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As a general rule, the more you pay, the better the quality is of almost any electronic product. But being of unsound mind and generally broke, I constantly search for the "el cheapo" product with enough quality to satisfy me. For, instance, I may look for years for a brand of bread that I can choke down for less money. I still live in the past I reckon since I always refer to the outlandish prices of new cars when I bought a new loaded Plymouth Fury III, in 1968 for $4,090. It was the best automobile I ever owned and I still refuse to pay more for one. Thus you never see me in one less than 10 years old. I'm now driving a 1998 Dodge Caravan which is the sweetest thing I've ever driven. But, I'm off the subject.
When you start to wire your home for sound, you don't normally look for a cheap store brand. But even though quite good, some of them are, outrageously priced. There are some really unbelievable sound systems which make music sound far better than even listening to it live. In my checking on these various lines of fine music producing systems, I learned that there are several very high quality sources. You have Bose, Bowers and Wilkins (B&W), Infinity, Mission, Orb Audio and possibly others, which seem to be leaders in sound apparatus and I believe they are perhaps tops in this business. All of them give great sound so this review is not to criticize any of them. My musical ear is not such that I can discern each and every instrument which is playing at all times and things like that. But I can tell when music is full and undisturbed, well balanced, etc.
To best enjoy great music, it needs to cover you in all instrument sounds from every direction, as warm air engulfs one who has come in out of the cold. The surround systems seem to do that best. And I found great systems in each of the above named companies. I could recommend any of the five as far as quality sound is concerned. But I found one which not only offers excellent sound but has a delightfully unique appearance and above all...reasonable prices.
I have priced several systems and I have found them ranging from about $750 to well over $3,000. I'm speaking of quality systems for whole house music. I kept trying to find what the difference was in a system whose components were virtually identical in size and power. I believe I found the primary cause of those differences and it may surprise you. In virtually all of he highest prices, you find they are usually at least two business removed from the manufacturer and each of those businesses are soaking them with high profit mark-up.
I found one of them which sells directly from their factory, no middle men This is Orb Audio. Their largest and best HT Express Elite Complete 5.1/6.1/7.1 Home Theater System costs $2,497. You can read all the specifications to this and other lower priced systems they offer by going to this URL:
And bear in mind that this is their most powerful and complete system. They also have several surround speaker systems between $1,000 and $2,000. You might be able to find comparable prices somewhere, but I did not. Also, I think what appealed to me as much as anything else about these speakers, they don't look like speakers. Rather, they look like futuristic shaped lamps or something, maybe futuristic speakers. Take a look at these photos.
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Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born September 20, 1930 near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace in 1997, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He formerly produced a bi-weekly ezine. Archives are accessible at: http://piedmontcoc.com/hofarchives.htmlHe is also the author of Final Stronghold, published in 2003, available from Amazon.
Joel, I have a Bose surround sound system, but it was pretty expensive, then I bought a speaker system for my outside pool entertainment, and it was great and only cost me 400.00.....I do like by Bose system though, it sounds great....you can crank it up if you want, and no distortion, no vibration, and I believe that is why they are so expensive....Great and informative article as usual, and I appreciate you sharing this info with us......it is good to know. Your friend and fan in pen......Gary
Hi Gary, thanks for commenting and the kind words. Although I have never owned anything Bose produces, I am sure there is no higher quality anywhere. I recall back somewhere around 1970 when I first heard of them and they had come out with a little old radio that cost as much as a television, and I thought then...Man! that must be some radio. And I knew that they would fail if it was not, but now you see the success they've had. But it is just like, I always wanted a Jaguar Sedan also. Just fantasizing.
Thanks Gregory, I wish that were totally accurate, but I appreciate the compliment. I'm old, retired and have nothing better to do. In fact, I'm so decrepit I wouldn't be able to do anything else if I did have more to do. Don't go by my picture, that is just the last one I had made, it is about 10 or 11 years old. I think I was 67 when that was made, I am now 78.
You are only 22!! Man you have most of the field left to plow. Don't worry, your mind will no doubt be much greater than mine. I could not write my name and get it correct when I was 22. You know, I had women on my mind, and yearning to get out of the army.
However I am an educated person and am enjoying our conversations and debates very much.
I may not believe in what you believe, but I am learning much from you and I'm sure I'll continue learning much from you, from our conversations and debates.
thank you for this article and for shopping around to get names of the better sounding ones, for anyone who is looking to buy speakers. . they make such a difference.
we rarely use the speakers that are hooked into the tv, except when watching a good movie, then we put the speakers on, and it sounds so much different, and better.
Hi Susan, thanks for commenting. Our house is about as old as I am and, although remodeled and renovated, it is still not very conducive to surround music. I have listened to a lot of the great sound systems and they are very impressive. It sounds as if the whole place is alive and involved. God bless you and yours.
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