$12,000 stereo system

"I would guess that this system cost $12,000". That was the response I got when I blindfolded an audiophile friend of mine and had him guess how much the stereo system he was listening to cost. I had made an offer to friends that if they could guess within 10% of what was then my "newest" audio system, I would give it to them.

The speaker and amplifier that I utilized was this Microsoft set-up. Two things attracted me to this product. 1. There was a $50 rebate offer. 2. The product was designed by Philips. In addition to the Microsoft product, I used a portable CD player and line conditioner. The total cost of this system was $255.31 INCLUDING sales tax.

You might be wondering as to what my opinion of this product is. Based on the price that I paid for it ($61.12), it was outstanding. I was really impressed with the performance of the sub-woofer in this set-up. It took about four weeks for the mid-range and treble to smooth out so that I could stand listening to it for extended periods. In the end, I was still bothered by the response of the higher frequencies. It continued to sound too artificial, but for the money, I should not be expecting that type of performance. I think it would be fair to say that many people will find that this product may sound better than their home stereo systems.

My final comment: my audiophile friend was so impressed with the sound of this system that he purchased it from me. His own stereo system is valued at about $8,000.00. He purchased this system for his bedroom.