General Asylum: occ-SIM-uh-run by John Marks General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

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Posted by John Marks (M ) on June 22, 2003 at 09:10:03

In Reply to: What about a under 1K reference system.. posted by taco on June 22, 2003 at 08:13:40:

Hi.

Thanks for writing.

Time for today's Greek lesson.

No, that was not an X-rated reference.

The Greek rhetorical term for "a contradiction in terms" is "oxymoron." The usual example being "military intelligence."

Unfortunately, most people pronounce it as though it was made up of equal parts the beginning of the word "oxygen," and "moron," as in not too bright.

ox-ee-MORE-on.

That is wrong.

In Greek, the syllable stress is on the "antepenult;" the "one before the next to last."

So the correct pronounciation is occ-SIM-uh-run.

By this time, I think you have figured out that I don't think that the words "reference system" and "$1000" belong in the same sentence, paragraph, county, or zip code. Just like "4 inch woofer."

If a system cannot at least make relatively undistorted sound at pretty much the same level for all the keys on a grand piano, at all volumes from ppp to fff, I think it is playing tennis without the net to call it a "reference" for anything.

I have tried dozens of components in an effort to establish what is the least a classical music lover can pay for a buy it once and buy it right system that can do the above, plus orchestral and organ, and that is more like $10,000.

If having a $40,000 or a $10,000 car is more important to someone than having a good stereo, that it fine, it is a free country. I knew a kid in college who drove a beater because he had asked his parents to give him a good violin instead of a new car. It's all about your priorities.

Yes, I know--vacation home systems, office systems etc. Been there, covered that.

Thanks,

John

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