What do you splurge on?

[danielwritesbac]

It could be a certain model op amp, it could be dandy capacitor or resistor, it could be an interesting transformer, it could be PCB's with extra nice traces, and it could chassis, hardware, or interconnect. . .

And is it because:
A). It is pretty
B). It is an enhancement
C). It it both

For me, its Elna's Red Cerefine and Nichicon's Electric Green ES . Sure those could be enhancements, but its probably not why I bought them at first.

 

[lanchile]

Black Gates caps!

For me are:
* Black Gates capacitors,because of the quality and sound.
*Alps potentiometer and input selector,because quality and reliability.

 

[danielwritesbac]

Cool!

I was also thinking of stuff like Gold Plated RCA because, although bimetallics are inferior conductors, they happen to be really pretty.
Or, howabout $25 knobs. Those are fun.

 

[kmj]

I have some large 10uF Leclanché PIO-caps that I value. But due to their size (and supposed quality) I haven't used them yet.

It's the oval ones, look at the pen on the right for a comparison. They also weigh about 750g each.

 

[zei]

kmj.

You can send those ugly caps to me for proper disposel


/JZ

 

[kmj]

...... And pigs really CAN fly.

 

[fredex]

The eyes have it. Since all competent electronics basically sound the same, gear that looks good with good looking components will sound better. Audiophiles only close their eyes to enjoy the sound after they have looked. Ever tasted food blindfolded? The eyes are dominant.

 

[phase_accurate]

You can send those ugly caps to me for proper disposel

I only recently disposed some Leclanche paper-in-oil caps. Those thingies were leaking though - and I didn't want to have things like this at home.

Regards

Charles

 

[zei]

tphase_accurate,

that i can understand I have actualy seen kmj,s caps up close and i realy like how they look.

(i can,t and i won,t comment on how good they are versus whatever.. )

/JZ

 

[jackinnj]

I splurge on Burgundies and WIMA MKP's

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

Books and German Reisling. I have enough surplus electronic parts to build any audio equipment I would ever need for the rest of my life. Sometimes I splurge on used LPs as well.

 

[lineup]

The eyes have it. Since all competent electronics basically sound the same, gear that looks good with good looking components will sound better. Audiophiles only close their eyes to enjoy the sound after they have looked. Ever tasted food blindfolded? The eyes are dominant.

in these cases
the only real listeners
may be those without eyes & the blind people
Like Stevie Wonder.
But even those have the ability to IMAGINE
like John Lennon

Blind from infancy, Wonder signed with Motown Records
as a pre-adolescent at age twelve,
and continues to perform and record for the label to this day.

 

[pikkujöpö]

Panasonic FC and FM does it for a cheap-*** like me.

 

[danielwritesbac]

The eyes have it. Since all competent electronics basically sound the same, gear that looks good with good looking components will sound better. Audiophiles only close their eyes to enjoy the sound after they have looked. Ever tasted food blindfolded? The eyes are dominant.

I have previously owned audio equipment that was unable to resolve minor differences. It was fairly impossible to replace that by shopping at a retail store. There had to be answers somewhere else, and there is. . .
A big search for answers led me here, to diyaudio.com. On that note--a BIG THANK YOU to the guys here at diyaudio.com.

 

[fredex]

in these cases
the only real listeners
may be those without eyes & the blind people..........

Good point. Blind people should be excellent for audio evaluations.
I wonder what systems blind persons end up buying?

 

[pikkujöpö]

Good point. Blind people should be excellent for audio evaluations.
I wonder what systems blind persons end up buying? [/
B]

Probably the one with a simplest remote control

My HT amp has one of those with 101 buttons.It sucks to turn on the lights after pressing a wrong one...

 

[lineup]

Good point. Blind people should be excellent for audio evaluations.
I wonder what systems blind persons end up buying?

At least some of them would come closest to Golden Ears.
As more well trained hearings would be hard to find
... at least among us,
who are not Double-Blinded since birth.

What sound system has Stevie Wonder at home?

Yeah, I'd loke to know

Not only is he blind, but he is musical to the bone!
And rich as Rockefeller! After writing 257.5 World Hits!
- There's a Place in The Sun
- Isn't She Lovely
- I just called to say I love you
- You are the Sunshine of my life

When you are rich like this, MONEY is certainly no object,
when you buy your Sound System Gears.
Sevie Wonder could buy whatever.
Even buy up complete Nelson Pass LABS Company
It would be peanut money for Mr Wonder, if for sale.

So, anybody knows what gear he listens through?

U.S. and U.K. Top Ten singles

Thirty-four of Stevie Wonder's singles, listed below, reached the Top Ten on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in the United States, or in the United Kingdom.

* 1963: "Fingertips - Part 2" (U.S. #1)
* 1965: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" (U.S. #2)
* 1966: "Blowin' in the Wind" (U.S. #9)
* 1966: "A Place in the Sun" (U.S. #9)
* 1967: "I Was Made to Love Her"(U.S. #2, UK #5)
* 1968: "For Once in My Life" (U.S. #2, UK #3)
* 1968: "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (U.S. #7)
* 1969: "My Cherie Amour" (U.S. #4, UK #4)
* 1969: "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" (U.S. #7, UK #2)
* 1970: "Never Had A Dream Come True" (UK #5)
* 1970: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (U.S. #3)
* 1970: "Heaven Help Us All" (U.S. #8)
* 1971: "We Can Work It Out" (U.S. #13)
* 1971: "If You Really Love Me" (U.S. #8)
* 1972: "Superstition" (U.S. #1)
* 1973: "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (U.S. #1, UK #3)
* 1973: "Higher Ground" (U.S. #4)
* 1973: "Living for the City" (U.S. #8)
* 1974: "He's Misstra Know It All" (UK #8)
* 1974: "You Haven't Done Nothin'" (with The Jackson 5) (U.S. #1)
* 1974: "Boogie On Reggae Woman" (U.S. #3)
* 1977: "I Wish" (U.S. #1, UK #4)
* 1977: "Sir Duke" (U.S. #1, UK #2)
* 1979: "Send One Your Love" (U.S. #4)
* 1980: "Master Blaster (Jammin)" (U.S. #3, UK #2)
* 1980: "I Ain't Gonna Stand For It" (UK #7)
* 1981: "Lately" (UK #3)
* 1981: "Happy Birthday" (U.S. #7, UK #2)
* 1982: "That Girl" (U.S. #3)
* 1982: "Do I Do" (U.S. #7, UK #5)
* 1982: "Ebony and Ivory" (with Paul McCartney) (U.S. #1, UK #1)
* 1982: "Ribbon in the Sky" (U.S. #47 pop, #9 R&B)
* 1984: "I Just Called to Say I Love You" (U.S. #1, UK #1)
* 1985: "Part-Time Lover" (U.S. #1, UK #2)
* 1985: "That's What Friends Are For" (with Dionne Warwick, Elton John and Gladys Knight (U.S. #1)
* 1985: "Go Home" (U.S. #9)

[edit] Top Ten U.S. and UK Albums

Twelve of Stevie Wonder's albums, listed below, reached the Top Ten in either the United States or the United Kingdom.

* 1963: Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius (U.S. #1)
* 1972: Talking Book (U.S. #3)
* 1973: Innervisions (U.S. #4, UK #6)
* 1974: Fulfillingness' First Finale (U.S. #1, UK #5)
* 1976: Songs in the Key of Life (U.S. #1, UK #2)
* 1979: Journey through the Secret Life of Plants Soundtrack (U.S. #4, UK #7)
* 1980: Hotter than July (U.S. #2, UK #2)
* 1982: Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium (U.S. #4, UK #8)
* 1984: The Woman in Red (U.S. #4, UK #2)
* 1985: In Square Circle (U.S. #5, UK #5)
* 1995: Conversation Peace (U.S. #17, UK #8)
* 2005: A Time to Love (U.S. #4)

[edit] Awards and recognition

Wonder has received 26 Grammy Awards:
Year Award Title
1974 Best Rhythm & Blues Song "Superstition"
1974 Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male "Superstition"
1974 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male "You are the Sunshine of My Life"
1974 Album of the Year Innervisions
1975 Best Rhythm & Blues Song "Living for the City"
1975 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "Boogie On Reggae Woman"
1975 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Fulfillingness' First Finale
1975 Album of the Year Fulfillingness' First Finale
1977 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "I Wish"
1977 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Songs in the Key of Life
1977 Best Producer of the Year N/A
1977 Album of the Year Songs in the Key of Life
1986 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance In Square Circle
1987 Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
(awarded to Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Wonder) "That's What Friends Are For"
1996 Best Rhythm & Blues Song "For Your Love"
1996 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "For Your Love"
1999 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s)
(awarded to Herbie Hancock, Robert Sadin, and Wonder) "St. Louis Blues"
1999 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "St. Louis Blues"
2003 Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
(awarded to Wonder and Take 6) "Love's in Need of Love Today"
2006 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance "From the Bottom of My Heart"
2006 Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
(awarded to Beyoncé and Wonder) "So Amazing"
2007 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (awarded to Tony Bennett and Wonder) "For Once In My Life"

 

[justblair]

Caps. Good quality input caps are where my money gets spent

 

[Cal Weldon]

Many years ago I drank too much cheap wine and whiskey and splurged all over my dates dinner dress.

 

[danielwritesbac]

@Lineup Good point!! MUSIC recordings are an excellent splurge.

@Justblair Have you tried some of the high grade in your power circuits? I'm just saying that maybe you can ask yourself which is the most affective ("biggest deal to your amplifier"), input, or power?