[Peter Wieck]

a) How many here actually have used a soldering iron on their own electronics in cold blood?

b) How many here can read and understand a schematic well enough to make parts and quality decisions?

c) How many here believe that there is a direct (if not necessarily linear) correlation between sound and cost?

d) How many here have dedicated (single-purpose) listening rooms?

Asked in the spirit of curiosity. And, going first:

Most everything I have or own with a few specific exceptions did not come to me in reliable working condition. Some were little more than hulks (but with good transformers), some needed only minor tweaks. But I have, in my time and directly, re-wound solenoids, re-wound voice-coils, reconed and re-surrounded speakers, the usual recapping, turned moving parts on a lathe, milled others. and more. I can (but seldom need to) match tubes properly. So, Yes to a)

Yes - but, to b) I can read a schematic, I can identify marginal quality parts if due to age, what is available now, and other reasons. But I am not a circuit designer. I prefer to restore or improve a good basic design over creating one of my own.

c) Lots of variations here. It does take a certain amount of time, treasure and trouble to execute a good basic design. To that extent, I believe there is a linear relationship to cost and quality - transformers being one example easily understood. BUT: after a certain point, there are only but so many things that can go in a box, and those things can cost only but so much..

d) No, almost emphatically. We have three listening venues 'at home' being the Library, which also contains the altar for the television, the living room which is a relaxing area for reading, napping, and guests when in the house. Then there is my workshop (a small bedroom upstairs) wherein are three active systems - one of which consists of things that are heading to, or recently from the bench and being burnt in, tested or verified as fit for polite society.

At our summer house we have two venues - one being sound reinforcement for the DVD player, the other being an indoor-outdoor (switchable) system in the bedroom that also feeds the side yard and deck.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA