Hi,

I have not purchased hifi for quite some time - 2009 was my last purchase of Cambridge Audio 650A amplifier.

I do use the publication for ideas on my own designs (hobby) as this publication as with others, provide an insight and valuable solutions for my designs - such as a 192kHz 24bit capable USB interface IC/Solution.

Regards,

Richard.

I have purchased a number of things after reading CRITIC reviews: CJ 350 amp, Superline, MIGs, Metrum Octave, Cardas GR speaker cables, Rega 1000 arm, MF V-DAC, Creek 22 pre come to mind. I have been disappointed in none of them; in most of them I had other sources as well as CRITIC. I also bought several other things that were not tested in CRITIC and was generally happy with them as well. I have been in a period of buying and selling over the last three years or so as I had skipped the previous 12 and wanted to get a sense of the current state of the field. I think I have now done that and am ready to dispose of some of my purchases; although as I look at the above list I will be keeping all my CRITIC inspired purchases except possibly the MIGs as I have just gotten in some Q-Bricks from Skylan which look very promising. While no review can substitute for listening for yourself this is often not possible and I have found CRITIC reviews consistent and accurate, which is all you could ask of any review.

It was £1300.00 and a bit of a favour price, but could come down with quantity no doubt as all the initial design work has been done. Let me know hew many and I will ask the question.

Cheerz,

Alex.

And we do very much appreciate that, Martin.

Though it must be said - looking forward to your forthcoming review of the £130k CD player - the overlap between purchasers of that sort of kit, and readership of your magazine, must be quite slim :-) I could be wrong, but my mental model of the purchaser of that sort of thing isn't of a man who spends hours listening to alternatives, it's of a man (sexist, I know, but...) who throws some money at an interior "specialist" and says "sort it out..."

Mine also; my friend with the Sasha is quite well off but shopped around for quite a while and eventually bought a NEW pair of $28,000 speakers for $18,000. Call me old and out of touch but what puzzles me is who is buying the ultra expensive gear out there. Bill Conrad told me a couple of years ago that someone had complied a list of 99 speakers above $100,000 in the US. Another friend pointed out last week that this was out of date and he had seen a list of 130 odd above $100,000 with the top price being $6,000,000 per pair. He alleged that these were made of solid gold or some such thing. Considering the performance of the speakers in the under $30,000 range [ Wilson, Avalon, Sonus Faber, etc] what do you get by tripling or quadrupling the price? When I read ROAD AND TRACK or CAR I liked the Ferrari reviews although I knew I would never buy one and indeed had no desire to travel 200 mph on the highway. What I have yet to grasp is what aspect of performance a $120,000 speaker [ or amp or whatever] betters a $30,000 one in?

Here is the list: audio pornography or insanity, you make the call. http://www.higherfi.com/spkrlist/speakerlist.htm

Edited by user 08 June 2012 11:10:34(UTC)  | Reason: add list

But they do expect to sell a few more Mclaren/Ferrari/Lambos etc than £100K speakers



Perhaps they get closer to the original sound sound, more like live music. One for people who consider regular hi-fi only a pale imitation of live music..........OK maybe not!!

I stand corrected in my assertion that anyone who can afford to spend "silly money" on a CD player doesn't have the time to choose and listen to it. Good, I'm glad I'm wrong and that there are some well-heeled music lovers out there.

Going slightly off-topic, the comparison with expensive cars brings into focus (for me, at least) the previous discussion we were sort-of having about the role of journalists. For various personal reasons, my wife and I decided to have a mid-life crisis last summer and bought ourselves a very secondhand Mercedes SLK320. I'm not trying to show off or even justify it, it was the price of a secondhand Fiesta, but part of my point is that when it was new, it was a £35k car, and Mercedes presumably have a significant advertising spend in the magazines. If you read the road-tests of the time, they are almost universally complimentary, the only negative point is that steering feel is a little lacking and could perhaps be a little better. A little lacking??? A little better??? Good God, our ton-and-three-quarter front-wheel-drive diesel 7-seater (an S-Max) has much better steering! The SLK turns in well enough, certainly, but the driver really hasn't a clue about what's going on down there at all (because Mercedes chose to recycle the recirculating ball steering from the C-class saloon parts bin rather than do it properly). I well remember the opinionated and crusading journalism of the "Car" magazine of my youth[1], that sort of reporting would appear to have been neutered by the turn of the millenium, judging by the SLK reports I've read. I really like the SLK, but a sports car it ain't...[2]

As the publisher of a non-advertising subscription journal, Martin may or may not feel able to comment on any similarities to the audio industry.


[1] Best cover I can remember off-hand was when they put a new turbocharged hatch from the struggling (but British) Rover company up against the usual GTi suspects, and found it was a dreadful car, suffering from appalling torque-steer amongst its many problems. So onto the cover went an overhead shot of the group, with the bold tagline "Spot The Dog!". Brilliant. Probably didn't help the advertising dept, though!

[2] It's on Michelin Pilot Primacys at the front. I never have rated them. Anyone with experience of alternatives is very welcome to PM me :-)

Just remembered that I wrote this. In case anyone cares, it's now much improved by the addition of a pair of Continental SportContacts on the front. Funny that; every car I've bought in the last few years has had Michelin Pilot Primacys on it, and every single one has been much improved by throwing them away! They cost a fortune, and they're, erm, well, they don't meet my criteria for what makes a good tyre, anyway.

The SLK steering is still pretty dead - recirculating ball does that - but the chassis itself is now quite talkative and one has a much better sense of what's going on under the contact patches. Too much power, you can vividly feel it pushing wide; back off, and in it turns... Much better, and much safer and more re-assuring.

Just got the Allegri in and set up. First impression is that it is the best I have heard in my system. I was quite happy with my Audia Flight 3; which I considered a very neutral preamp. This seems even more natural; you just want to keep listening. Once again introduced to a product I would likely never heard of considering Townshend's lack of exposure in the American market. Again I find, even with limited listening, that the review was consistent with what I am hearing. The lack of electronic coloration and transparency is exceptional.Resolving lyrics that escaped even the Audia.

Edited by user 05 August 2012 17:54:14(UTC)  | Reason: clarification

Hello all, new member here. My name is Dave Neumann and I live in Louisville Kentucky. I am hifistan's protege and the "Dave" he has referred to in previous posts who owns the Wilson Sashas.

Thank you for such a great forum. I appreciate the solid information and reasoned opinion, without the typical crap, bias or mindless ramblings of other audio forums which will remain nameless. And Martin is to be commended for being so responsive and accessible on this forum.

In response to the original post, I have used Critic reviews and rankings as both general guidance and confirmation of my own research and auditioning. Before purchasing my Sashas, I did extensive auditioning around the US hearing them in many different settings. But the Critic review was the final confirmation I needed regarding the performance capabilities of the speakers.

After reading the Koetsu Vermillion review, I bought the cartridge without audition. I have been thrilled by its performance in my system.

While I decided on the ARC Reference 5 independently of any published review, after reading Martin's review of the SE version I have decided to do the upgrade next month. It will be an interesting personal test of the performance rating system to hear what was evaluated as a 30% improvement of the SE over the original.

I recently purchased Stan's Naim Superline with Teddy Pardo supercap power. After hearing it in my system, it was a no-brainer and a significant improvement over my Tron Seven. Only after making the purchase did I come to find out that the Superline is also in Martin's reference system, which again gives me the confidence that I made a great purchase.

The rest of my system consists of a TW Acoustic Raven One turntable, Graham Phantom II Surpreme arm, and Lamm M1.2 Reference amps, all connected with Cardas Golden Reference from phono cable to power cord. No digital playback currently in my main system. My dedicated listening room measures 23 X 15 X 9 feet.

So upon reflection, the Critic reviews have played a solid part in helping me build my system. Where I live there are no high end audio stores so equipment must be purchased after doing some traveling auditions or on faith. Critic reviews have served as valuable guidance and confirmation. Thank you Martin!