I'm really conflicted

[Blumlein 88]

How do you deal with beauty/performance ratio? What do you do with a nice smart ugly girl?

There have been times I have to cultivate reverse snobbery. A piece of lame homely looking gear that really performs exemplary. You take the attitude that few are as astute as you to recognize real worth. Sometimes you can take it to someone else's fancy high dollar system, and drop it in to embarrass the pretty, but under-performing gear. Or imagine dropping a Topping or SMSL DAC in place of some $5-$10k dacs that aren't as good. It may sound no better, but that it sounds just as good is stunning to the owner of the high dollar gear.

Same thing with an ugly girl. Not everyone can appreciate the true inner beauty. This is one you had better not fake. You really do need to feel it yourself or it won't work.

 

[bandit]

I was wondering how this could be done scientifically. Maybe we could enlist a psychologist to show us how to set up a survey, and how to analyse the data. Then maybe you could base your decision on some average...?

How is it that I’m getting more shit than a guy who posted a pizza?

 

[Blumlein 88]

How is it that I’m getting more shit than a guy who posted a pizza?

Don't take it personally we are just having some fun at a little bit of your expense. We've been there too or at least I have. In my case a few times I was conflicted about keeping an expensive McIntosh piece of gear when I knew I could sell it and get the same sound for less.

 

[Purité Audio]

Loudspeaker and the room, if you really want a tangible improvement, rather than a very slight difference at best.
Keith

 

[Jinjuku]

Why wouldn’t it be?

Just giving you some grief. You could always get a nice media cabinet that is vented with a nice smoked glass front to hide it all.

 

[Katji]

I was not joking.

...In the context of "audio science", at least with this forum, it is quite a serious matter.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Should I sell my Accuphase e-270 to buy a benchmark AHB2? I love the looks of my Accuphase but the Benchmark performs better, at the same time it looks extremely boring to my eyes. How do you guys deal with the beauty/performance ratio of your system?

PS: will a top notch passive system surpass top notch active speakers? I'm questioning the point of buying the best measuring components which may not be visually appealing if I could just settle for actives assuming what I want is purely performance.

Put everything in a BDI cabinet. That way you never have to worry if something looks plain, or outlandish, or dated, or cheap, or anything. You just don't have to worry about the looks of the amps and dacs, and processors, and switch boxes. Period.

 

[watchnerd]

Should I sell my Accuphase e-270 to buy a benchmark AHB2? I love the looks of my Accuphase but the Benchmark performs better, at the same time it looks extremely boring to my eyes. How do you guys deal with the beauty/performance ratio of your system?

PS: will a top notch passive system surpass top notch active speakers? I'm questioning the point of buying the best measuring components which may not be visually appealing if I could just settle for actives assuming what I want is purely performance.

Cognitive bias is real.

So I ask myself:

Is my hearing more influenced by a SINAD chart, or what I see every day and if I think it looks cool?

In my case, I like things that look cool in my living room.

So as long as its transparent, I have no problem justifying the prettier choice.

Choosing inaudible SINAD differences is a preference, just as is preferring looks. Once things are transparent, I don't find one to be more rational than the other.

 

[watchnerd]

Are you sure this is the right hobby for you?

Eh?

How does thinking the Accuphase looks better than the Benchmark imply anything about whether it's the right hobby for him?

 

[MRC01]

... It is like asking us: how do you guys deal with an ugly girl who is super nice and smart ...

That's so easy it's a no-brainer. No matter what she looks like, you'll get used to it and she'll look better every time you see her. But you'll never get used to someone who is mean or dumb. In fact, that gets worse over time.

 

[oldsysop]

Accuphase.

 

[Jinjuku]

Eh?

How does thinking the Accuphase looks better than the Benchmark imply anything about whether it's the right hobby for him?

I normally make all my audio purchases on aesthetic. Why bother with fidelity over that?

With all things being equal then get what is eye catching.

 

[Snarfie]

I had the same question to change to a class D amp when mine NAD C370 who had a faulty protection circuit which is fixed and some other nearby strategic capacitors where also changed for around 50,- Euro on cost an materials. Than it occurred to me that a total revision on my NAD was only 350,- Euro to make him even sound better (probable) an will last another 25 years or so. Another thing is i run 2 sets of speakers close monitoring an far-field the integrated preamp gives me all possibilities to use one of the 2 sets with one click of a button. If i buy a class D amp i have to consider too look for a new separate preamp involving cost. Another thing to think about is my NAD an your Accuphase if something go's wrong spare parts are cheap an are there for the foreseeable future if a high switching class D amp containing probably specific programed firmware stops working it is likely you can dump it with in 5 or 10 years time this is what i read on this an other forums.

If the sound of your Accuphase is degrading consider an revision with better elco's, capacitors, reinforced solder joints etc. etc. you are in for an pleasant surprise probably for the next 25 years or so.

 

[watchnerd]

Should I sell my Accuphase e-270 to buy a benchmark AHB2? I love the looks of my Accuphase but the Benchmark performs better, at the same time it looks extremely boring to my eyes. How do you guys deal with the beauty/performance ratio of your system?

I think you should sell the Accuphase to me and relieve yourself of all this unhappiness.

I'm happy to take on this heavy burden for a nice deal.

 

[watchnerd]

I was wondering how this could be done scientifically. Maybe we could enlist a psychologist to show us how to set up a survey, and how to analyse the data. Then maybe you could base your decision on some average...?

Creepy.

 

[raif71]

I think you should sell the Accuphase to me and relieve yourself of all this unhappiness.

I'm happy to take on this heavy burden for a nice deal.

 

[BDWoody]

Are you sure this is the right hobby for you?

He seems to be at the right place to me to answer his questions. Not sure how that's helpful in keeping him around...

If that was meant to be funny, an /s or smiley thing can help, especially with our newest members.

Let's make an extra effort with those here in good faith. There are plenty who may deserve that, but I don't think @bandit is one of those.

 

[BDWoody]

I think you should sell the Accuphase to me and relieve yourself of all this unhappiness.

I'm happy to take on this heavy burden for a nice deal.

We may have to bid against each other.
I could get used to being aroused while looking at my gear.

 

[watchnerd]

We may have to bid against each other.
I could get used to being aroused while looking at my gear.

The only reason to go beyond Topping is to get aroused.

Err, wait, that could sound really wrong-context...

 

[Katji]

Just giving you some grief. You could always get a nice media cabinet that is vented with a nice smoked glass front to hide it all.

Put everything in a BDI cabinet. That way you never have to worry if something looks plain, or outlandish, or dated, or cheap, or anything.

In some instances, it would not work, because desire for ownership and control of the beauty is involved.

Sort of like this... ...

View attachment 103682

Then again, some like to keep the beauty hidden, like behind a curtain, a veil.