The Grey Box

On our shelf, we can proudly say that we have no grey boxes. Yes, we can say that we have five boxes, a bit of a simplified stock chart, if you will. None of those "grey boxes" is in fact, grey.

Only the Apple Mac Mini is in something called "Space Gray" and that's more of a plasticized matte "aluminum" colour that you'd see on a modern (read: cheap) espresso maker.

The Grey Box (Gray Box) is some item of derision referring to a cheap PC computer put together by a shop with components, none of which they have built, made or designed. It's a bit like today's modern stereo collection.

You'll go into a shop, and get handed a system. The system will be a cheap collection of (or not so cheap) components.

Loudspeaker
Speaker Wire
Amplifier
Interconnect
Preamplifier
Interconnect
DAC
Interconnect
Source: you may use your computer. You may buy an audio server. It's your call.

So, at the bare minimum, you'll have two loudspeakers, two speaker wires, one amplifier, one preamplifier, and one DAC. There is some likelihood of three interconnects, as well. Quite likely.

To top this, you may have something known as a power conditioner.

Richard Grey makes a series of components including the Power House, which you may be so lucky to walk home with - two, hopefully - should you have found a munificent system.

Now, we'll get onto this further.

JP


JP 2016/07/27
www.hifiart.ca