[stuartr]

I have finally been found myself in a permanent enough place that I could give thought to putting together a good stereo system. I went ahead and bought an audio rack (one made for stereo components with isolation and so on), I got some good speaker stands for my a/d/s CM7's, and....the icing on the cake...I bought a Conrad-Johnson CAV-50 integrated tube amp. I listened to this baby along with a good sampling of other amps (using my CAL Icon Mk II cd player and my speakers), and it just blew me away. Listening was just so much more fun. I listen to amps that were more expensive than it, and it was light years better. I cannot wait until it gets here (probably Tuesday or Wedensday). Ahhh, I am dying of anticipation.

 

[mbriant]

Sounds like a beauty stuartr. Which kidney did you sell for that Conrad-Johnson?

 

[legoman]

congratulations.
for me any kind of permanence is at least a year off. can't wait to start the auditioning process...

 

[stuartr]

I actually sold my gall bladder and pancreas...I didn't know what they did anyway, so I don't miss them...
The auditioning process is actually hard, as these store owners spend a lot of time helping you out (at least they did for me), and you can only buy from one of them. I had one dealer spend two and a half hours auditioning three different amps with him, and I did not wind up buying from him. I feel like crap for wasting all his time. He set up the whole store with my system and provided another cd player and set of speakers for reference, switching out each component for each test, and each test had about three different cd's for different styles...He did everything right, but he did not offer conrad-johnson, which I liked best, so I did not buy from him. It makes me feel guilty.
Oh well, I am too sensitive about this sort of thing I guess. It is his job after all. Hopefully, he will have the product I want next time (if there is one).

 

[Calanctus]

Congrats on your purchase!

I too have felt guilty about getting tons of time from dealers and buying nothing. I actually ended up buying a product (MF DAC) new which I could eventually have gotten used, from a dealer that I spent tons of time at and got some really great auditions from...I never bought anything from him before the DAC, just listened to all his great stuff.

 

[legoman]

Quote:

Originally posted by stuartr I actually sold my gall bladder and pancreas...I didn't know what they did anyway, so I don't miss them... The auditioning process is actually hard, as these store owners spend a lot of time helping you out (at least they did for me), and you can only buy from one of them. I had one dealer spend two and a half hours auditioning three different amps with him, and I did not wind up buying from him. I feel like crap for wasting all his time. He set up the whole store with my system and provided another cd player and set of speakers for reference, switching out each component for each test, and each test had about three different cd's for different styles...He did everything right, but he did not offer conrad-johnson, which I liked best, so I did not buy from him. It makes me feel guilty. Oh well, I am too sensitive about this sort of thing I guess. It is his job after all. Hopefully, he will have the product I want next time (if there is one).

I feel the same way. But realistically, all we can promise is that we buy one of the models we auditioned, we buy it from that dealer. Otherwise we would be extremely limited. I actually feel guilty despite having bought all my stuff from one dealer since I spent lots of time auditioning and the whole system was either demo models, cosmetic damage models etc., so I don't think he ever made a real profit on me (which is different from positive gross margin)

 

[neil]

Well, I'll be the first to say it. Post pictures when you get a chance.

 

[Magicthyse]

Hmmmm... This is very intriguing. Never knew this company existed!


Incidentally what would be the consequence of matching up a tube headphone amp to a tube integrated amp?

 

[bootman]

Man, that CJ is very sweet.

That will be one nice system.

 

[stuartr]

Yes, I am extremely excited for it...look at how sweet it is! That, and the option to roll the tubes for all different little tweaks in the sound, ahh...I need to check out Nick Dangerous's tuberolling faq to find a little more about it. This is my first experience with tubes other than with my X-cans, which I have not rolled...
I will certainly post pictures as soon as I get it.

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by stuartr I actually sold my gall bladder and pancreas...

stuartr, will you pm me the ID of your buyer?...I'm considering giving up my gall bladder, as well as my gizzard, for a Linn CDP...

 

[neil]

Holy crap that's beautiful.

 

[stuartr]

Quote:

Originally posted by RickG stuartr, will you pm me the ID of your buyer?...I'm considering giving up my gall bladder, as well as my gizzard, for a Linn CDP...

I hate to disappoint you Rick, but it was a pretty spontaneous thing. I was walking past the Restoration Hardware on State Street, and there was this guy in an alley wearing camel trenchcoat, a fedora and dark glasses who beckoned me over to him. He was holding a rusty steak knife and had a bucket of ice. He said: "Hey buddy, wanna donate an organ? I'll give you a hundred bucks..." At first I was hesitant, but the man said. "Hey look kid, I'm a docta, ah ya gonna work wit me or what?" So I said, "Well, if you are a doctor, I guess it is o.k...." He handed me a brown paper bag with a bottle sticking out, and said, " Hold still, dis'll only take a second." He was a man of his word. He gave me an oily rag to soak up the blood and gave me two hundred bucks. I used it to buy 17 dollar a bottle wood glue at the aforementioned Restoration Hardware. I cannot decide who ripped me off more...

As for the Linn CDP, mmmm. I listened to that at the hi-fi shop, it is very nice. I love the cd tray on it...it is so petite.

 

[DanG]

Well, I guess history majors can afford to buy good audio gear after all. Or have you gone into pimping out Russian women from Vladivostok?

Congrats on your purchases, they seem very nice.

 

[eric343]

I do believe that, in the tradition of Head-Fi, the title of this thread should have been "I have finally started buying my system!!!"