j0z3r:

An audiophile I am not, so explain to me, if you would be so kind, who spends $50,000 on a set of speakers? I have done some light research on the speakers in question, I just cannot comprehend how they can be that good.

Quite honestly, I don't know who spends that much, either, Joe. Somebody's doing it, though, cuz crazy-expensive speakers (and every other stereo component you can think of) have been around for a long, long time.

I've never heard the MAXX's, so I don't know if they're worth it. I did hear, many years ago, the Wilson WATT/Puppy in combination with their WHOW subwoofer, and I have to say it was a pretty astonishing experience. Back then, I think the WATT/Puppy sold for $17k a pair, and the WHOW was, like, another $10k. (I may be wrong about that.) Was what I heard, astonishing as it was, worth that kind of money? Probably not. But it was damn exhilarating.

The speakers I have sold for $6.5k, back when I bought them. I bought a demo pair, so I didn't pay quite that much, but, to me, they're worth that.

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So then would it be overreaching to say that although they are a superb product with excellent performance, perhaps part of the draw is the prestige of owning a $50,000 set of speakers? Not to mention the equipment driving them?

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"Beliefs are neat. Cherish them, but don't share them like they're the truth" Bill Hicks

Certainly. I mean, you have to understand how much is involved with speakers like that. As you mentioned, somebody who owns those is going to have, oh, at least twice that in the equipment driving them. And by "equipment" I mean only amp(s), preamp, cd player (or turntable), and cables; a man can spend $8-9k just on a pair of speaker cables.

But even then you're just at the beginning. There's no point buying that kind of setup if you don't have a dedicated, purpose-built listening room for it. Then you've got the separate electrical mains to run it off of. And so forth.

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That's incredible. To those with the means and desire, I say more power to them. I'll never quite understand the audiophile mindset, but I certainly won't begrudge their pleasure.

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"Beliefs are neat. Cherish them, but don't share them like they're the truth" Bill Hicks

I wouldn't mind that kind of set up....even though my ears can only hear between the ranges of 20Hz - maybe 18kHz, the sonic waves have to feel good on the skin! Then again, I'd be happy with a nice pair of KRKs

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"As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to love it more and more." - Jules Renard

Huge metal and classic rock fan here. A general idea Pink Floyd The Beatles Rush Ted Nugent Opeth Cannibal Corpse Death Amon Amarth Obituary Entombed Judas Priest Metallica The list could go much longer...

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"The cake is a lie."

urbino:

Certainly. I mean, you have to understand how much is involved with speakers like that. As you mentioned, somebody who owns those is going to have, oh, at least twice that in the equipment driving them. And by "equipment" I mean only amp(s), preamp, cd player (or turntable), and cables; a man can spend $8-9k just on a pair of speaker cables.

But even then you're just at the beginning. There's no point buying that kind of setup if you don't have a dedicated, purpose-built listening room for it. Then you've got the separate electrical mains to run it off of. And so forth.

You also have to have cable elevators to get those 9k speaker cables off the floor. An AC cord that is about 6 Gauge, a hospital grade receptecle and yes dedicated lines for the Digital and power - with ac power conditioners. What about the interconnects - can't skimp there. :)

I probably do have 20K in my tunes, but no analog which is noticeable better. But I just can't bring myself to pay another 30 bucks per album. I did skimp, so to speak, on the interconnects and speaker cable. I did however run seperate ac lines to the digital and power amps with hospital grade receptacles, but I did it myself, so the cost was probably about 100 bucks.

There is more than just the frequencies you can hear. There is a thing called sound stage depth and width. Does the music reside outside the speakers. Can you hear the individual instruments in space. Does the sax sound behind the speakers and to the left - is the guitar to the right and front... etc... Does the musical sound analytical or does it sound musical. :)

I purchased my last stuff about 3 years ago and have no regrets. It's just what you like and what's important to you. I do like it! - But we are in a world with mp3 files :) Different strokes..

You'll get no argument from me. Sounds like a sweet setup. As for me, basically, I finally realized I was never going to be able to set up a proper listening room, so I adjusted my expectations and went for simplicity.

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My room is far from perfect, but you have to live there. Well I have to live there.

I did see a guy's set up in his basement. He had 40 K strads and all the ancillary equipent. Glowing tubes, REL sub, 1 ft diamter speaker cables held up by small bridges... :) Actually he was in Audiogon's dream system or satisified for now - one of the virtual systems... Anyway, each speaker along with the sub - was marked with tape as well as a single chair's placement - which sat in the perfect center position... One chair... I did sit in the CHAIR and it did sound wonderful, but.... seemed a bit excessive. I kind of was thinking perhaps some electrostat headphoness and a headphone amp - perhaps knock off like 95K off the system price. But hey... :) Guess he's got the cash and it makes him happy - Hell I'm just jealous. He was like 45 and retired...

If you like Megadeth and don't already have it or have not heard of it, get the new album Endgame. Its friggen awesome. Mustaine and Friedman shred on this one.

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"If life was fair, ELVIS would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead." Johnny Carson

These are my absolute favorites and by no means encompass all that I listen to. I like everything except rap. Alice in Chains Stone Temple Pilots Scott Weiland Sevendust Shinedown Trapt Chevelle A Perfect Circle Brian "Head" Welch Metallica Black Eyed Peas Eric Clapton CCR Enya Alicia Keys

I have eccentric tastes, me thinks. Just some of what *I* consider classic:

AC/DC - Back in Black
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom of the Opera
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
Coldplay - Parachutes
Deftones - White Pony
DJ Micro - Tech-Mix Live
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Dream Theater - Awake
Duke Ellington - Never No Lament
Enya - Watermark
Garth Brooks - Ropin' The Wind
Hatebreed - Perseverance
Hopesfall - Magnetic North
Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual
John Barry - Dances With Wolves Soundtrack
John Mayer - Continuum
Johnny Cash - At Folsom
Journey - Escape
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Mozart - Requiem
Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Pearl Jam - Ten
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon
Puccini - La bohème
Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
Rogers & Hammerstein - Carousel
Rush - Moving Pictures
Rush - 2112
Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling towards Escasy
Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
U2 - The Joshua Tree
Usher - Confessions
Van Halen - MCMLXXXIV

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Happiness is: a belt fed weapon

I lsten to almost everything with the exception of country.....

Tool
A perfect circle
Metallica
Megadeath
Slayer
Sepultura
Slipknot
Mudvayne
Tom Petty
Pink Floyd
Led Zepplin
Cream
Ice T
Ice Cube
Dr Dre
ACDC
Motley Crue
Mushroomhead
Queensryche

And pretty much anything else thats heavy and fast and iam sure i left a ton more i left off.

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Favs in Bio are yours??

Iam a standing member of PETA ...... People Eating Tasty Animals

jlzimmerman:

I have eccentric tastes, me thinks. Just some of what *I* consider classic:

bro love me some Dream Theater. Put on Scenes or Octavarium and just chill with a cigar, good times. Still haven't picked up the new album is it any good?

Peter_Lindgren:

Huge metal and classic rock fan here. A general idea Pink Floyd The Beatles Rush Ted Nugent Opeth Cannibal Corpse Death Amon Amarth Obituary Entombed Judas Priest Metallica The list could go much longer...

Yes it could!!! Except Rush...

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If Satan had a Hockey Team, then I'd Be the Goalie.