saunby

But some of it will be snake oil - fact!<br /> <br /> It must be so close to impossible that every dollar (or pound if you're British like me) of a multi-thousand never mind multi-tens of hundreds of thousands system is actually making the system better , that I feel comfortable in saying that some are certainly wasted.<br /> <br /> As big spending audiophiles are so keen to argue for the law of diminishing returns. i.e. the 10th thousand dollar buys only a tiny fraction of the benefits of the 2nd thousand, I'm sure most appreciate that the more they spend, the more likely what they spend is wasted.<br /> <br /> It's also worth noting there are other views on cost/benefit than the "diminishing returns" view. It's important that those new to this endeavour appreciate that although this is the audiophile's chosen model. It has never been seriously tested. In other endeavours other financial models are applied. There's "economy of scale" - which says that if I make thousands of identical systems each will cost less than a bespoke system, yet offer the same or better performance. From the world of marketing there's "half my budget is wasted - I just don't know which half". Then from the world of integrated digital electronics there's "Moore's Law" - implying costs halve every couple of years.<br /> <br /> Something I've noticed in the designs of old hi-fi from the 1930s through to the 1960s is that good designs last for approximately 10 years, and that the designs that replace them deliver a modest improvement in performance and a huge saving in cost. To build a Williamson in 1947 was a major undertaking. To build a Mullard 5-10 in 1955 was a much easier project, much cheaper and delivered probably as high a quality.<br /> <br /> <br />

Choosing one product over another is of course more than just a matter of cost. I might not like the look of one product, or I might listen to two products and be sure that one sounds better than the other. I can't see where any "law of diminishing returns" applies in the case of making such a choice.<br /> <br /> However if I'm designing something then I have limited resources. Maybe I've only got a year in which to complete the design. So do I spend 11 months evaluating switches and wires? Not if I've got any sense. The first few minutes are well spent, the remaining thousands mostly wasted. Certainly diminishing returns here. Likewise for those so sure the rest of their system is perfect they'll spend days (and cash) comparing cables.<br /> <br /> As an engineer I know there are products that have been carefully designed and there are products that have been carelessly designed. What is unfortunate for the consumer is that a careless design can be as expensive to make and contain as much gold and other fancy materials - maybe more - than a carefully designed product.<br /> <br /> Any law of diminishing returns for high tech products can only sensibly be applied to genuine effort expended in design. But the buyer generally doesn't know what this was. Their best guide might be the price - but it's only a proxy.<br /> <br /> Expenditure on expensive raw materials beyond that required is just waste and a sign of poor design. Back in the early days of hi-fi the equipment generally came without cabinets. Why pay hi-fi prices for wood, plastic, and trim? Does it sound better? Maybe this is where today's greatest "diminishing returns" are to be found.<br /> <br /> <br />

I bear audiophiles no ill will, but I know there's a lot of ignorance about. <br /> <br /> In the first article I read "he's been obsessing about vinyl since he was four years old, memorizing the labels of his parents' 78s" which sort of implies that 78s were vinyl. Hardly any were - even Wikipedia known this!<br /> <br /> As an engineer what I find frustrating about audiophile products is that whilst expensive power cables may change, perhaps even improve, the sound of a system, little if any thought is given to whether this is a sensible use of cash - even for an audiophile. <br /> There's a old saying - "an engineer can do for a shilling what a fool can do for a pound". Changing your carpet will change/improve the sound, as will changing the temperature of your room. <br /> <br /> For those who aspire to owning a really great system the smart way to get there is by not spending money on gimmicks. Instead save the money for really important things such as decent speakers.