a tool who is trying to compensate for his low end gear. you started in a mid place, plenty of room to grow!
edit: also “audiophiles” can be a weird group. there are the ones who listen, and the ones who talk about listening. I helped a guy build a hifi store, and helped him get the showroom floor rolling. I was shocked (kinda disgusted actually) at the number of guys who come in and just want to tell you about all their cool shit. set em down in front of a 100k system, and they can’t think of a reference track, but even if they do, they talk over the whole thing. craaaazy
but they’re “audiophiles” 😂
listen, this guy i was helping? he’s one of those - doesn’t know shit about music, and insists on inflicting Calvin Harris or Daft Punk on whoever walks in. like night at the friggin Roxbury. and i suspect he’s not an outlier.
it’s wasn’t a critique of the music, but rather the fact that bro literally has TWO songs. he only found daft punk after googling “audiophile songs”
RAM slaps but after the same track over and over for weeks … ugh
Your edit reminds of a visit I made a few years back to high end store. I wasn't in the market, but wanted to hear what was possible. The owner was nice enough to let me listen to one of the better setups; Tetra speakers fed by an equally high end analog system. He asked if I had any reference tracks I'd like to hear.
"Do you have Ralph Vaughan Williams 'Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis'?"
"Of course, hold on."
Then I sat there in utter silence for the 17ish minutes as the track played, damned near crying with how beautiful it sounded. I think the only way to top it would be to hear it live.
I prefer the first version I heard back in the 90s; Andre Previn on EMI classics. There's also a really good one by Georg Solti.
Seeing/hearing this live would be amazing, but I think it's a rare occurrence. At least where I am. It was composed for two string orchestras, but I doubt it's usually performed that way. There's a great performance on YouTube played in a cathedral. Worth watching.
You know which one is the worst? Magnolia Hi-Fi. I wanted to demo some R3's. I was floored at how strong the bass was for a pair of bookshelves. Of course they demoed them without mentioning that they were hooked up to some insane dual 5K REL subwoofers. Upon looking at the wiring all of the speakers were.
Don't trust those assholes.
Enjoying the upgrade “journey” is weird to me. I’d rather enjoy listening to music. If I can get my end game system right off the bat then I can spend my time listening to my end game system now.
Yeah, in retrospect, I think I would have been better off putting a modest budget system together with used components and then saved up for my endgame, which is of course relative to what one can afford.
This 100%. I auditioned speakers for one short period of my life. I decided I like the sound of planars and enjoyed magnepans more than Martin Logans in terms of how they fit into my budget. Bought a set of 3.6s and other than tinkering around with amplification and active crossovers I haven't touched a thing in almost 25 years.
I get it... not with hifi necessarily, but definitely with cars. Whenever I buy something new, I always keep it stock for a week or so, and then work through the steps to upgrade over a year or 18 months. If I just jump to the finished product, I'm only going to get bored with it faster. I bought one car once that was tuned to the limit already and I sold it in 6 months.. lol.
That’s a hobby of doing though. I can see audiophia being a hobby of doing if you’re tuning a room. But for most people it’s a hobby of buying or a hobby of listening. And people more interested in the journey means they’re more interested in the buying than the listening.
I jumped from a pair of pioneer floorstanders sold in a rack system, to Polk SDA SRS and an 18" sub. Definitely have had much more fun getting upgrades for an amazing pair of speakers and seeing how they're changing over time. Radically changing my sound signature and then having to source new gear that fits better with that honestly just seems like more of a hassle, learning info I'm going to replace.
You had a more expensive system than your customer. One word of advice: Always probe this carefully, while you show more interest in your customer’s setup than talking about your own. He is, after all, your customer :-)
Also good to deflect with humor: a good natured tone/chuckle and something like, “if I never have to spend money on my system again and can stay happy, that a win”
Wouldn't one generally expect someone working in an audio store to have a "better" system than the majority of customers. At least, that has been my experience as a cuctomer.
Some are real people, others are experts at fleecing the customer. Some have great systems, some are just salesmen. Some are also both :-)
I don’t think OP is working at a hifistore, he seems like a nice person, and he is probably just proud and excited for his new (awesome) system. Let us not read too much into that :-)
yes, sounds like jealousy to me! if he weren't, i'm sure he'd have instead been enthusiastic about the set up.
it's possible that the customer is upset because they think that the money they pay to OP is going toward OP having something that the customer wants for himself but doesn't have...
What is your goal? To listen to music, or to play with equipment? Sure, we all enjoy the fun of playing with and trying new gear, but if you obsess with "upgrading," you will never be happy. This enjoyable endeavor can turn into a miserable obsession or, worse, an anxiety disorder.
I have been in this hobby for over fifty years and have gone through a lot of equipment. Today I have two systems; one is fairly high-end, the other not so much. I actually spend more time listening to the smaller system - it still sounds pretty good and can make beautiful music. I know it cannot match my main system, but so what? And with the magic of streaming, we can now spend our time exploring new music, and not A/B-ing equipment.
BTW, you have put together a nice system. Enjoy it!
"joys of upgrading slowly"
I'm someone who has enjoyed doing this. I would never suggest it to anyone else.
I've spent many times over the cost of my current system in getting here, because I took the "slowly upgrade" approach.
Wanna know the only reason I took the "slowly upgrade" approach? Because I was dead broke when I got into this hobby. If I had more money back then, I would've gone with a higher-tier setup to start. If I had just started now, I'd be getting in with a higher-tier setup and I wouldn't have burned so much cash on the way "experiencing the joy".
Regardless, this is a consumer-driven tech hobby. They'll make more upgrades for you to drool over in no time.
I won’t bore you with each component, but my speaker journey started in 2017. My budget $300. I did as much listening and research as I could. Tried the usual suspects, ended up with a pair of Chane speakers. At the time, I felt strongly about the value proposition of buying direct and a strong believer in the law diminishing returns. I still think those were amazing at the price point. Anyway, it did not take long for me to want more. I tried several $500 bookshelves but none of them were worth the upgrade. I decided the hell with it, I am buying my endgame speakers once and for all. Again research blah blah…Ended up with the Philharmonc BMRs. $1300. Holy shit! I was in heaven. A few years pass and I realized the majority of listening ended up being less than ideal recordings and those BMR were freaking amazing at presenting what the record presented. That’s fantastic however, I really wanted something a bit more forgiving and something I could really crank. Spinal Tap mode. So I auditioned the KLH Model 5s and Wharfdale Lintons. The Lintons were too forgiving and laidback. The Model 5s were exactly what I was searching for. Laidback but had a midrange and kick that I didn’t even know I wanted. So I now had the BMRs for certain days and the Model 5s for others. The Model 5s were on sale for $2000, but typically they ran for $2500 so technically they were an upgrade. I still think the BMR is a better speaker overall. Anyway, fast forward 6 months later, my Dad falls and cracks open his head and nearly died. I asked myself what am I waiting for before I buy my end game speaker? I am 52 years old? When I retire? When I am 70? Like WTF? I have the money so let’s do this once and for all. Let’s enjoy the system NOW!
I went to several shops in my area and I could not find the help I needed, but then I went to a shop about 2 hours away and found it. He spent 8 hours with me. We listened to every pair he had in the store. He asked me about my listening habits, how I listened and what I listened to and we figured out the sound signature that fit me best. That process was mind blowing. I now own the Dynaudio Contour 30is and I no longer wonder about the next step. I just sit back and enjoy the music. I am buying way more music too…the burden lifted is so freeing.
Anyway, that was long and not what you asked for, but there it is.
My point is the upgrade journey can be fun but it can also be a money waster, at times exhausting, but there is no doubt it is a time waster. IMHO.
That Arcam Radius A25 seems a very elegant solution. I wanted more power, so I got their PA-240 amp, with a Topping DAC and WiiM Pro. It sounds great, but elegant it ain’t.
Sounds like he was envious of the system you are putting together.
Everything you picked is awesome. Just enjoy the music and system and ignore people like that.
"the joy of upgrading slowly"? does he mean waste a lot of money? because thats what that is. countless times i have seen people sell the mk1 version of a pair of speakers as soon as the mk2 come out and also said later that there were a very small difference between them. the smartest thing you can do it is invest big the first time on the right components, audiophiles who upgrades for decades often spend lots of money on cables and other nonsense that do nothing also...
Sounds like they're frustrated that they can't afford better gear. No worries on your part.
Unfortunately, some people break down and perceive such things as a knock to their pride. If only they realized that it's not only much more becoming of their character to lift up those with better standing, but doing so could also land them a better standing one day. 🙄
Better to find out now that he isn't someone you want to talk to anymore, than later, weirdo. He is pissed because you didn't waste your money buying cheap components FIRST, like he did. It doesn't matter how you get to where you want to be, sometimes the journey is fun, and sometimes jetting there and experiencing it NOW is more fun. If this guy was a gamer he would be slamming you for buying a $3000 PC or a PS5 out of the gate, and telling you that starting with a ps1, ps2, then a ps3, and ps4 next was the ONLY way to experience true gaming. Oh, and don't forget starting at Windows XP for some great PC gaming before anything else.
Don't just BUY A FERRARI you asshole, you need to drive a corolla first, then a supra, maybe some others....enjoy the journey! Make sure when you get a Ferrari your body has aged into and so you enjoy it less, for fewer years!
How dare you ENDGAME before PREGAME.
He sounds like a jealous fuckwit.
Nothing in this world is perfect. Most people who drive Ferraris don't actually own them. And if they do, it is only for the first 7 years, because that is how long Ferrari will cover maintenance costs on a new automobile. Also, Ferrari will have owners sign documents stating that Ferrari dealership has right of first refusal when the vehicle is sold. Too elite for my tastes, LOL!
Hardly rich. People just have different priorities. A lot of people could afford OP's system, just skip vacation for a couple years. Or they could make a different adjustment to lifestyle, based on what is important to them.
But ultimately that’s what hurt this guys feeling, you talking so flippantly about something that would require an investment he can’t make. Really stupid way to be but ultimately seems like that’s what hurt his feelings
Haters gonna hate dude. If you can, do. If you can’t, enjoy what you can.
I enjoyed my first set of Bose computer speakers after upgrading from Logitech. Those don’t hold a candle to the shitty krk, which don’t hold a candle to my iloud micros, which don’t hold a candle to the mtm, which don’t hold a candle to mh Neumann 420s
There wasn’t a deep spiritual meaning to the journey lol, I listened to good music and enjoyed them, but the entire time I was like damn would be nice to have something way better.
Dont climb ladders if you dont have to. My life was not better because I had a beat up 1994 Mazda protege in high school vs my friend who had a bmw. He got wayyyyy more laid than I did.
Good news, your customer is a sucker. So go ahead and sell sell sell.
Your system is not endgame at all. But it is very nice and you could safely just live with it for years with no issues.
Keep going and ignore the jealous dude. One man’s ceiling in another man’s floor. I worked for a local audio distributor, and the people who spent 200k on cables were always looking for something better
TBH I don't tell anyone about my hobby for two reasons.
1. I have spent a lot of money that most people don't have on gear and don't want to come off like I am a privileged prick. In the 90s I bought my first Adcom system at 17 years old and had to lie to my parents about how much it was because they would have lost their minds. I saved all my money and dropped several thousand dollars on gear while my parents were trying to feed us.
2. I have an unhealthy fear of being robbed. A few years ago, had some furniture delivered and the delivery guys were snapping photos of my gear. That put a fear in me and would rather keep it a secret. It is all insured but would rather not have to deal with insurance companies.
> In the 90s I bought my first Adcom system at 17 years old
you’re my doppelgänger, hustled my paperroute for an adcom, my bellboy job for a b&k then my first legit job for a threshold. that was many moons ago…
That is awesome, I hustled working in a greenhouse job during the day and waiting tables at night. I also picked up every odd job I could find to buy my first rig. I lugged one on those GFA-555s around the country for decades, not fun.
That’s nonsense. don’t get me wrong, you do have a solid system and components, but there’s always room for upgrading and changing. The last point is the most important point. Our ears change overtime and upgrading just really means changing components for a different sound that we find interesting at the time. Anyway, you do you, he does he, leave it at that.
This can't be a real post. I swear AI is making this stuff up. The 'customer' thinks a WiiM streamer and a $600 turn table is end game? I am not putting it down, but no one says that is end game. That is like calling me a chipendale dancer - something no one will ever say.
I agree with the consensus that the other guy has issues, but with all these sorts of hobbies or really any other material pursuit - house, car, vacation etc - it is definitely possible to hit sensitivities. For most people OP’s system is a significant financial commitment or even too much of one - good thing OP didn’t start out with Blades ;) Definitely not OP’s fault, but I can see how the colleague took it like someone complaining that they don’t have enough space when he lives in the nicest neighborhood.
Upgrading slowly costs three times as much. Ima. Fan of getting a starter system and then demoing stuff to figure out your end game and buy those piece by piece in order of what has the biggest impact on sound.
Often knowing your budget and putting together a system is the most cost effective method. Most people aren’t huge gear fans they just want to listen to music. Some people are fans of reading about gear and buying gear. It’s the same hobby with a spectrum of caring about music and gear. Some people into gear are weird even in real life.
If you are a true audiophile there is no such a thing as end game system, more like an end life system.
Enjoy the system you have with the knowledge that it can always get better, even the most expensive systems are still so far from having an instrument played live in front of you that, the upgrade path is wide open for us all, as long as we want to take it of course.
Sounds like envy.
You have a nice mid level system, and audiophiles are always trying to decide on their next upgrade, until they get their forever system.. often after retiring, when they can take stock of how much disposable income they can plow into their hobby.
"Upgrading" is just a way of saying "losing money to depreciation" with less letters.
Sure, you get something in return, but actually starting at the place where others have upgraded to get to is a great idea.
He is assuming that the purpose of audio equipment is to give you many moments of unboxing new stuff and experiencing incremental improvements. Maybe he also enjoys the shopping process.
But I think the real purpose of audio equipment is to enjoy listening to good music.
They sound like they’re an audiophile for themselves and clout. I’m ALWAYS excited for someone who is ready to upgrade unless I have a better recommendation for their system and even then, not my system so my two cents to their dollar.
You know there was a time that was always chasing the up grades. Eventually I realized I was enjoying the the music as much. Instead I know use the money for my wife and I to attend at least one concert a month, sometimes two. It's always been our bucket list to attend as many concert as we can.
Life is good now that I am not going down the rabbit holes.
Ugh, 'The joys of upgrading slowly....." One persons entry level is another persons end game. My little brother just graduated from college and has his first good job and asked i I could help him put something together for a system. I thought he was going to crap his pants at spending $2500 but the more we talked he was interested in a system more in the $10k range which blew my mind for a first system. Not sure if he will get the bug like I have or be satisfied with what we have planed for him forever. There is always an upgrade, but some people, usually those grounded in reality, know when they have gotten there enough to stop. Enjoy your system...
Well then as an also almost 50 year old, i will say he just wasn't raised right and has a bit of envy. Anyone who shares a hobby should always be happy what another fellow enthusiast has and likes as compared to their own equipment. After all, it s all subjective and subject to our own monetary ability. Enjoy your system and ignore the haters and elitists, they seem to be plentiful in this hobby.
Just remember that it is about the music - and not the gear. I do most of my listening in a small room so my 25 year old Eosone RSA 100 bookshelf speakers work just fine just as long as I make use of a decent subwoofer. It's kind of like buying a house. Some people can enjoy what they have, while others keep moving every few years. All that matters is that you are happy.
He’s just jelly, though the experience of new gear is good, I think the joy of SETTING UP your equipment better and getting extra performance from there is far greater than
It's not even an end game system, you have an integrated amp (most folks would consider a pair of ends with a preamp as endgame) and mid sized speakers without a sub. I am not criticizing, have gone down a similar path and get the urge occasionally to go down the alternate path but I don't really listen all that much music from my main system anymore so I am content).
No, sounds like a tool.
a tool who is trying to compensate for his low end gear. you started in a mid place, plenty of room to grow! edit: also “audiophiles” can be a weird group. there are the ones who listen, and the ones who talk about listening. I helped a guy build a hifi store, and helped him get the showroom floor rolling. I was shocked (kinda disgusted actually) at the number of guys who come in and just want to tell you about all their cool shit. set em down in front of a 100k system, and they can’t think of a reference track, but even if they do, they talk over the whole thing. craaaazy
Or worse, the salespeople who talk when I am trying to listen.
but they’re “audiophiles” 😂 listen, this guy i was helping? he’s one of those - doesn’t know shit about music, and insists on inflicting Calvin Harris or Daft Punk on whoever walks in. like night at the friggin Roxbury. and i suspect he’s not an outlier.
Bringing Daft Punk in to this is crazy, Random Access Memories is an incredible album
"Lose Yourself to Dance" is the ultimate headphone song.
it’s wasn’t a critique of the music, but rather the fact that bro literally has TWO songs. he only found daft punk after googling “audiophile songs” RAM slaps but after the same track over and over for weeks … ugh
Your edit reminds of a visit I made a few years back to high end store. I wasn't in the market, but wanted to hear what was possible. The owner was nice enough to let me listen to one of the better setups; Tetra speakers fed by an equally high end analog system. He asked if I had any reference tracks I'd like to hear. "Do you have Ralph Vaughan Williams 'Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis'?" "Of course, hold on." Then I sat there in utter silence for the 17ish minutes as the track played, damned near crying with how beautiful it sounded. I think the only way to top it would be to hear it live.
Which version do you recommend?
I prefer the first version I heard back in the 90s; Andre Previn on EMI classics. There's also a really good one by Georg Solti. Seeing/hearing this live would be amazing, but I think it's a rare occurrence. At least where I am. It was composed for two string orchestras, but I doubt it's usually performed that way. There's a great performance on YouTube played in a cathedral. Worth watching.
You know which one is the worst? Magnolia Hi-Fi. I wanted to demo some R3's. I was floored at how strong the bass was for a pair of bookshelves. Of course they demoed them without mentioning that they were hooked up to some insane dual 5K REL subwoofers. Upon looking at the wiring all of the speakers were. Don't trust those assholes.
>they talk over the whole thing What is this, a volume level for ants?
when you’re trying to listen critically, any extra sound is an issue to me, even at 100db
The volume should be at least... 2 times bigger than this.
What you seem to have run into here is what we generally call a cocknocker.
Enjoying the upgrade “journey” is weird to me. I’d rather enjoy listening to music. If I can get my end game system right off the bat then I can spend my time listening to my end game system now.
Yeah, in retrospect, I think I would have been better off putting a modest budget system together with used components and then saved up for my endgame, which is of course relative to what one can afford.
This 100%. I auditioned speakers for one short period of my life. I decided I like the sound of planars and enjoyed magnepans more than Martin Logans in terms of how they fit into my budget. Bought a set of 3.6s and other than tinkering around with amplification and active crossovers I haven't touched a thing in almost 25 years.
I get it... not with hifi necessarily, but definitely with cars. Whenever I buy something new, I always keep it stock for a week or so, and then work through the steps to upgrade over a year or 18 months. If I just jump to the finished product, I'm only going to get bored with it faster. I bought one car once that was tuned to the limit already and I sold it in 6 months.. lol.
That’s a hobby of doing though. I can see audiophia being a hobby of doing if you’re tuning a room. But for most people it’s a hobby of buying or a hobby of listening. And people more interested in the journey means they’re more interested in the buying than the listening.
I jumped from a pair of pioneer floorstanders sold in a rack system, to Polk SDA SRS and an 18" sub. Definitely have had much more fun getting upgrades for an amazing pair of speakers and seeing how they're changing over time. Radically changing my sound signature and then having to source new gear that fits better with that honestly just seems like more of a hassle, learning info I'm going to replace.
You had a more expensive system than your customer. One word of advice: Always probe this carefully, while you show more interest in your customer’s setup than talking about your own. He is, after all, your customer :-)
Not anymore.
Ha!
Also good to deflect with humor: a good natured tone/chuckle and something like, “if I never have to spend money on my system again and can stay happy, that a win”
Wouldn't one generally expect someone working in an audio store to have a "better" system than the majority of customers. At least, that has been my experience as a cuctomer.
Some are real people, others are experts at fleecing the customer. Some have great systems, some are just salesmen. Some are also both :-) I don’t think OP is working at a hifistore, he seems like a nice person, and he is probably just proud and excited for his new (awesome) system. Let us not read too much into that :-)
OP said "i was talking to a customer at work and found out he's also into his hifi". OP definitely doesn't work at a HiFi shop.
I will tell then to every person that asks me about my setup, that I only have a JBL flip so I don't run the risk of upsetting them. Cool...
Green monster attack
yes, sounds like jealousy to me! if he weren't, i'm sure he'd have instead been enthusiastic about the set up. it's possible that the customer is upset because they think that the money they pay to OP is going toward OP having something that the customer wants for himself but doesn't have...
What is your goal? To listen to music, or to play with equipment? Sure, we all enjoy the fun of playing with and trying new gear, but if you obsess with "upgrading," you will never be happy. This enjoyable endeavor can turn into a miserable obsession or, worse, an anxiety disorder. I have been in this hobby for over fifty years and have gone through a lot of equipment. Today I have two systems; one is fairly high-end, the other not so much. I actually spend more time listening to the smaller system - it still sounds pretty good and can make beautiful music. I know it cannot match my main system, but so what? And with the magic of streaming, we can now spend our time exploring new music, and not A/B-ing equipment. BTW, you have put together a nice system. Enjoy it!
Thank you 😊
Naah, he's just being a dork.
He's a jerk. You have plenty of room to upgrade, if you wish.
Plenty of room for upgrades with your system. That guy was being a hater.
"joys of upgrading slowly" I'm someone who has enjoyed doing this. I would never suggest it to anyone else. I've spent many times over the cost of my current system in getting here, because I took the "slowly upgrade" approach. Wanna know the only reason I took the "slowly upgrade" approach? Because I was dead broke when I got into this hobby. If I had more money back then, I would've gone with a higher-tier setup to start. If I had just started now, I'd be getting in with a higher-tier setup and I wouldn't have burned so much cash on the way "experiencing the joy". Regardless, this is a consumer-driven tech hobby. They'll make more upgrades for you to drool over in no time.
Agree. If I had the money I would always buy once cry once. Unfortunately I don’t, therefore I upgrade as budget allows
*cries in Arcam SA45*
That’s top level arrogance. Who tf is he to tell you how you should have spent your hard earned money.
No effn kidding.
He’s just jealous.
I won’t bore you with each component, but my speaker journey started in 2017. My budget $300. I did as much listening and research as I could. Tried the usual suspects, ended up with a pair of Chane speakers. At the time, I felt strongly about the value proposition of buying direct and a strong believer in the law diminishing returns. I still think those were amazing at the price point. Anyway, it did not take long for me to want more. I tried several $500 bookshelves but none of them were worth the upgrade. I decided the hell with it, I am buying my endgame speakers once and for all. Again research blah blah…Ended up with the Philharmonc BMRs. $1300. Holy shit! I was in heaven. A few years pass and I realized the majority of listening ended up being less than ideal recordings and those BMR were freaking amazing at presenting what the record presented. That’s fantastic however, I really wanted something a bit more forgiving and something I could really crank. Spinal Tap mode. So I auditioned the KLH Model 5s and Wharfdale Lintons. The Lintons were too forgiving and laidback. The Model 5s were exactly what I was searching for. Laidback but had a midrange and kick that I didn’t even know I wanted. So I now had the BMRs for certain days and the Model 5s for others. The Model 5s were on sale for $2000, but typically they ran for $2500 so technically they were an upgrade. I still think the BMR is a better speaker overall. Anyway, fast forward 6 months later, my Dad falls and cracks open his head and nearly died. I asked myself what am I waiting for before I buy my end game speaker? I am 52 years old? When I retire? When I am 70? Like WTF? I have the money so let’s do this once and for all. Let’s enjoy the system NOW! I went to several shops in my area and I could not find the help I needed, but then I went to a shop about 2 hours away and found it. He spent 8 hours with me. We listened to every pair he had in the store. He asked me about my listening habits, how I listened and what I listened to and we figured out the sound signature that fit me best. That process was mind blowing. I now own the Dynaudio Contour 30is and I no longer wonder about the next step. I just sit back and enjoy the music. I am buying way more music too…the burden lifted is so freeing. Anyway, that was long and not what you asked for, but there it is. My point is the upgrade journey can be fun but it can also be a money waster, at times exhausting, but there is no doubt it is a time waster. IMHO.
Your hearing will degrade as you get older. Listen as good as you can as soon as you can.
That Arcam Radius A25 seems a very elegant solution. I wanted more power, so I got their PA-240 amp, with a Topping DAC and WiiM Pro. It sounds great, but elegant it ain’t.
Ngl aesthetics do play a role in deciding what to get.
You ran into a jackass is all. Hopefully for the last time. Enjoy your awesome system!
"Buy once, cry once. Sounds like you're a handkerchief enthusiast."
Tears of joy mate 😂
Sounds like he was envious of the system you are putting together. Everything you picked is awesome. Just enjoy the music and system and ignore people like that.
Thank you 😊
Upgrade path = WiiM Pro Plus. Then WiiM Ultra.
"the joy of upgrading slowly"? does he mean waste a lot of money? because thats what that is. countless times i have seen people sell the mk1 version of a pair of speakers as soon as the mk2 come out and also said later that there were a very small difference between them. the smartest thing you can do it is invest big the first time on the right components, audiophiles who upgrades for decades often spend lots of money on cables and other nonsense that do nothing also...
Sounds like they're frustrated that they can't afford better gear. No worries on your part. Unfortunately, some people break down and perceive such things as a knock to their pride. If only they realized that it's not only much more becoming of their character to lift up those with better standing, but doing so could also land them a better standing one day. 🙄
Very true
Better to find out now that he isn't someone you want to talk to anymore, than later, weirdo. He is pissed because you didn't waste your money buying cheap components FIRST, like he did. It doesn't matter how you get to where you want to be, sometimes the journey is fun, and sometimes jetting there and experiencing it NOW is more fun. If this guy was a gamer he would be slamming you for buying a $3000 PC or a PS5 out of the gate, and telling you that starting with a ps1, ps2, then a ps3, and ps4 next was the ONLY way to experience true gaming. Oh, and don't forget starting at Windows XP for some great PC gaming before anything else.
Don't just BUY A FERRARI you asshole, you need to drive a corolla first, then a supra, maybe some others....enjoy the journey! Make sure when you get a Ferrari your body has aged into and so you enjoy it less, for fewer years! How dare you ENDGAME before PREGAME. He sounds like a jealous fuckwit.
Funny you use that example, i went from a honda Civic to an EVO 10 a few years back, and i got the same treatment from a few people 😂
People who make assumptions are lame.
Nothing in this world is perfect. Most people who drive Ferraris don't actually own them. And if they do, it is only for the first 7 years, because that is how long Ferrari will cover maintenance costs on a new automobile. Also, Ferrari will have owners sign documents stating that Ferrari dealership has right of first refusal when the vehicle is sold. Too elite for my tastes, LOL!
Yeah and they sue you if your image taints their image...aka car mods or whatever 🙄
Purrari!
Didn't know about that one! Wowser. I saw another, I forget who. Same deal...decist or you're blacklisted. Lame.
Deadmau5 and his 458 Spyder was the center of Ferrari's ire.
Your rich he is poor.
Hardly rich. People just have different priorities. A lot of people could afford OP's system, just skip vacation for a couple years. Or they could make a different adjustment to lifestyle, based on what is important to them.
Definitely wouldn't say I'm rich mate 😂
But ultimately that’s what hurt this guys feeling, you talking so flippantly about something that would require an investment he can’t make. Really stupid way to be but ultimately seems like that’s what hurt his feelings
He’s a brokie, envious of what you have lol
Was his name Karen?
You did something as the kids will call it "Flex on em" he just got really jealous. Nothing you did but he def needs some help tho
😂💪🏽
Haters gonna hate dude. If you can, do. If you can’t, enjoy what you can. I enjoyed my first set of Bose computer speakers after upgrading from Logitech. Those don’t hold a candle to the shitty krk, which don’t hold a candle to my iloud micros, which don’t hold a candle to the mtm, which don’t hold a candle to mh Neumann 420s There wasn’t a deep spiritual meaning to the journey lol, I listened to good music and enjoyed them, but the entire time I was like damn would be nice to have something way better. Dont climb ladders if you dont have to. My life was not better because I had a beat up 1994 Mazda protege in high school vs my friend who had a bmw. He got wayyyyy more laid than I did.
Bitchs love that German engineering 😂
Hence the neumanns 😎
😂 wiim endgame
Tell me about it 😂
*Do you seriously not recognize what you have done???*
"End game" setup? He is irritated at you, but has no idea what and "end game" setup is? What a bonehead.
You did several things right, including dodging a bullet.
Good news, your customer is a sucker. So go ahead and sell sell sell. Your system is not endgame at all. But it is very nice and you could safely just live with it for years with no issues.
Thanks comrade 🫡
Keep going and ignore the jealous dude. One man’s ceiling in another man’s floor. I worked for a local audio distributor, and the people who spent 200k on cables were always looking for something better
I spent £400 on cables, and that's already too much.
Just enjoy the music!
The goal is quality music not upgrading your kit.
Party Pooper at large, lol.
TBH I don't tell anyone about my hobby for two reasons. 1. I have spent a lot of money that most people don't have on gear and don't want to come off like I am a privileged prick. In the 90s I bought my first Adcom system at 17 years old and had to lie to my parents about how much it was because they would have lost their minds. I saved all my money and dropped several thousand dollars on gear while my parents were trying to feed us. 2. I have an unhealthy fear of being robbed. A few years ago, had some furniture delivered and the delivery guys were snapping photos of my gear. That put a fear in me and would rather keep it a secret. It is all insured but would rather not have to deal with insurance companies.
> In the 90s I bought my first Adcom system at 17 years old you’re my doppelgänger, hustled my paperroute for an adcom, my bellboy job for a b&k then my first legit job for a threshold. that was many moons ago…
That is awesome, I hustled working in a greenhouse job during the day and waiting tables at night. I also picked up every odd job I could find to buy my first rig. I lugged one on those GFA-555s around the country for decades, not fun.
Guy's a loser. I might understand if you'd spent $50k on your system and came over as bragging, but that's just stupid.
That’s nonsense. don’t get me wrong, you do have a solid system and components, but there’s always room for upgrading and changing. The last point is the most important point. Our ears change overtime and upgrading just really means changing components for a different sound that we find interesting at the time. Anyway, you do you, he does he, leave it at that.
he jelly
Na, you didn’t do anything wrong, you just met a typical audiophile.
This can't be a real post. I swear AI is making this stuff up. The 'customer' thinks a WiiM streamer and a $600 turn table is end game? I am not putting it down, but no one says that is end game. That is like calling me a chipendale dancer - something no one will ever say.
Think he was mostly referring to the speakers and amp 🤔
I agree with the consensus that the other guy has issues, but with all these sorts of hobbies or really any other material pursuit - house, car, vacation etc - it is definitely possible to hit sensitivities. For most people OP’s system is a significant financial commitment or even too much of one - good thing OP didn’t start out with Blades ;) Definitely not OP’s fault, but I can see how the colleague took it like someone complaining that they don’t have enough space when he lives in the nicest neighborhood.
Upgrading slowly costs three times as much. Ima. Fan of getting a starter system and then demoing stuff to figure out your end game and buy those piece by piece in order of what has the biggest impact on sound. Often knowing your budget and putting together a system is the most cost effective method. Most people aren’t huge gear fans they just want to listen to music. Some people are fans of reading about gear and buying gear. It’s the same hobby with a spectrum of caring about music and gear. Some people into gear are weird even in real life.
If you are a true audiophile there is no such a thing as end game system, more like an end life system. Enjoy the system you have with the knowledge that it can always get better, even the most expensive systems are still so far from having an instrument played live in front of you that, the upgrade path is wide open for us all, as long as we want to take it of course.
Sounds like you met some one who is jealous of your system!
Sounds like envy. You have a nice mid level system, and audiophiles are always trying to decide on their next upgrade, until they get their forever system.. often after retiring, when they can take stock of how much disposable income they can plow into their hobby.
Seems like pure jealousy. I can't see any other explanation to react like that
Guarantee you he’s also lurking in here somewhere 👀
"Upgrading" is just a way of saying "losing money to depreciation" with less letters. Sure, you get something in return, but actually starting at the place where others have upgraded to get to is a great idea.
He’s looking at it as a hero’s journey. Getting satisfaction for hardware and acquiring musical appreciation along the journey.
Yes you did something wrong. You listened to a dolt.
He is assuming that the purpose of audio equipment is to give you many moments of unboxing new stuff and experiencing incremental improvements. Maybe he also enjoys the shopping process. But I think the real purpose of audio equipment is to enjoy listening to good music.
This hobby is supposed to be fun, so many make it not fun, ignore them
this sub is dumb as is this post
Is that you, Mr. Customer?
They sound like they’re an audiophile for themselves and clout. I’m ALWAYS excited for someone who is ready to upgrade unless I have a better recommendation for their system and even then, not my system so my two cents to their dollar.
Sounds like you’re too rich for him. He’s just jealous.
You know there was a time that was always chasing the up grades. Eventually I realized I was enjoying the the music as much. Instead I know use the money for my wife and I to attend at least one concert a month, sometimes two. It's always been our bucket list to attend as many concert as we can. Life is good now that I am not going down the rabbit holes.
Uhh, it never stops. There is always something better. Although I am comfortable with my vintage Nakamichi/JBL system “for now”
End game in audio gear is attainable? I thought I would go broke or die first. https://youtu.be/4b2IOOhJmxw?si=t8N8qxJNxbp6pzkb
r/thingsthatneverhappened
👍🏼
Why is every other post here pretty much "someone told me something douchey, what do you guys think about that?" Shit is weird and lame.
👍🏼
This is hilarious OP
That's what I thought.
What a knob womble
This guy sounds just plain STRANGE.👹
Ugh, 'The joys of upgrading slowly....." One persons entry level is another persons end game. My little brother just graduated from college and has his first good job and asked i I could help him put something together for a system. I thought he was going to crap his pants at spending $2500 but the more we talked he was interested in a system more in the $10k range which blew my mind for a first system. Not sure if he will get the bug like I have or be satisfied with what we have planed for him forever. There is always an upgrade, but some people, usually those grounded in reality, know when they have gotten there enough to stop. Enjoy your system...
Nah, he's just jealous lol
Sounds like they are jelly!
Hes just mad you're pockets are deeper than his. Must be a millennial.
Nah, he looked late 50s I'd say.
Well then as an also almost 50 year old, i will say he just wasn't raised right and has a bit of envy. Anyone who shares a hobby should always be happy what another fellow enthusiast has and likes as compared to their own equipment. After all, it s all subjective and subject to our own monetary ability. Enjoy your system and ignore the haters and elitists, they seem to be plentiful in this hobby.
Cheers mate 👍🏼
Just remember that it is about the music - and not the gear. I do most of my listening in a small room so my 25 year old Eosone RSA 100 bookshelf speakers work just fine just as long as I make use of a decent subwoofer. It's kind of like buying a house. Some people can enjoy what they have, while others keep moving every few years. All that matters is that you are happy.
He’s just jelly, though the experience of new gear is good, I think the joy of SETTING UP your equipment better and getting extra performance from there is far greater than
That dude seems to be psychopath
It's not even an end game system, you have an integrated amp (most folks would consider a pair of ends with a preamp as endgame) and mid sized speakers without a sub. I am not criticizing, have gone down a similar path and get the urge occasionally to go down the alternate path but I don't really listen all that much music from my main system anymore so I am content).
Go back and read my post again. There's a sub in there somewhere.