(there's no money in T's pockets as is evidenced by them being outturned)
P’s Take: Obviously this site has a lot to do with stereo; the components we have, what we like or dislike, and the music we put through them. We have, up to now, been focusing on cheap to dirt-cheap electronics on the site to appeal to you, our three dirt-bag unemployable social reject readers. But recently Uncle Brother T decided he needed speakers or an amp or both or something and maybe we should check out an uptown type stereo place. And so we did. Prably we shouldn’t have.
There is a saying that everyman has disciples, and it appears that might be true. It is at least in the case of stereo shops. Me and T rolled up on Audio Connection in the hinterlands of Jersey about an hour before closing and were enthusiastically greeted by a comically mustached cat in shorts and a ball cap. He cheerfully asked us what we were looking for, began to describe some components before being forced to admit that he didn’t actually work there. He just was there. A lot. Get good at anything, from sports to playing music to politics and you will get a group who follows you around. And this shop was definitely good at what they do. The setups we were shown were intense. Sealed subwoofers, efficiency filters, multiple levels of amplification all kinds of bisness. They all sounded amazing. But there were 2 major problems: T couldn’t afford any of it (I couldn’t afford the gas to get us there) and the music that was being run through these amazing setups was fuckin miserable.
And this is really the point; this attitude is what made us create the FSS. A lot of audio heads are infatuated with the idea of completely honest sound reproduction, no editing, no adding, no subtracting. What was produced in the studio or the concert hall is what you get in your room. And this is definitely a noble ideal. But to a lot of these characters just what they are listening to doesn’t matter so much as long as it’s crystal clear. To them it’s an immense, expensive scientific hobby. Here at the FSS is makes a fuckin huge difference what is played, in fact it comes second to how deep the field is or if you’re suffering from slap echo. You make do; make the best system you can however you can and pay close attention to what you subject your ears to. Yeah so that’s it. I’ll let the three of you get back to your porn hunt. I hear spankwire is pretty good.
T’s Take: Like an idiot I took on a second job for the past two weeks. I can’t turn down money even if it means killing myself to get it. So here it is Saturday morning and I’m sitting at work, listening to the shitty Panasonic shelf system behind my desk. I hate this fucking thing. And I’m pretty sure it hates me. The volume goes up and down on it’s own and if you fight it, it only gets angrier. It has two tape decks that don’t work and the CD player sounds like a gunfight in Beirut as it struggles to load up. So I’m thinking to myself, Monday morning I bring in the T-Amp from home and throw this Panasonic bastard out in the dumpster. But you see here’s the problem. I can bring in the T-Amp but I can’t bring in the speakers because I’ll need them at home to run out of my old Sony receiver (that I’ve had since I got my first paycheck at 16). So now I do a quick google search and find a place in Verona, NJ that looks to be somewhere I might be able to get what I’m looking for. I hit Brother P with an email, and he’s down almost immediately and after work we’re off to make it to this store hopefully before they close.
My initial plan was to get a pair of speakers and leave it at that. But the more I thought about it maybe I could put the old Sony to use in the backyard with the (outdoor) Polk speakers I use in my (indoor) home office. So maybe then, I can get a new amp, and two pairs of speakers. I mean I’m working like hell and going to have some extra money coming my way. I deserve it. Right?
We’re not in this place five minutes that I realize I’m in over my head. The thing about a place like this (and don’t get me wrong, it was a mighty fine establishment), but the thing about a place like this, is they don’t consider money as a factor. They want to know what kind of music you listen to. How big the room is. How far you’ll be sitting from the speakers. What format you listen to your music on primarily. Things like this. Never once do they ask you what you can afford because honestly, to audiophiles of this variety, it just doesn’t fucking matter. You buy what you need even if it means taking a second mortgage. To me and Brother P however, you start at price and work your way down (way down).
The first system they showed off was amazing. I told them I liked rock, mostly punk. They played “Dark Side of The Moon” on vinyl for us. Did it sound amazing? Words cannot describe. Do I now or have I ever given a fart about Pink Floyd? No and no. The speakers were by this American brand Vandersteen. I’d never heard of them, but kept that to myself. So after the demo was over I knew in my heart of hearts that there was no way I’d be walking out with speakers today (or maybe ever). When I asked the price they casually said something like 2 grand for the pair or a little less if I went the next model down. After my heart started up again I told the guy that it was a little too pricey and that the speakers were probably a little too big for my small home office anyhow. So what do they show me next? Smaller speakers that necessitate an added subwoofer. These would actually end up costing more. A point I wished they’d brought up first before making P and I listen to New Age bullshit and a live Matisyahu album. Before that day Matisyahu was just an idea for me. But now I know him and his music intimately and want to go back to my ignorant bliss.
So in the end I came away empty handed. I need to do more research and look for some secondhand equipment on eBay and maybe some garage sales. This weekend we hope to take the FSS to another shop in Summit for more ideas. And as of now I’m back at work loosing a piece of my soul every day in my war with ol’ Panasonic. But mark my words Panasonic, your days are numbered, and there’s a dumpster out back with your name on it.
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