Audiophilia

[mauidan]

"If you want to be a player in today’s hi-fi scene, Grellman says that $100,000 will put you in low-end territory. If you can spend between $200,000 and $300,000, you can buy a very, very good system. And for the best of the best? A million should do the trick. Of course, spending a boatload of money doesn’t always mean you get a great-sounding system."


http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/07/wired-life-audiophile/

 

[MylesBAstor]

Thanks for the post Dan! Nice to see what Mike is up to

 

[Peter Breuninger]

Who is Mike Grellman? Perhaps I have my head in the sand... there are so many bloggers it's hard to keep up!

 

[microstrip]

Nice link. IMHO once you experience such systems you understand what this hobby is about. Some people try a constructive approach, knowing the limits of their systems but maximizing their performance, learning and enhancing specially the aspects that please their preference, others find their pleasure questioning small aspects and then trying to make a generalization.

A pity that the debate that follows soon becomes an exchange of insults.

 

[Peter Breuninger]

It's not how much you spend but how you spend it.
Quote of the day.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Who is Mike Grellman? Perhaps I have my head in the sand... there are so many bloggers it's hard to keep up!

Mike is a longtime audiophile who at one time was associated with Fi magazine (think he was the sales manager?). I think Steve is good friends with Mike?

 

[Ron Party]

I last spoke with Mike about 2 weeks ago. He told me about the then upcoming Wired article. He felt honored to have been selected. I have not heard his system since he changed to the smaller Rockports, but knowing Mike I'm sure it still sounds fantastic. Boy does his room look so much bigger without the bigger monolithic Rockports he used to own. Interesting, but not surprising, that Mike still uses Elvis's Fever as one of his go to cuts. As Steve, Carl, or anyone else who has experienced Mike's system knows, that track is hauntingly good in Mike's room.

 

[cjfrbw]

I last spoke with Mike about 2 weeks ago. He told me about the then upcoming Wired article. He felt honored to have been selected. I have not heard his system since he changed to the smaller Rockports, but knowing Mike I'm sure it still sounds fantastic. Boy does his room look so much bigger without the bigger monolithic Rockports he used to own. Interesting, but not surprising, that Mike still uses Elvis's Fever as one of his go to cuts. As Steve, Carl, or anyone else who has experienced Mike's system knows, that track is hauntingly good in Mike's room.

Yup!

 

[mep]

I last spoke with Mike about 2 weeks ago. He told me about the then upcoming Wired article. He felt honored to have been selected. I have not heard his system since he changed to the smaller Rockports, but knowing Mike I'm sure it still sounds fantastic. Boy does his room look so much bigger without the bigger monolithic Rockports he used to own. Interesting, but not surprising, that Mike still uses Elvis's Fever as one of his go to cuts. As Steve, Carl, or anyone else who has experienced Mike's system knows, that track is hauntingly good in Mike's room.

Sounds damn good in my system too. Elvis is singing through a reverb chamber, and it sounds like the old fashioned kind that recording studios use to have where you had a chamber with springs in another room and not the electronic/digital reverb effect that is added now days.

 

[Steve Williams]

"If you want to be a player in today’s hi-fi scene, Grellman says that $100,000 will put you in low-end territory. If you can spend between $200,000 and $300,000, you can buy a very, very good system. And for the best of the best? A million should do the trick. Of course, spending a boatload of money doesn’t always mean you get a great-sounding system."


http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/07/wired-life-audiophile/

Mike is a good friend of mine. He lived a mile from me when I 3was in the SFBay area

 

[Steve Williams]

Mike is a longtime audiophile who at one time was associated with Fi magazine (think he was the sales manager?). I think Steve is good friends with Mike?

I thought Mike was the last owner of Fi before the lights went out

 

[MylesBAstor]

I thought Mike was the last owner of Fi before the lights went out

Not sure about that Steve. You'd know better about Mike's involvement. I don't know why but I thought Grell left a bit before the end.

At the end, I remember Larry Kay and Jerry Gladstein. AFAIK, Jerry was the major money behind Fi.

 

[mauidan]

Steve,

Seems like Mike would be a great addition to WBF's membership, have you ever invited him to join?

 

[MrAcoustat]

I last spoke with Mike about 2 weeks ago. He told me about the then upcoming Wired article. He felt honored to have been selected. I have not heard his system since he changed to the smaller Rockports, but knowing Mike I'm sure it still sounds fantastic. Boy does his room look so much bigger without the bigger monolithic Rockports he used to own. Interesting, but not surprising, that Mike still uses Elvis's Fever as one of his go to cuts. As Steve, Carl, or anyone else who has experienced Mike's system knows, that track is hauntingly good in Mike's room.

That track is good on ANY good system.

 

[Steve Williams]

Steve,

Seems like Mike would be a great addition to WBF's membership, have you ever invited him to join?

I did. Many times. He lurks here

 

[mmatuva]

Interesting, fun article. Unfortunately, the comments at the end--and in particular by MF of Stereophile (assuming that is actually him) do not do our hobby any favors if you ask me. I respect his opinions and generally reading his column (although I sometimes disagree), but the need to respond to virtually every comment that someone posts in the article, usually by ridiculing or even berating them accomplishes nothing other than to maybe make him feel better for a second.

Unfortunately, the side effect of his tirades is to confirm the view of 98% of that readership that we are all condescending jerks. I appreciate the passion and attempt to defend our hobby, but before MF does the audiophile world any more "favors" he should be made to take the Hippocratic oath--first, do no harm!

 

[es347]

Sounds damn good in my system too. Elvis is singing through a reverb chamber, and it sounds like the old fashioned kind that recording studios use to have where you had a chamber with springs in another room and not the electronic/digital reverb effect that is added now days.

Not much of an Elvis fan but darned if that track didn't sound amazing here in my room as well...thanks to mep!

 

[mep]

Not much of an Elvis fan but darned if that track didn't sound amazing here in my room as well...thanks to mep!

I brought the record, but it was your system that brought it to life. Your Rega table built into that custom made plinth you had commissioned not only looks great, it throws down a serious challenge to digital. We also watched some videos on Gavin's way cool home theater system which has Martin Logan speakers across the front three channels which sounded really good. I can just imagine what it would be like to watch football games with that huge screen and sound system.

 

[puroagave]

reading the comments that follow it looks like Fremer had too much time on his hands that day. for somone with that much vinyl half his LP picks were 'digital' recordings fwiw, i've never heard "fever" sound bad on any system and it flatters a good one.

 

[Bill Hart]

Which pressing of the Elvis? DCC did it.