After spending countless dollars (well, I’m trying not to count!) and hours researching and piecing together a Decware-based SET audio rig, I think I’ve just about got to a point where I’ve got a system that’s head and shoulders above anything I’ve ever had: a soundstage that has depth, width and height with dynamics and responsiveness beyond anything my old solid state system could ever hope to attain.

At least, I thought so.  When my son-in-law visited over Thanksgiving I wasn’t so sure.  After I poured him a glass of Scotch I put him in the “seat of listening” and dropped the needle on one of my favorite albums that I think shows off the rig.  

His reaction was one of complete disinterest and my disappointment was palpable.  Frustrated, and probably a bit pissed, I lifted the needle, placed the album back in its sleeve and turned everything off, leaving him in the basement while I retreated, glass of Scotch in hand thinking to myself, that’s the last glass of Scotch I’ll pour for him!

Fast forward to this past weekend.  My nephew and his wife were going to be in the area, delivering a foster pup to its new forever home, and he wanted to stop by before heading home.  His ulterior motive was to get a listen to my system.  I had shown him a picture of the UFO25 in December at a family get together and he was intrigued.

Now, he’s no audiophile.  Like most of his generation (he’s 41), he’s really only listened to MP3s via Bluetooth devices and such.  As before, I put him in the chair, dropped the needle on one of my Analogue Productions 45rpm remasters, turned up the volume, and stood back to see if there was a reaction.

He sat back, closed his eyes and listened (a good start!).  It didn’t take long until he started commenting about my “surround sound” and looking for speakers that clearly were not where he was hearing the various instruments, voices, drums and cymbals.  He began to describe the height and width of the soundstage that I was certain I could hear, the distinct space and separation between voices and instruments.  I excitedly swapped albums and went through several tracks before we had to call it quits.

His reaction was genuine and one of wonder, later explaining to me that he was always curious about what all the hubbub was about high fidelity audio gear and after listening to a number of pieces with which he was familiar, yet had never heard the amount of detail or musicality, he was simply amazed and convinced that the hubbub was warranted.

Now, all that really matters when all is said and done is what I myself think of my system.  But to have another person confirm what I’m hearing was, well, music to my ears!  Which means that I’m probably not done adding to and tweaking my rig!

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You're right on both counts. I tell myself it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, but I be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the validation when "outsiders" hear my system.

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Pass the candle.