ...Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.