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Snobbery in Hi-Fi. Why are people so stupid and turn their noses up at gear costing much less which is just as good?

Yea, who can you talk to about good audio equipment? It is easier to find that sort of person than to find someone you can talk to about the Ligeti etudes or organ works of J. S. Bach.
Why do you need to "talk" about good audio equipment or does forum/group discussions lie outside of "talking"? Talking about way dead composers/performers isn't my thing in any case.
 
Just buy what you enjoy. The rest is snobbery or inverted snobbery.

Yes, certainly argumentum ad lazarum is strong here (at ASR).
 
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speakers being the worst culprit as well, the front end and amplifier have much less of a visual impact when it comes to sound I find. Electronics seem to be getting better, more powerful and small and smaller as tech advances.
Yes, some people like small electronics, too.
I am not one of them:
IMG_5488.JPG
 
speakers being the worst culprit as well, the front end and amplifier have much less of a visual impact when it comes to sound I find. Electronics seem to be getting better, more powerful and small and smaller as tech advances.
IMG_5491.JPG

Obviously a work in progress but I do not find these to be a visual issue. (as they are fine just 1 foot from the wall [and, no, the corner is not where they ended up]).
The mains (with a forward firing port) are 26Hz-20Khz +-2db without EQ of any type and the floor firing (homebuilt) sub-woofers are only capable of 20Hz-80Hz (without a crossover or EQ), although I cross over at less, HP is 55Hz, LP is 70 HZ, they ae port tuned to 29 Hz. (there is the same setup 7 feet to the left (center to center, on the other side of the stereo cabinet).
The sub boxes are actually a pair of Radio Shack cabs that I had laying around (and since they are floor firing, I can do whatever I want to the finish). I leave the OPTIMUS on them because it sometime generates questions when people come over and hear the system (many have no clue that Radio Shack built subwoofers (of course, the only thing Radio Shack about them is the external appearance).
As someone noted earlier,
why have things to just put in the landfill later?:
re-furbish, re-purpose, re-use when possible.
Does my 2000 Nissan Frontier pickup truck (bought in 2004) with over 200,000 miles on it, look ready for the landfill?
(I gave it to flood victims in North Carolina that had lost their car in the floods)
Or ready for 200,000 more miles of use?
What about my new to me (bought in December of 2024) 2004 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup truck with 205,000 miles?
They do not appear to be ready for the landfill (nor are they). Baring accidents, they will both likely get 200,000-300,000 more miles of use (with proper maintenance, of course):
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When I've been asked by friends about HiFi equipment, and I suggest something, I've often had the reply that 'My budget is higher than that'...

S.
well why does someone need 500hp car to drive 2 km distances inside a city with max speed of …“slow“ speeds regulations?
No reason other than vanity. Or like a friend says „riding with high speed and leather seats, into the end of the world climate“

I know exactly what you mean and exactly why i stopped advising anyone but those genuinely listening.
You can loose too much energy with the wrong people
 
well why does someone need 500hp car to drive 2 km distances inside a city with max speed of …“slow“ speeds regulations?
No reason other than vanity. Or like a friend says „riding with high speed and leather seats, into the end of the world climate“

I know exactly what you mean and exactly why i stopped advising anyone but those genuinely listening.
You can loose too much energy with the wrong people
There are worse offenders. Driving 500hp car daily on long distances.

End of the world is approaching and 500hp cars are taxed to death in most jurisdictions, so the bigger problem in the world IMO are stupid posts on the internet, or scrolling all day long on social media. Limiting the use of internet and data centers is the only thing that will count nowadays.
 
I’m not sure why it’s become less and less useful. It has become a lot more popular, and I think people are waking up the nonsense that is out there. We still all hear differently, and we all enjoy our flavour then shall we say when it comes to mixing audio equipment, we can't help hearing what we hear. There are some who do it all by measurements and there is always some who are happy with good enough, or for the most part better than good enough with a lot of equipment. When there's hundreds or even thousands of pounds at stake though, for stuff that isn't really any better other than personal preference or strong marketing BS or bias, I’m glad there are sites like this to break the illusion.

So I’m not sure why this site has become less and less useful, but I’d like to hear opinions why some seem to think so.
 
Every so often, I encounter a YT video with a message which applies nicely to a variety of situations, and this is one IMO is a gem. TLDW: Buyers of higher-priced goods find their own rationalizations, and may experience genuinely higher levels of enjoyment. The thing they judge may not be the product itself, but the authority of the seller.
 
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Every so often, I encounter a YT video with a message which applies nicely to a variety of situations, and this is one IMO is a gem:
Interesting how he highlights and explains ‘if it costs more it must be better’.

I’ve seen another video on this on YT where as a social experiment some designers bought a load of cheap shoes and dramatically upsold them as being extremely designer. And a number of customers fell for it hook line and stinker.
 
I’m not sure why it’s become less and less useful

Fair question. I can only share my perspective. As I see it, the point of ASR was to inform people so they can make better and more informed decisions, trade offs, etc., as it pertains to audio and audio equipment.

Love it.

What I observe is a lot of this:

Yes, certainly argumentum ad lazarum is strong here (at ASR).
Check

the grandiloquence is also strong here haha
Check

why does someone need 500hp car to drive 2 km distances inside a city with max speed of …“slow“ speeds regulations?
No reason other than vanity.

This narrative seems to be pretty prevalent on ASR and a recurring theme. I just don’t see how any of this is useful and it comes off as arrogance/disdain vs objectivity.

Anecdotally, it just seems like new members don’t stick around very long, or become active after their first post (and some older respected members are no longer active). That’s just my opinion/observation for all that’s worth (not much - lol).
 
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This is a typical conversation on most everything in life these days. I see it in cars and bikes constantly. We need to live and let live.

It’s interesting how every time someone buys a nicer or more expensive car, stereo, bike, guitar, anything, the criticism suddenly appears. People start comparing, judging, or explaining why they would never spend that much; as if someone else’s choices needed their approval.

The truth is simple: everyone invests in what they love.

Some spend on travel, others on watches, hobbies, or their home, cars and some of us on audio equipment. And all of that is perfectly valid.

What doesn’t make sense is measuring someone else’s decisions through the lens of our own limitations or preferences. Someone buying a car that’s more expensive than yours isn’t a challenge, a competition, or a statement about you. It’s just a person enjoying what they worked for.

And honestly, this behavior isn’t new. Since the beginning of time, people have compared themselves to others. At a car meet a friend said that had social media existed in ancient tribes, someone would’ve posted: look at this guy showing off his fancy new loincloth he must think he is better than us.

Human nature hasn’t changed but we can choose to rise above that instinct. Envy has never made anyone more successful, comparison has never made anyone happier and criticizing what others achieve won’t bring you any closer to achieving it yourself.

Celebrate what you have. Let others celebrate what they have.

I enjoy seeing happy faces of owners of objects I wouldn't spend money on. It makes them happy and, if they want to share it with the rest of us, better yet!
 
well why does someone need 500hp car to drive 2 km distances inside a city with max speed of …“slow“ speeds regulations?
No reason other than vanity. Or like a friend says „riding with high speed and leather seats, into the end of the world climate“

I know exactly what you mean and exactly why i stopped advising anyone but those genuinely listening.
You can loose too much energy with the wrong people
Well, sure we could all walk or pedal everywhere. I just happen to prefer driving any one of my delightfully ridiculous, overpowered, over‑engineered cars.

Life’s short. I’ll take the silly horsepower, the big amps and speakers.

I read this on the back of a competitor's race car: I like my cars unapologetically loud, beautifully engineered, and meant to be enjoyed, not hidden.

One of mine reads: Oh dear Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don’t fail me now for the road is open, the engine is awake, and temptation is loud.
 
Yes because cars are just so good for the planet.
Keith
 
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