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Sometimes your friend /buddy asks you to listem to their new rig
and it sounds terrible ...What was it - and what did you say ?I heard some Radio Shack Mach 2's - just boom and sizzle !
I said they were "different" ...Yeah different from sounding like original instruments or music - like diffrent -like from outer space ....
Follow Ups:
Years ago i visited a buddy in California. He'd been telling me about this awesome system his neighbor had. He wangled an invitation from this guy to listen to his system.Had to be at least $30-40,000. No furniture in the living/dining room except for one chair, it was all taken over by his system. His wife and kids were in the family room. He kept bragging about his "world class" system. Didn't image worth a damn and had some of the same funny artifacts that Bose 901's often did, with the image of a huge disembodied head floating around the room on vocals and huge floating instruments that wandered about. Plus his new Cal Audio CD player was screwed up and applied HDCD to some non-HDCD CD's.
I covered by commenting how nicely his system got the timbre of individual instruments (like: "really nice tympani").
I couldn't wait to get out of there. The stress of being polite and proper as invited guest was killing me. I really wanted to tell him he was a pompous jerk and his "world class" system sucked.
if you think he's only pompous because he paid all that money, then i'd still be nice. but if he was poo-pooing your system, then that's another story.
I called him pompous because he kept talking about his "world class" system. He was also derogatory of my system and my friend's and kept talking about how much better his was (it wasn't).Charlie (my friend) is not really into the hobby, but he likes good sound and really enjoys his music. His system at the time was a pair of early Bose 301's (the good ones), an H-K receiver and an H-K CD player. Nicely set up and it sounded quite good. At that time I was using my JBL L-110's driven by an Onkyo TX-870 receiver and a Sony CDP-XA1ES. He sneered at my using JBL's. Actually, he sneered even more at a receiver. He didn't bad mouth the Sony because it was ranked by Stereophile at the time. (summer of 2001) I tried to explain the L-110's were not typical for JBL's and had Advent Legacy woofers in sealed boxes. He clearly wasn't listening and said, "well, they're still JBL's". Then he went back to talking about his "world class" system.
After we got back to Charlie's we played the same CD's on his system. It imaged better and actually had more accurate timbre on high strings.
Jerry
You don't have to like them.Hope this helps,
'what were your sonic goals for what you've got here?'.usually, after that-- you can actually focus on what they did or didn't accomplish, where the holes are, where they're going-- that way it's not personal-- it's a process. plus.. it lets you figure out what their idea of 'good' is, or if they have one! then tailor your response..
if they didn't HAVE goals or a process, it gives 'em a window into realizing the idear of synergy and the fact that sonics are more important than marketing.. and mebbe even helps 'em start thinking about it, or seek out other examples..
I went out to Knoxville to visit my little brother, he used to live with me and had a good idea what my system sounded like. No big deal right? well he had to take me over to his friends house (who was also into building and tweeking systems) but was a solidstate guy. No big deal, I keep a opened mind and might learn something.Well this guy started questioning me about my background and I down play him. He shows me his setup and some other toys he has around the house. Usually when people insyst a certain amp or manufacterer is the bomb it turns me off. Well after listening to his setup I went to my car and got out some dave matthews. I know what he sounds like in concert and how the cd sounds in my system. After the first song my brother and this guy turns to me and says WOW they didnt record this too well huh? I smiled and just went on with the show.
I'm going through this right now in my own house with (hold your breath)...my wife. You see, ever since I got into recording and really critically listening to music, my eyes (well, my ears) have really opened. What used to sound good to me now sounds too "affected". My wife and I used to love heavy bass, rockin' out to our huge Cerwin Vega speakers. She still does, so every time I audition a new set of speakers and have her take a listen her remark is "Not enough bass". Meanwhile, I'm experiencing Nirvana (at least of the musical variety...). So as a concession, I told her I am going to recap the Vegas to "open them up" to how they sounded before. I'm hoping a little midrange will be restored and I'll be able to listen to music with my wife again without wanting to crank down the bass control. Wish me luck, Scott
I usually tell them my hearing's not the best (which it's not) and that everyone has different preferences...
RS Mach Two's are a decent sounding speaker system.
They are even better if you rotate the tweeters 90 degrees.
if they dig it, then good for them. now, if there's obviously something malfunctioning and they still think it sounds good, then i'll pipe up. like a tube amp distorting to high hell due to bad bias resistors.but if it's just not my cup of tea and i'm asked for my opinion. i'll say just that. "well, it does sound good, not exactly what i'm used to hearing, but everyone's ears are different."
remember, i made a post about this a few months ago?
I know it sounds less than totally kind, but even in situations where a white lie would be easier it's best to (gently, not boorishly) speak truthfully.As an example, if asked at a dinner party how the food was, I go so far as to tell the hostess that the roast wasn't up to her usual standards, etc. if it wasn't.
People need accurate information and if you always but always tell the truth you become THE person that can be relied on in your circle.
Even if I don't like a piece of equipment, I always can find something good to say. There are few pieced that have no redeming qualities. Mach 2's are easy. "Wow! Those things are powerful! I like the cool retro styling, too."I did not take my own advice when a frend of mine bought some white van speakers in the 80's. I told him he got conned. We are still friends!
My ex-boss spent big bucks to make a media room with built in plasma TV and the prerequisite overpriced top of the line all Bose sound system. My new standard line is...."Wow- I never knew that movies could actually sound like that!"Another friend has a Bose Wave tazbketop radio in his kitchen that he thinks sounds better than anything in the world. My response to him...."Wow- I never knew that a radio could actually sound like that!"
Another one bought a vintage Caddy with a Bose...."Wow I never knew a Car could actually sound like that...."
If any of them had showed me the bill for their fab new Bose gear I would have used the same line again....Wow- I never knew that XXX could actually cost that much!!!"
You're welcome to drop over and listen to the Bose AM-5's I have in the living room. They really are not that bad. However, it took me two full weeks of screwing around to get them set up properly. They were a b---h to set up! Why do I even have Bose? Because of the high WAF.I tried them in my den and never could get a set up that sounded decent. I suspect that at least 75% are poorly set up.
I always try: "Y'know, those sounded pretty impressive in their day."
Because they did, with the right setup. I remember a customer, an engineer who went to MIT, who came into the hi-fi shop I worked in for a while after college.
Being an MIT grad, he was an Amar Bose guy, and he wanted a Thorens TD125 with Rabco/Shure V15III, Mac C28 and 2105, and a pair of Bose 901s. We tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't have anything else. So I packed them in his VW bug one cold evening and wished him happy listening.
I wonder where all that c.1970 stuff is now.
Your response is most tactful.
I'd rather hang with someone who thinks Bose is good than with someone who thinks----name your favorite "audiophile" delusion here----is good.
"Amen" Tom!
Yup, I agree.
--
Al G
so, my pebbles are more involving and coherent than your pebbles!ha ha!
I politely nod, and try to appreciate a "differnt" appreciation than what I am used too..After all, its your "Friends" ears that ultimately count for His system, as it is your ears for your system. Unless there is some glaring problem, such as a woofer buzz, or tweeter malfunction, or an obvious phasing issue, I dont render "aid or comment" unless asked. We all like differnt things, I enjoy My Mach 2's, and in my room, and on my equipment dont consider them to "Boom and Sizzle"..But, Elto's ears tell Him they do, so we all happily move on and respect each others perceptions:)
"I've heard only nice things about Bose."
... I give it in a way that doesn't tear down what they currently have. It's all really supposed to be about enjoying the music and having a bit of fun in life, isn't it?
nt
work for a local av chain that is now gone.after a few installations i learned to make myself busy cleaning-up and loading the truck while the other installer would show the customer how it all works and looks and sounds.
the first few installations the customer would ask me --so what do you think ?--
i am not a very good liar but also couldnt tell them what i really thought so i formulated a reply that i use till this day.
i say --it doesnt matter i think. all that matters is that it looks and sounds great to you.--
on a few occassions the customer actually was brought to tears when seeing what their expensive plasma looked liked with non-hd material.
and the other installers would crank the demo av dvd to uncomfortable levels.
during all this i would be as invisible and as far away as possible and then when leaving i would remind the customer that their system can actually cause hearing damage.
i got canned from that job when i made the --mistake-- of educating a customer.
he returned $11,500 worth of equipment that he was
but then left with $14,000 worth of equipment based on my educating him.
And they know it & don't care, so it's luckily not a problem.I suppose I'd just smile & nod and say "mmmmm!"
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