System Optimization - Would you pay a professional?

[metaphacts]

Great article/review on one of the great audio set up guys of all time. It was Stirling Trayle who in the early 90's first outlined what was to become the Sumiko MASTERS process that he and John Hunter later made famous.

The Audio Beat - Audio Systems Optimized

[chessman]

Bill, yes I would pay for such a service. The article was inspirational. Now I have to get 20 amp service in here and clean out the clutter.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by chessman

Bill, yes I would pay for such a service. The article was inspirational. Now I have to get 20 amp service in here and clean out the clutter.

and dress those cables too; chop, chop!

[KMC45]

I've been in rooms after John Hunter did his magic, so my answer would be yes.

[Randy Myers]

If I had high enough level equipment then absolutely, but with my level equipment absolutely not ....

[metaphacts]

I was just wondering how many people on AA understand just how big a difference great set up can make. Stirling Trayle is the second person out there that I know of doing this degree of set up as a paid service. The other is Jim Smith. Both are meticulous and both have abilities and knowledge far beyond the norm. Neither are inexpensive until you realize how much more they bring to a music system. Yet often when audiophiles who spend large sums of money on their systems hear the pricing, they act as if they were being hoodwinked. I've seen people pay more for restocking fees on a cable loom than either Stirl's or Jim's services cost.

Haurock's recent Are Audio Prices Getting Unreal? drove the point home even farther. People regularly pay 4, 5 and even 6 figures for components yet often listen to them in a fashion that barely gives a glimpse of the potential performance. You see people complain of limitations of certain products where it is clear from the description they are implementing the product or the system improperly. Though they still may prefer another component in the long run, their assessment might as well be throwing darts at a board. In fact, that's exactly what it is. It may be the component, it may be the room, it may be the setup. Who knows at that point?

Stirl or Jim can help to move beyond guesswork and constantly chasing one's tail. The Quest takes on a sensibility it never had and the destination is more musically satisfying that most have ever imagined. That the process from one of these pros costs less than some high end accessories is quite amazing.

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

and dress those cables too; chop, chop!

Ivan no one dresses cables like you do. You are an artist!

[Diapason]

Compared to a lot of people I'm very much at the "budget" end of the spectrum, but in principle I'd be happy to pay somebody to do a setup to get the best out of my system. The problem for me, however, is the leap of faith required. Under normal circumstances I demo before I purchase, and if I can't do that I'll ensure that I can sell on whatever I buy without too much loss. Apart from everything else, I have no concept of the level of improvement that could be attained with my equipment and in my room, so even without doubting the individual's expertise, I find it hard not to doubt my space.

Having said all that, I constantly feel that I'm not getting the best out of my system, and if somebody could come in, work their magic, and leave me confident that this is the best the system could ever sound, it would probably be worth the expenditure to save me the angst.

[Haurock]

It's a good question... ..

It's like hiring someone to dress up your home when you want to sell it. It's the new fashion in real-estate.

I think it depends on what kind of audio nut you are...

Since, putting a sound-system together and getting the maximum out of it.. is not an easy task and can cost oodles of money trying different things out.. then hiring someone to set your system up properly may save you a lot of cash...

However,.. since most of us suffer from the occasional bout of LU-FLU... and that part of enjoying being an audiophile is the tinkering and playing with your system.. then wouldn't hiring someone take the 'FUN" out of discovering and learning about audio?

Still.. when you spend enough money on your sound system that could get you in very nice set of expensive wheels... spending an afternoon, or a day with someone who can set your system up and teach you several things about what to look and listen for.. would be a good investement...

[rscotth]

Originally Posted by metaphacts

I was just wondering how many people on AA understand just how big a difference great set up can make. Stirling Trayle is the second person out there that I know of doing this degree of set up as a paid service. The other is Jim Smith. Both are meticulous and both have abilities and knowledge far beyond the norm. Neither are inexpensive until you realize how much more they bring to a music system. Yet often when audiophiles who spend large sums of money on their systems hear the pricing, they act as if they were being hoodwinked. I've seen people pay more for restocking fees on a cable loom than either Stirl's or Jim's services cost.

Haurock's recent Are Audio Prices Getting Unreal? drove the point home even farther. People regularly pay 4, 5 and even 6 figures for components yet often listen to them in a fashion that barely gives a glimpse of the potential performance. You see people complain of limitations of certain products where it is clear from the description they are implementing the product or the system improperly. Though they still may prefer another component in the long run, their assessment might as well be throwing darts at a board. In fact, that's exactly what it is. It may be the component, it may be the room, it may be the setup. Who knows at that point?

Stirl or Jim can help to move beyond guesswork and constantly chasing one's tail. The Quest takes on a sensibility it never had and the destination is more musically satisfying that most have ever imagined. That the process from one of these pros costs less than some high end accessories is quite amazing.

I would be interested. Thanks for the link, Bill. Will pursue!