Confessions of a SOUND SNOB
Dec. 29th, 2004 10:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raefinlayAn ex-boyfriend of mine once spent an unholy amount of money on a stereo system for his new Jeep. The salesman at Best Buy told him it was the best system on the market. He got suckered. I know this because he made me sit through 4 agonizing minutes of his favorite song with the volume at full blast.
Finally, finally, he turned it off and said, "So, honey, what do you think?"
Rae: "Er..."
Ex-BF: "You don't like it."
Rae: "Uh...would you mind if I tweaked your EQ?"
Ex-BF: "Wha?? What's wrong with it??"
Rae: [silence]
Ex-BF: [sinister voice] "Rae..."
Rae: "Well, the mids are mushy, the highs are brassy, and when you listen to high-hat-happy alternative bands, you can't have mushy mids and brassy highs."
We didn't speak to each other for hours afterwards. Later, he grabbed my sister (who grew up in the same sound snobbery environment) and asked her opinion. She said something along the lines of mushy mids and brassy highs. Poor guy.
We were raised to appreciate good sound. My dad had a trunkful of Nakamichi, long before the rest of the world discovered Japanese electronics. My brother dabbles in sound engineering and musical production on the side. I've blown up more speakers than anyone I know.
All this to say, I've been saving for a home theater system, and last night, with the Genius Sound Snob brother in tow, I went to the Bastion of Pure Evil to find the most bang for my buck. And wow did I find it. Many hours, tangled wires, frustrated sales associates, and dollars later, I ended up with a 27" flatscreen TV, a 5.1 surround system with dvd-player, and a 4-head VCR with digital display--all for $338.00 (including tax!!) We hooked it up at home and it is awesome. Beyond awesome. Crisp sound without brass, rich and full tonation... I may upgrade my sub as some point, but for the money, I'm not complaining. Sure, I would have loved to pick up a $1,000-range system, but my house is so tiny with such weird acoustics that it ceases to matter at a certain point.
We tested it out with Matrix: Reloaded and Robotech: Macross Saga. (Adam and I sang Min-Mei's songs at the top of our lungs). So it was a very, very good night. I can't wait to get home and play with my speakers. I will spend hours and hours arranging, hanging, rearranging for optimal sound, *happy sigh* because I am a Sound Snob.
Finally, finally, he turned it off and said, "So, honey, what do you think?"
Rae: "Er..."
Ex-BF: "You don't like it."
Rae: "Uh...would you mind if I tweaked your EQ?"
Ex-BF: "Wha?? What's wrong with it??"
Rae: [silence]
Ex-BF: [sinister voice] "Rae..."
Rae: "Well, the mids are mushy, the highs are brassy, and when you listen to high-hat-happy alternative bands, you can't have mushy mids and brassy highs."
We didn't speak to each other for hours afterwards. Later, he grabbed my sister (who grew up in the same sound snobbery environment) and asked her opinion. She said something along the lines of mushy mids and brassy highs. Poor guy.
We were raised to appreciate good sound. My dad had a trunkful of Nakamichi, long before the rest of the world discovered Japanese electronics. My brother dabbles in sound engineering and musical production on the side. I've blown up more speakers than anyone I know.
All this to say, I've been saving for a home theater system, and last night, with the Genius Sound Snob brother in tow, I went to the Bastion of Pure Evil to find the most bang for my buck. And wow did I find it. Many hours, tangled wires, frustrated sales associates, and dollars later, I ended up with a 27" flatscreen TV, a 5.1 surround system with dvd-player, and a 4-head VCR with digital display--all for $338.00 (including tax!!) We hooked it up at home and it is awesome. Beyond awesome. Crisp sound without brass, rich and full tonation... I may upgrade my sub as some point, but for the money, I'm not complaining. Sure, I would have loved to pick up a $1,000-range system, but my house is so tiny with such weird acoustics that it ceases to matter at a certain point.
We tested it out with Matrix: Reloaded and Robotech: Macross Saga. (Adam and I sang Min-Mei's songs at the top of our lungs). So it was a very, very good night. I can't wait to get home and play with my speakers. I will spend hours and hours arranging, hanging, rearranging for optimal sound, *happy sigh* because I am a Sound Snob.
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-29 07:36 pm (UTC);D!
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Date: 2004-12-29 07:52 pm (UTC)(Actually, we collapsed into laughter most of the time. Even when we were in Jr. High watching it for the first time, we hated Min-Mei passionately. Little spoiled twerp.)
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Date: 2004-12-30 03:24 am (UTC)Come on DG. Just admit it! You've sung along too. I hated Minmei and even I admitted to singing along a few times....
:D
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Date: 2004-12-30 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-30 03:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-30 04:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-30 03:48 am (UTC)