Wow. People DO prefer huge tower speakers over "audiophile" ones...!

I guess this story brought me down to earth.

After finally setting up my main stereo system (the one with the Logans), I installed my parents' system back again - this time, with an old H/K integrated amp (made in Japan (?)), the big JBL's (LX-66), and the Luxman CDP (acting as a passive preamp, too!). Nothing fancy (or so I thought).

Well, my parents don't think so. They are absolutely *stunned* by the sound. Their friends jaws drop instantly when they listen to it (or so I'm told). Curious about it, I went to see them yesterday and asked them what the big fuzz was all about - it's just a 14 year old receiver, a 6 year old CDP and 14 year old speakers!.

Boy, was I wrong about a whole lot of things. First of all, the system *does* sound great. Not in the traditional "audiophile" sense of the word - which, I guess my Logans have covered. What it does, though, is sound absolutely real - as in *huge* sound. Frank Sinatra has never sounded better; he sounds absolutely right, with huge cymbal crashes, amazing bass, and presence to his voice.

Sure, the system may not image as precisely as my speakers, or be as transparent.

But somehow, it's more... enjoyable.

Now, I'm confused. I surely thought being an audiophile would be a bit more rewarding than listening to a $2,000 system (I think that's what the system went for at its original price), and finding you really, really enjoy it more than your "reference" system.

 

Never be ashamed of innocent pleasures! Forget all the audiophile stuff, just enjoy.

 

Keep in mind that while casual listening for a short period may seem great, the most important thing is non fatiguing listening for the long haul.

 

Gary,

6 months ago, the room issue would have been a moot point. As it is, though, I'm... ahem... kinda restricted (I'll be getting married in November!).

Still, I got some perks. I can install 6 mini-monitors (hidden out of view) and a sub at my living room, and I can have a whole room for myself! (that's where the Logans will go). There will also be a Home Theater room (where all the DefTechs will be installed).

I'll have to leave the JBL's at my parents' house, though - I don't have any more space for them now!

Steve, I fully agree with you. Listening to the JBL's is like eating a double Whopper, a big milk shake and some fries, while the Logans might be... Sushi with some white wine.

That, and I don't think the JBLs are fatiguing at all, Ted! Quite the contrary... their frequency response curve heavily emphasizes bass over mids and treble. They are very warm sounding speakers...

I wish I could take them with me. Maybe I could bargain a few square yards out of my SO from the kitchen...

...then again, if my parents take good care of them, in some 20 years I'll also own a superb "vintage" system.

 

I have in the past been impressed with the sound of a certain system in a certain room initially only to become less enamored over time. Sometimes I think that something can sound really good simply because it's different and I initially hear what's right about it instead of noticing what's "wrong." Only after a while (unless something is just terrible from the get go) do I really start to notice the negatives.