Home Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

It's more than just warranty - and sure saving money is always cool.

I get your point but there's alot more to this than whether or not one wants a warranty or not.

I don't mean to sound snobbish. I bought the Golds for $600 off list price from an authorized dealer, the SP100s 6 months used from an authorized dealer and the Living Voice Avatars used.
My point is saving cash needs to be secondary to getting good sound. Buying a $3000 speaker because it's discounted to $2000 instead of other $3000 speakers that aren't discounted should be an insult to any reasonable audiophile. I admit to buying the then $2200 Golds because they were available (without demo) for $1600 - yea sure I was real happy with the Minis but needed more bass. I knew the Vandersteen 2Cs would work for me but thought I could get more speaker for my dollar coming up with a few more bucks to get in on the "special" deal.

Now I spent 3 years trying to get those speakers to perform for me. Just didn't happen. Makes me wonder how little it must take for many Stratus Gold owners to be happy. I'm sure like others have said it's my hearing or I don't know what I'm doing - that's bs, it's them who settle for 1/2 assed sound and they don't even know it. Because I know as a fact it's not easy to get them to sound good.

Nothing wrong with saving money - but far and away for sure good audio equipment rarely shows up in high volume retailers nor is it offered at bottom of the barrel prices.

And AFAIK the Stratus and the top line PSB loudspeakers aren't being discounted like the more affordable products.

More power to those who determine what gear is best for them and then find that gear at a liquidators. However I know, and I assume you know, that gear purchased a rock bottom prices is purchased because it is being sold at rock bottom prices. Not because the buyer determined through listening and evaluation that that gear was best for his system.

If that makes me a snob so be it. But the thought of someone buying a $5000 hifi simply/mostly because they can buy it for $1500 reflects what I see as a mistake made by many audiophiles. Having a $3000 (but only paying $1000 for it) turntable should not be more important than having a $3000 turntable that they know that know they like. Truth be it told they probably could have found a $1000 TT they really liked lots better than the $3000 TT they ended up paying a grand for - and believe me I know from experience just because something costs 5 times as much doesn't mean a listener is going to like it more. But alas who am I to judge.

Don't get me wrong. People can and do find great deals on appropriate equipment used, demo and even through the liquidators. But I bet far more often than not this equipment is bought based mostly on price and not on appropriateness. And I'd also bet lots of people have no clue to the point I'm trying to make and that's why they think my attitude is snobbish.

The best thing you did, obviously, was sell the Golds so someone else that actually appreciated them could enjoy them.

You've made an incorrect assumption. They didn't work out for him either. He sold them to someone else - hopefully that person will be able to enjoy them like neither of us were able to do.

Sure saving money is way cool - but unfortunately one needs to be very lucky or very patient if they shop discrimately and expect to get a big savings at the same time.


Give me rhythm or give me death!


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  • It's more than just warranty - and sure saving money is always cool. - Don T 12:18:00 04/20/07 (0)


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