I tried to search this, but quickly got bored. It's been metioned many times that some reputable folks did some tests with different recievers and other audio processers and the results showed little to know preference between high end and low end modern processers.

I think this is the one you're looking for.

The blind testing in that article was in reference to amplifiers* and not processors. Out of curiosity, I wonder if different processors may sound a little different than one another.

*Which reminds me...it's 5 a.m., I need to go power up my Rotel amp so that it will be warmed and sounding it's best for tonight's listening pleasure.

The link isn't working for me. I thought there was one where a cheap receiver was put up against some high end components?

The ABX tests?

Uh.... I dunno. JohnK and Alan talk about them all the time. Some Dr / Scientist did the study.

Peter's link works fine and takes you to just one of JohnK's many references to this PDF article. You have to have Adobe Reader to view it.

http://bruce.coppola.name/audio/Amp_Sound.pdf

I haven't read the article. yet I feel vindicated already. I've been telling these meat-heads that once you surpass some threshold (and it isn't very high), you'll get music which sounds different, but NOT better.
So one guy/gall says my $15,000 Krell sounds better than your $350 cheap tube amp. Oh, really? You mean you had Diana Ross at your house singing, and then you told her to shut up, put on her CD, and noted where there were differences, if any? No, there couldn't be any differences because you have an expensive Krell, and wire that costs $20/ft., and all kinds of other audio trash connected to your system.
The audio manufacturers love you! They created this scam, and you and your buddies took the bate (I'm speaking in general, and not directing this to anyone on this forum). And next year, they'll come out with another model of something that performed well 15 years ago, and retag it, and the suckers will be out there again. It's a self-perpetuating industry. But some people just don't get it.
It your going to spend more money, sink it into the quality (e.g. big, fat, heavy transformers that cost a lot of money). The musical part of the gizmo you buy will only tell you that the music is different, not better.
Now, cogitate on that for a while. Next time rethink what you buy. And pls., don't come crying to me telling me how full of crap I am because you were one of the suckers who blew $30K on an audio system that should probably cost less than $2K, or whatever figure you had originally budgeted for, when your mind was in value-mode, not stupid-spender mode.

Can you tell us how you really feel?

Yes I can tell you how I really feel, but people don't want to hear the whole truth, especially after realizing how abusive they were with their budgets. Just use this post as a guide to sensible buying. After all, I think the audio industry caught a lot of fish.

Oh, incidentally, I too got caught up in buying overpriced audio, but lucky it takes years for me to make a decision, and most of the time I never ended up buying it.

I was just kidding, just forgot the smiley face. I can tell you there is a difference in my monoblocks driving my 80's, compared to my Denon alone. Your mileage may vary with different capacitance.

I think you are well respected and most folks know you have a good sense of humor - the smily face wasn't required. I was just trying to say that audio is a sleazy business, and I hate watching people part with their hard-earned money.

I get no respect, back in college my girlfriend (now my wife), told me to come over as everyone was gone, when I got there, noone was there, including her.

I agree, I think many people pay crazy $$$$ for brand name speaker wire and overpriced speakers/components. A budy of mine just payed $60 bucks for a 3ft HDMI cable. I payed $30 for my 30ft HDMI projector cable. I also think there are lots of overpriced speaker brands out there, one example is B&W. I think they are great speakers, but I'll put my 80's head to head with many of their top models. Amps are another break the bank item if your not careful.

That's harsh.



But funny!

We have an audio shop in Ottawa where the salesman wanted to demo a real stereo setup to me. At the time I was buying a NAD370 integrated amp. I couldn't tell the difference between it and some other brand. I bought it because I thought it was very well made. I also read all the articles I could find on it for 6 months.

Anyways, back to the demo - here's the setup:

Speakers (?) - $100,000/pair
Linn CD Player - $30,000
Krell Ampl - $15,000
Wire ? - $20/ft.

All the numbers are correct - there are no extra zeros.

I remarked that it sounded nice, but different from my NAD370. And then I added "you'd have to have sh.t for brains to buy that setup". He walked away in disgust.

I concur with you completely, but how do you diplomatically tell a friend, or close acquaintance that they're being fleeced?

I'll put my 60's against your 80's. On second thought, I think l'll back off.

Sean, it really didn't happen, that was based on an old Rodney Dangerfield line.

I loved my previous 60's for years, that is until the 80's posse harrased me to much and I gave in and upgraded.

Doh! I should have known.

I got to see him perform in L.A. about 7 years ago. He was in the audience and came up for the last act. He wasn't on the billing. I was stoked!