Want To Head Into The Audio Deep End?
Back again to when we were little guys and gals...
These were OUR "high tech" stereos...
Well, not really stereo then...They played the fragile and scratchy 78's...along with big holed 45's...and then later the then high end LP's...
Yep, we were livin' large, audio-wise...
Now they have kicked it up a notch or two or two thousand...
Want to show you just some of the zillions of "High End" audio components out there today...
Who buys this stuff? Obviously folks who have lots of money to burn...
They are NOT cheap...They are HARD to find...It is a sub, sub audio culture that really gets off on these set ups...
I think they are beyond cool...BUT there does come a reality check...
Several years I subscribed to an audio bible, "STEREOPHILE"...
Have to be totally honest, I DID NOT understand hardly a thing in those reviews...
Now I do consider myself a more knowledgeable person than most when it comes to audio gear...Much of that goes back to my radio roots...I knew what a nice McIntosh receiver looked like and how it sounded...
OK, check out these turntables...I expect to find them in George Jetson's bachelor pad...
This was long before Elroy and Judy showed up on the scene...This was when he was making out with Jane and digging his far out tunes...
How much do these puppies run?
Well how about $4,646.22 for this "Plain Jan looking turntable...
And they go up from there...
This one looks neat...right? High Tech and everything...
Well, take out the wallet...
$22,300 will get this Kuzma table in YOUR own sound room...
And even higher...
The recent CES show served up the Sperling L-1 with a price tag of
$35,950 for just the table...
$9,500 for the tone arm...and
an undisclosed price for the cartridge at the end of the arm...
And speakers...Now, here you can really go crazy...
Look...
This is a B& W 802 Diamond speaker...Good? Well most pure audiophiles sign the praise for these outstanding speakers...
And they run a tad high in cost, too...Just $15,000 for a pair...
But you can go way, way deeper for complete stereo systems...
This Viva amp is yours for only $16,800...
These Marantz custom amps went under $3,600 each BUT they only made 500 worldwide and they sold them all out pronto...
These are some ultra "High End" systems...
This one is only a headphone amp and power supply...
This is a LUMIN CD player...Set you back about $6,797.00 US...
Here are the Genesis 1.2 speakers...
Sitting down? A pair (made from some monkey wood found in Brazil or something) Still sitting down?
A pair costs:
$280,000
Now That is FULL retail and no doubt you can score a better deal...
Not at Best Buy...but some high tech shop somewhere...
Noted C/Net lays down what they call the TOP 10 speakers...
OK, check this amp out...
Audio power Labs 833 TNT...Be amazed by this video
OK, you'll need TWO of these MONO amps...
All made in the good old USA...
And they run a mere
$150,000 to $170,000 EACH...
Man, they better sound really bitchin'
Want some mega luxury...
This IS a a nice stereo listening room...
Alright those Tesseract speakers sell for $300,000...
Yes, for the Pair...
How about some headphones...
Not any of the Beats crap for like two bills...
No, ABYSS for you...
Just lay out $5,495...
For that kinda of bread I'd want something with head in the description...
but not something you can put over your ears...
As you no doubt have surmised,
the high tech Audiophile is one rich person...
You have to be to play in this "sky high" audio world...
I am certain all this gear sounds dynamite...and beyond...
Years ago I had an opportunity to buy some used B&W speakers
(recall they even had concrete in them to give the sound a great resonance) but I passed...Why?
Those would have worked for me forever...Oh well...
So what do I dig my vinyl with when I'm getting into it?
Here is a refurbished MARANTZ 2235B tuner and amp ($325) I scored last year on a trip to San Luis Obispo...
Old school looks and that wonderful rich analog sound...
Makes my vinyl sound "Warm" and "inviting"...
Got it at Boo Boo Records...
In downtown SLO...
It had been one of the staff's own personal audio trinkets...I play the MARANTZ with my upscale POLK speakers (they were about $400 years ago) and enjoy myself as I listen to my fav Chipmunk album (the RED one)...
Plus I have a decent Stanton turntable (Like three bills)...
So, I suspect you won't be running out to get some of
these high end audio set ups soon...
And my lady should not be that upset at me when I spring
for a modest priced piece of audio gear...Right, baby?
Don't fret...We can all go "OLD SCHOOL" anytime...
With my fav Peanuts Cruiser Record Store Day Turntable...
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