Instead I want to offer some suggestions to those who want value for money. While this may offend some audiophiles, my intent isn't to offend or aggravate anyone. If you don't have a measurement mic and a mic preamp to hook it up to your PC, you need to buy one now. It's the one area where you can't avoid measuring. You can buy great midrange, but great bass must be tuned to the room.

It needs serious attention, often including things like multiple bass sources, acoustic treatment and EQ. There is a close relationship between the speakers and the room. They are the most difficult part to get right and should be the most expensive part by far. The advantages in spending more once this has been achieved are small. Any modern well designed amplifier that can meet these requirements is likely to work well. An amplifier that often clips is inadequate for the system. The task of an amplifier is to supply a clean unclipped signal into the load the speakers present with low distortion. With the exclusion of components which deliberately add a sound of their own, these items even at a low price are generally as good as they need to be. Those on the blue pill will disagree emphatically during their sighted comparisons, but things get interesting when they don't know what they are hearing. In a system without unusual quirks, the differences between well designed cable are difficult if not impossible to pick. Better to admit that you don't understand, than claim no one does. The differences can all be accounted for - if you can hear it then it's measurable and science can explain it. They do make a difference, but there is no magic here. Often called the 'dark side' for good reason - you don't want to see how much you are spending! Everything in a turntable becomes critical and you need to spend serious money.

It's not because engineers are incompetent, it's because they cater to the majority who aren't audiophiles. In a reasonably high end system, even one moderately priced, the recording will often be the weak link. I don't claim to have the final and definitive answers to everything, but I'd like to gently suggest what I consider some sensible opinions that should hold up quite well to scrutiny.ĬDs are as good as they need to be. So what will happen if you take the red pill? I have some suggestions. If you answered yes emphatically to more than one of the above, you have taken the blue pill!

everything in the signal chain makes a significant audible difference.

the ear can hear things that can't be measured.

the human is the ultimate measurement tool.

the only way to evaluate a component is by audition.

You might do a blind comparison of a low cost amp vs a high end unit. Taking the red pill is an educational journey. The effect won't be as quick as in the Matrix. I'm about to suggest what you might begin to see after you take the red pill. If you enjoy the seduction that goes on before an expensive cable purchase, you probably should stop reading now. In an industry where many would take your money without offering anything substantial, are you a sitting duck?

In case you are wondering, that's the one where the truth eludes you. The consequences aren't so great, but in audio we face the same choice and I notice that many prefer the blue pill. He could choose between blissful ignorance or facing the stark naked truth. Morpheus on the Matrix offered Neo a choice between the red and blue pill.

Red or blue pill matrix