How do you decide?

[TomD]

It came up that some people do not have access to dealers and cannot audition potential purchases. Since side-by-side comparisons are essentially impossible, in my experience, i find that auditioning is almost useless. Except possibly for speakers, and perhaps not even so much in that case, it is extremely difficult (impossible) to distinguish how a component will affect your system.

What are some of your reasons for choosing a particular component? Is it from reading specs, professional reviews, user reviews, reputation, actual auditions (in store, in home)? Has it changed over the years? How do you decide?

Just wondering as I am planning and would like to hear about your experiences.

 

[tonepub]

If I didn't have access to the gear I wanted, I'd buy it used and just try it that way. At least then if it doesn't work in your system, you can turn around and sell it back to someone else without losing much or any money.

 

[Hocky]

If I didn't have access to the gear I wanted, I'd buy it used and just try it that way. At least then if it doesn't work in your system, you can turn around and sell it back to someone else without losing much or any money.

That is what I've been doing!

 

[theslantstudio]

i have access to dealers in my area
i how ever did not have the money to buy...
listened to the source and they were way to directional for me...
found a pair of martin logan vistas for under 1400 bucks for the pair needless to say i picked it up haha

 

[Wardsweb]

I have spent literally years having audio meets at my house and visiting other meets and individuals homes. I found it was the best way to see, touch and hear a lot of gear without buying it first. It has helped me determine what I like, don't like and why. Not only listening too but talking with the owners and other people as to what makes a piece of gear or speaker sound the way they do or function like they do. Knowledge is a powerful tool in helping me narrow down my selections and achieve the synergy in my systems that are music (sorry for the pun) to my ears.

 

[JonFo]

I have spent literally years having audio meets at my house and visiting other meets and individuals homes...

Totally agree!

This is indeed the best way to sample products, speakers especially.

 

[churchill]

It came up that some people do not have access to dealers and cannot audition potential purchases.

What are some of your reasons for choosing a particular component? Is it from reading specs, professional reviews, user reviews, reputation, actual auditions (in store, in home)? Has it changed over the years? How do you decide?

Just wondering as I am planning and would like to hear about your experiences.

I'm 240 miles from Denver and 260 miles from Salt Lake City both of which have some nice audio stores, but a bit far to audition. All my town has is a Best Buy and the local audio dealers are more low to mid fi.

So, almost all of my system was purchased used on Agon, but I've been able to buy and sell items and move up the food chain. I've mainly bought using user reviews and reputation. I bought a used Rotel preamp before I bought my used Pass preamp and was able to get what I paid for it 7 months later. I knew when I bought the Rotel I wasn't gonna be keeping it.

 

[timm]

I would have a tough time getting speakers without an audition. I read reviews - compare the reviews with remarks on different sites to back those up. As an example I bought a Cary slp98p without ever hearing anything in the Cary lineup. I decided I needed a tube pre and started doing some investigation on audioasylum. Got a ton of info on the pre there and saw comparisons to other possibilities such as primaluna and modwright and the arc ls17. Got info here too. Asindc had done a comparison of those and gave his opinion and it all tied together. When I got it the sound was better than I had hoped and was exactly what I was looking for. It takes a bit of research and crossreferences but it worked for me.

 

[BadaBing11]

I would have a tough time getting speakers without an audition. I read reviews - compare the reviews with remarks on different sites to back those up. As an example I bought a Cary slp98p without ever hearing anything in the Cary lineup. I decided I needed a tube pre and started doing some investigation on audioasylum. Got a ton of info on the pre there and saw comparisons to other possibilities such as primaluna and modwright and the arc ls17. Got info here too. Asindc had done a comparison of those and gave his opinion and it all tied together. When I got it the sound was better than I had hoped and was exactly what I was looking for. It takes a bit of research and crossreferences but it worked for me.

Did you audition your Odysees MTM, my brutha?:ROFL:

 

[timm]

Did you audition your Odysees MTM, my brutha?:ROFL:

Yes I auditioned them at almas hifi but could not afford them new. So a couple of years later bought them used. MTM

 

[BadaBing11]

To think I passed on a set of those because my dealer had lost the floor spikes. They sounded dead compared to the Ascents that were set up properly.

I agree, can't do it without an audition. But I think you need to do both like you did. Research like crazy, then listen. But with MLs you need to know a little about the setup too. If some hack sets them up too close to the walls , unequal toe in etc, you can make a great speaker sound kind of average.

Good advice MTM,

BB11

 

[Beakman]

Speakers I have to hear. The not too often times I have wanted a pair of speakers I've walked into a store with a general idea of what I wanted, based on advertising and consensus, only to walk out with something else and always more expensive. Plus I have to be able to play with the head equipment while listening (just like when I bought my HD TV, I had to play with the settings or goodbye). IMHO, Cost generally reflects in the speaker.
As for the other stuff, I rely on consensus, specs, and price. I'll listen to a reputable salesperson but look out for voodoo at the same time, as I would never buy a product touted by the same person / store that sold those wiggly hat racks or loose change bowls.
Now that I'm hooked, I'll be changing components and will have a better criteria for judgment.