11 Questions for Hi-Fi Enthusiasts.

[GXAlan]

There’s a trending set of 11 questions that has popped up on YouTube audiophile channels which might be fun to do here at ASR. You can tell it’s focused on the gear (since that’s how YouTube hifi channels stay in business) but may be fun still.

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

8. What is your next upgrade?

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

My answers:
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

For me, it was the experience of what I didn’t have rather than a product that I bought. Watching the THX WOW Laserdisc at my local Circuit City on the original Kenwood Home THX setup clearly was an instrumental part of my interest in hi-fi.

The Magenpan MG-III’s would probably be the first product that led me down the path of hifi and the speaker that my wife appreciated the difference in sound quality with.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Meyer Sound Amie. Bose 901. Magnepan MG-III. Like children, I don’t think I can pick a favorite but my speaker preferences depend on where I am living at the time. The Bose 901 and Magnepan are not standard direct radiating speakers so they are much more dependent on the room to sound right.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Kenwood L-08c/L-08m combo. Not because the sound is bad — but because I underestimated how important a remote control for volume control is to me. That was a lesson learned — I am willing to sacrifice performance for convenience to a much greater degree than I would have thought as an audiophile.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

Hotel California, Eagles Hell Freezes Over…

Just kidding. To demo the system to a non-audiophile, Shallow by Lady Gaga. It’s a modern ballad like Celine Dion of decades past that everyone has heard a dozen times. On a premium setup, you get a premium sound and it shows that you don’t need esoteric master recordings.

To demo the sound quality of LPs to pure digital fans, I have been a big fan of this new McIntosh recording. It may not sound better than digital, but it shows that LPs can sound as good as any modern format available with the “magic” that it’s a rock being dragged through plastic.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Steinway Model D, Spirio R
Meyer Sound Bluehorn
Trinnov Altitude 32

The Meyer Sound Bluehorn is used by a number of studios and when you buy the Bluehorn, it comes with professional calibration.

The Steinway Model D is their flagship piano and Spirio R is their playback system. It is an evolution of the technology used in Telarc’s A Window in Time albums (which was done on a Bosendorefer 290). Steinway artists have recorded for this format, so it is like having the artist play the piano in your own room.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

CD. Perfect sound forever. No subscription fees.

I don’t own a lot of CDs. I have far more movies and stream much more often. I have more than one streaming subscription. But if I only got to pick one format for the rest of my life, that would be it. It works in my car, works at home, and is reliable. With modern recordings and playback chains, it’s truly wonderful.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

I think I am pretty considerate of others. I can appreciate and understand how others can love something that I do not. Bad question.

If I flipped it around, and said “what is something I love that others may not understand,” it might be my appreciation of vinyl LP and tube phono stages despite knowing then technical performance.

8. What is your next upgrade?
I do plan to get a fourth subwoofer to try Trinnov Waveforming. I don’t really need it, but it seems like it’s worthwhile to try since Waveforming is a free upgrade and I have essentially pre-paid for it by going with Trinnov.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

My television?

Every component plays a valuable role. I have adopted Marie Kondo’s philosophy to downsize and really maximize what I enjoy in the moment. I do have a few albums on disc and vinyl, so I could say that I have music for the album art alone.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

The Bose 901. It’s absolutely a “fixed special effects box” where the special effect is unpredictable, undefeatable, and may make things better from the spaciousness or worse from the lack of clarity/detail.

However, there is zero question that it is different and everyone would agree that the difference is discernible in blind ABX testing. The real question is when the special effect is beneficial or detrimental (or neutral). The only way to find out what sounds better is to listen.

 

[RayDunzl]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

Dad's Garrard/Eico/Pilot rig, in 1961, when I was 8.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Any of it, I guess.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Bose

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

Copyright Royalties - Carla Bley

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

I have to get a Big Room and the Big Magico setup I saw at the big show. Or something else, Who knows

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

Floating Point Digital if there were something to play it

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

I don't know. If I don't understand something, I ask

8. What is your next upgrade?

A new(er) Glider

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

The TV. I look at at it often. Sometimes intently. Its audio goes to the stereo, so I don't listen to it,.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

I don't remember

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

I'd find a suitable substitute

---

Have I just taken a Voight-Kampff* test?

Am I a Replicant?

*This test measures physiological responses such as heart rate, respiration,
and pupil dilation in response to emotionally provocative questions to distinguish
humans from replicants.

 

[MattHooper]

Good thread! I’m enjoying the answer so far.

Here are my answers:

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

(ignoring the fact, I grew up with an audiophile dad and Kev 105.2 speakers and carver amplification, which was no doubt formative…)

Quad ESL 63 speakers.
I first heard them when a friend in his 20s got the audiophile bug. They blew me away, and I saved up and bought a secondhand pair of my own, along with a Conrad Johnson MV55 tube stereo amp. All the madness continued from then.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Among the three, I simply can’t decide:
Joseph audio perspective 2graphene speakers
Conrad Johnson premier 12 tube mono blocks - I’ve had them for around 24 years.
Transrotor Fat Bob S turntable. A thing of elegance and beauty to look at and operate.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

UpTone Audio USB REGEN. Can’t even remember why I bought it, but after Amir’s review, I realized it was ridiculous and before even opening the box I sold it. Only to be told by the person I sold it to that it didn’t work and so I had to refund them.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

Rollercoaster by Everything But the Girl

Not because it’s the ultimate audiophile quality by a longshot, but rather because I know the track so incredibly well. I’ve used it as a test track since the 90s for virtually every system I’ve ever tried. The song has a combination of virtues and liabilities in terms of sound quality that I know really well and so it’s very informative to hear how any particular Soundsystem handles the good and the bad in that track.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Tough one. Three possible systems come to mind:

Joseph audio Pearl speakers, powered by Doshi or Conrad Johnson model blocks.

MBL 101E Omnis, with either MBL electronics, or perhaps some interesting tube amps

Devore Fidelity O/Reference loudspeaker system, using whatever amplification John Devore advises. I love listening to the O/96, the idea of “ a lot more of that” sounds like fun.

In each system, I would be sure to include this turntable, if only because I think it looks, Bitchin:

ANUBIS - TriangleArt

TriangleART ANUBIS turntable uses the same key technology as its Reference model, including the motor, platter, and bearing technology. Lighter than the massive 275-pound Reference SE model, Anubis weighs 160 pounds. Like Reference SE, Anubis comes with a hefty solid composite metal with a...

triangleart.net

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

That’s actually a bit of a tough one at the moment. Given I have tended towards playing more records, and find that generally more fun than my digital source, I’m somewhat tempted to go with records. However, I also don’t think I could give up the music available on digital that I don’t have right on record. So is a practical matter, I might choose my digital server/streaming.

8. What is your next upgrade?

No more upgrades planned. Over the past few years I went all out and I am spent out and happy with what I have.
ETA: for my Home Theater I’d like to get a kaleidescape system.


9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

None. I’m big on how some equipment looks - amplifiers speakers and turntables - but none are bought just for looks. They have to sound great.


11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

I suppose that would be my ultrasonic record cleaning machine, The Degritter. Without it, I’d probably never clean a single record, but with it record cleaning is fun and rewarding.

 

[sealman]

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
An ancient by todays standard Realistic Tape deck that I used to record Albums from the radio.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
PSA MTM-212T and the center version.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
Bose AM-5 or Emotiva XMC-2

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
Dire Straits "Money For Nothing"

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
Trinnov Altitude32

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
CD

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
Any product that is bought based on only nostalgia instead of actual performance.

8. What is your next upgrade?
80+ inch TV. Probably an OLED. Possibly some Genelec monitors for my PC.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
I have not had one yet.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
Movie related. My DIYSG Fusion -8 center channel that replaced the POS Klipsch RC64ii.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
Have not discovered this unicorn yet.

 

[Robin L]

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
Acoustic Research Model 3 speakers.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
Infinity Primus 250 loudspeakers.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
Philips 212 turntable.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
There isn't a single track that would work. My musical interests are too diverse. Some have restricted dynamics and frequency response but great ambient capture. And some are very dynamic.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
I daydream about the big Genelec and Neumann monitors.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
Have yet to hear anything better than CDs.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
I don't really think that way. Some people love Atmos, some love LPs. Just because I don't intend to use those types of formats doesn't mean I don't understand the appeal.

8. What is your next upgrade?
A suitable video monitor, no bigger than 32". Useful for things like menus on DVD-Audio and Blu Ray Audio. Not to mention my DVDs and Blu-Ray videos.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
None of them, it's all utilitarian.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
Topping L30 headphone amp/preamp.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
None of them.

 

[Platypus20]

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

Marantz 1060 integrated amp

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Benchmark AHB2 amp

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Either a Meridian 508-24 cd player or PS Audio Lambda CD Transport

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

Not really sure

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Happy with what I got, probably buy more music

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

CD

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

The allure of expensive Cables

8. What is your next upgrade?

Set of KEF R3 Metas or another AHB2

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

None

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

Benchmark LA4

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

None

 

[MattHooper]

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Either a Meridian 508-24 cd player

Just curious: why the regret there? (I owned one briefly, but actually preferred my Meridian 508.20, so I sold the 24bit player?

 

[Scytales]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

An Aïwa CD player-tuner-amplifier all-in-one with its associated speakers whose I forget the model designation : this piece of gear was unable to faithfully reproduce the sound I discovered at my first live symphonic orchestral concert. Hence I began to seek better.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

The loudspeakers : Cabasse Catalane 500.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Rega Planet CD player (first model).

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

I wouldn't use a song, but if I wouldn't be allowed another genre of music, it would be Ella Fitzgerald's and Louis Armstrong's performance of Cheek to Cheek.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Same as current one with four more power amplifiers and loudspeakers of the same make and model or better types and a more versatile multichannel preamplifier featuring the possibility to rearrange the output in order to switch between 5 channels front-end and 6 channels front-end configuration, all set-up in a vast acoustically enjoyable room in an old building having very rigid walls.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

Super Audio CD.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

I have never encountered one.

8. What is your next upgrade?

More speakers! (see answer to question 5).

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

None.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

The multichannel preamplifier that has allowed me to listen to my multichannel discs, at last.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

None so far.

 

[mps]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
Quad ESL-57

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
Quad ESL-57 (still my favorite after 30 yers)

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
Bose active noise canceling headphones. Sound wasn’t great, and IEMs are just as good for background noise with better sounds and convenience.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
Little Wing

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
One that gets great results in a unique way like the Mola Mola DAC

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
CD rips to my music server

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
Tube amps

8. What is your next upgrade?
None planned. I never understood the treadmill (remember, I’ve loved the same speakers for 30 years)

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
A Naim amp

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
MiniDSP

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
The open source music server on my NAS

 

[Multicore]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

Idk but I want to give a shout out to my dad's Heathkit Cotswold loudspeakers that were a big part of our family life when I was a kid.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Sierra Ascend Tower RAAL loudspeakers.


3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Musical Fidelity M3si integrated amplifier. You want it?

And shout-out to the subwoofer for the desk system in my study. I failed to make it integrate in a satisfactory way. You want it? KRK S8.


4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

What does "use to demo" mean? To show off how good it is to someone? If so then it depends who.

A general hi-SLP crowd-pleaser would surely be Louhi by Pan Sonic from the album Kesto.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Dunno about perfect, which is hard to characterize, but I'd make space for Genelec 8361A + W371A, RME DAC/control, Denon DP-57L.


6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

001100010010011110100001101101110011...

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

I find I can usually get an idea why people love the things they do.


8. What is your next upgrade?

A scratch guard for my Yamaha LJ56.


9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

We have art, ceramics and rugs for looks. The stereo is a minor feature, low key, and would preferably not be visible.


10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

Good grief, I hope that never happens! At several thousand albums that would be awful.

But the speakers we have now surprise from time to time by revealing music in a new way. They are the first full range speakers we've had, with room effect and EQ going to about 30 Hz.


11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

Interconnect cables are hard to live without but aren't exactly recent. Power strips are good too. Apart from that, I can't think of anything.

 

[Bugal1998]

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

Infinity Overture speakers at Circuit City

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Does the listening room count?

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

An Onkyo AVR ~2009 and a Meridian headphone dongle that sounded no different than my laptop headphone jack.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

I have no answer, so the answer of the moment is Naked by James Arthur. Or anything off of The Story of My Life: Lea Salonga Live from Manila. Or anything off of Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse, Live album by Sara Bareilles. Or I give up trying to pick just one.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

The one I have. Not that it was a cost no object system (it wasn't).

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

Streaming if availability was assured. Otherwise, CD.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

I can understand pretty much any love people have. However, I don't share the love of things like Vinyl, tubes, reel-to-reel, or single driver full range speakers. Though I'm curious about the results they can achieve and have fond memories of playing vinyl records as a child.

8. What is your next upgrade?

More music!

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

The curved smoked glass door on my equipment rack that blends with decor and hides all the ugly gear.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

A new listening room.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

Blusound Node. Digital output and app controlled treble, bass, and volume controls!

 

[Multicore]

Copyright Royalties - Carla Bley

Nice! I haven't listened to that for decades.

 

[JeremyFife]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
A Decca "Stereogram" - something like a 10yo birthday present (so, mid 70's) - a sideboard with built in turntable, radio and speakers. I loved it. Years later I took it apart and realised that it didn't go back together again - end of my DIY career!

2. Name the favourite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
Genelec 8030c speakers, genuinely a revelation

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
A Carat i57 "CD receiver" ... I thought it was beautiful then regretted selling my Musical Fidelity amps to get it. I enjoyed it, but never got over the idea that it was style over substance. I have no idea if it was actually good or not. One day, out of warranty, it just refused to work and that was that.

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
Something by Joni (Mitchell), lovely bass lines and that voice. Perhaps 'Amelia', or 'Refuge of the Roads' from Hejira

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
I can't bring myself to think about stupid money ...
TT: Technics SL-1200GR (£1,700) with, £300 max, cartridge like an AT-VML740ML
Phono stage: Cambridge Audio Duo (£250)
Streamer: WiiM Pro Plus (£250)
DAC / Pre: RME ADI Pro SE (2,500)
Speakers: Genelec 8361A (£10,000)
Roon lifetime subscription (£800)
Something like £16,000 + more for room treatments. Far too much on vinyl, really disproportionate but that's life.
... + a few WiiM Ultra + Genelec 8030 systems scattered around the house
No subs, no headphones - that surprised me, I don't think I could be bothered. Perhaps I'd pay someone to integrate four subs and get £1k 'phones just for the hell of it

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
Streaming digital - 16/44.1 but all with good masters

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
Headphones really, I find them claustrophobic

8. What is your next upgrade?
Speakers ... Revel M16 or similar

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
Nothing now. Actually, I don't think I ever have - I've been misguided, but always thought my kit was there for a reason.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
Genelec 8030c speakers

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
Not really an accessory ... but the WiiM mini looks like one
(bike stick on puncture repair patches, new to me!)

 

[Tell]

Fun questions! Here's my answers

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
Well I guess I would say a pair of Alfaton Alfa 1 driven by a Marantz 2025, ie my fathers system. Because I think my audio interest actually started when I was around 3-4 years old, I remember my father playing some vinyl he had when a train going from one speaker to the other which I thought was really amazing, and as far as I can remember I have aaalways listened to music. I even built a small wooden kiddy cassette deck with "speakers" when I was around maybe 5, of course it looked like shit and didn't actually play anything, but I still wanted to build it. Later I got a real one that where red and blue and played all my favourite tracks on cassette.
A few years later I wanted a "real" better one with a integrated CD player, but when I finally got it it didn't have any CD player which I got really sad about and cried for some time, but after a while I got convinced that it would be alright since it had a pair of RCA inputs for my CD walkman. Another few years later I got a proper stereo with separate speakers and three disc CD changer etc, which I later upgraded the speakers for and then the quest continued to this date.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
That would probably be my Ino Audio piP. A pair of 4" ported bookshelf speakers built by the somewhat famous swedish speaker builder Ingvar Öhman. These speakers play down to 35Hz at quite respectable levels. It's not uncommon that people ask where the subwoofer is hidden, but alas there is none

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
Probably some headphones back in the days. Before measurements on the internet was a common thing it really was just pure chance when buying headphones if they where any good or not. "Buying the pig in the bag" as we say in Sweden. I'm glad that ASR, Rtings and Crinacle exists so that won't happen again!

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
Hard one, so I think I'm gonna be that one and go for a few candidates
Jade Cicada - Eolian Ohm, Lusine - Forks, Occeur - Timeless, Nym - Ten Thousand Smokes all tick the list of qualities in mixing, width, imaging, depth, bass yadda yadda that I look for.

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
I'd build myself a pair (or maybe two pairs for surround?) of floor to ceiling line arrays and double bass arrays and power it all with maybe some Hypex stuff or TPA3255 amps. For DSP I'd go for a Raspberry Pi 5 and CamillaDSP and then some absorption and diffusers in selected spots. All DIY of course, because it's fun, I can get it to look how I want and also cheaper. Haven't done any calculations but I'm pretty sure I could go below 10k euro for what I need/want.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
Guess that would be a large collection of MP3s, OGG or Opus. Transparent stuff that doesn't take up as much space as lossless for easier storage on both computer and phone.

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
Any high end audiophile stuff, so four figure electronics (unless it's an amplifier with lots of power) I see no reason for them to exist. Maybe back in the day for actual audible performance over cheaper stuff, but not today. It's just status symbol jerking stuff that really only puts money in the pocket of greedy lying audiophile companies which I have no sympathy for.

8. What is your next upgrade?
Will maybe build myself a pair of subs to even out the response in my room, and for those very few times that I can blast some SPL. But that's a bit down the priority list since I recently became a father.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
The only part of my system that's actually visible is my speakers which do look quite nice, the rest of the stuff is quite small since I don't see any reason to have big bulky electronics taking up space. But it's not like I'm keeping my speakers for the looks so I'd answer "none" on that question.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
Got a pair of 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 not too long ago, and while I don't really want to re-listen my entire music collection I have been re-listening some old music that I haven't heard in a while.

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
If the release of MiniDSP 2x4(HD) can be defined as "recently" I'd say that. Apart from that I can live just fine with what I got now.

 

[solderdude]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

probably my first (toy) record player when I was about 10 y.o.

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Don't have a favorite
It's like asking (when you have more than one kid) which one is your favorite.

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

That will probably be a lot of them.... fortunately none of them were really expensive

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

That won't be a good demo in that case. I have many artists/albums I like

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

Don't know... there are sooooooo many options that all would lead to excellent sound.

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

Probably FLAC

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

Bose speakers ? ....

Well... most audiophile tweaks would fall into that category but understand why they exist.

8. What is your next upgrade?

It does not exist yet.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

None. Function over looks.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

Would take years to do that (re-listen music collection)

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

accessories are for women and audiophools... they love that... function over looks for me.


I don't think my opinion (or any one else's for that matter) really matters to others as they are just opinions and we all know what they can be like .... errm personal.

 

[Martin]

The Questions
1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?
Pioneer SX-1980
2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversaries
3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.
PS Audio xStream Resolution Reference speaker cables
4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
I Love You by Sarah McLachlan
5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?
Benchmark HPA4/AHB2 driving Von Schweikert Ultra 11s
6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?
16 bit 44.1kHz FLAC
7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?
Megabuck cables
8. What is your next upgrade?
Undecided
9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.
Opera Consonance LP-2.0 turntable
10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.
7Hz Timeless IEMs
11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?
Nada

Martin

 

[Robin L]

The Questions

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?
I Love You by Sarah McLachlan

Interesting choice. Has subterranean bass that's either audible or it's not.

 

[audio_tony]

1. Name the first piece of gear that led you down the hi-fi rabbit hole?

A Realistic receiver, 5 or 10w per channel (I forget exactly - also forget the model).

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.

Probably a Cambridge Audio 851D DAC

3. Name the product you bought that you regretted.

Technics SL220 turntable

4. If you could only use one song to demo your stereo system, what would it be?

Tab Benoit - I Smell A Rat

5. If money were no issue, what is your perfect system?

No brands spring to mind, however I would like a pair of large floorstanding speakers (at least 6ft tall)

6. If you had to choose one music format, what would it be?

Digital / flac

7. What's a stereo product that people love that you just don't understand?

The Technics pre / power amps that were joined with an umbilical cord, so they were not really separated at all.

8. What is your next upgrade?

Speakers, I'm always looking to improve my speakers.

9. A piece of equipment that you've kept in your system for looks alone.

None.

10. The last piece of equipment that made you want to re-listen to your entire music collection.

A preamp and power amp that I built

11. What is an accessory that has come out recently that you can't imagine living without?

DAC (is a DAC an accessory?)

 

[MattHooper]

2. Name the favorite piece of hi-fi equipment that you currently own.
Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversaries

Nice!

I used to own Von Schweikert VR4 Gen II speakers. The sound was huge and holographic.

 

[Petrushka]

1. The rabbit hole began when my older brother built a Heathkit amp and preamp. I was about eight or ten. Multiple equalization curves. I still think about that.

2. Favorite current piece of gear: No apologies. Sonos Port. Even with the broken app, it’s the only streamer that gets everything. Including my local files.

3. I bought most things at garage and estate sales and regret nothing. Not even the stuff that never worked.

4. Am I the only person that listens at low to moderate levels? I listen to pianos a lot. Recently I encountered a piece that extensively used the lowest notes. It that sounds like a piano, the bass is okay.

6. Format is a trick question. I have 1300 CDs and 200 LPs converted to FLAC and MP3. I don’t want to bother with physical media.

7. I don’t understand streamers that have limited lists of services.

I’m not much interested in the other questions.