@loubalch Never thought of ebay for chess sets but I'll check that out. Thanks.
Chess Bazaar World Championship Set vs. Official World Champ Set
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loubalch wrote:
Gentlemen, the value of anything is based on what someone is willing to pay for it. Buy a piece of crap for $1000, and it becomes a $1000 piece of crap! Why would anyone pay $17.6 million dollars for a Paul Newman Rolex Dayton wristwatch when a $20 Timex performs the same function at a fraction of the cost? I don't know, I don't have $17M dollars to spend on anything let alone a wristwatch! But if somebody had a godzillion dollars, then $17M would seem like pennies to them. It's all relative (unfortunately, not a relative of mine!).
We all have a tendency to assess the value of things based on our own resources, which is fine when we're making the buying decisions for ourselves, but becomes less valid when we apply our sense of value to someone else. If I only have $100 to spend on a chess set, then a $200 chess set is an extravagance I can't afford.
If someone wants to spend $1900 on a chess set that sells for 6X more than a knock-off set from somewhere else, and it makes them happy, more power to them! Life is short guys, and the older I get the more apparent that's becoming. Let each of us enjoy our little pleasures along the way. We'll be gone a long time!
What you said totally makes sense and I wouldn't disagree with you.
In this case, I feel it is worth $1,900. The problem is my comfort level and of course at times money as well. I think my comfort level is around $600. I can go up to $900 like I did for my Noj 1950 set but I have to really really really want it. Again this is assuming I have the cash.
I find that waiting it our for something sometimes pays off....Patience can be a virtue.
Loubalch....A stereo pair of Sonos Play 5's on the Flexon stands and mounted in vertical array,along with their phenomenal Sub,literally shocked me once i installed it in my home.
There is no way my old traditional audio pals would ever give credit to a wireless solution....but....it definitely obsoletes anything in the traditional sense.....No comparison on almost any level,with the HD streams coming down the pipe.
Just sayin'........Sorry for hijacking the thread,btw.
magictwanger wrote:
I find that waiting it our for something sometimes pays off....Patience can be a virtue.
Loubalch....A stereo pair of Sonos Play 5's on the Flexon stands and mounted in vertical array,along with their phenomenal Sub,literally shocked me once i installed it in my home.
There is no way my old traditional audio pals would ever give credit to a wireless solution....but....it definitely obsoletes anything in the traditional sense.....No comparison on almost any level,with the HD streams coming down the pipe.
Just sayin'........Sorry for hijacking the thread,btw.
magictwanger,
Not at all. I'm using a Roon Nucleus running into a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, a one-box amp/preamp/streamer/DAC/crossover with built-in room correction. I like to think of it as the audio equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife!
Good room acoustics is paramount for god sound....but.....Sonos is so ingenious,that they added a room correction feature into their App....It automatically adjusts the system's sound to your room's acoustic signature....Perfectly....Regardless of how much crap you have lying around.....No more amps,preamps,CD players,turntables or cables all over the place either.
WIVES LOVE THAT FEATURE.
Btw,not to be a contrarian,but everything mattered in traditional audio....Cables too.I've done numerous A/B tests and to my chagrin and pocket book they matter....but....
Not with these new fangled wireless systems coming out now!
I'd never have believed it a few years ago.I used to go to all the New York High End Audio Shows and this set up pretty much obsoletes anything I heard back then.Just add something like Amazon Music HD and you pretty much have almost every piece of music ever recorded,in really good sound......Technology is amazing.
The funny thing is(actually pretty sad,considering how much I've blown on Hi-Fi) the entire Sonos set up cost exactly the same as my cable which ran from my old preamp to amp.
The room compensation is something I don't use(even though it's available to me) because I have a good room,but my pal has the exact set up and it works phenomenally well.You can check out the online reviews.
I just got a pair of wireless noise cancelling headphones(Sony) and use it when I don't wish to blow my neighbors' walls down.....Btw,if I'd have waited 2 months I'd have gone for the new Apple Air Pod Max....Groundbreaking sound,not that the Sony doesn't hold it's own....
The Sonos set up destroys the headphones,in almost every meaningful category.
I do want to apologize for all my audio diatribe,knowing full well that this is a chess site,but that has ben my affliction....Just ask the wife.
I sold all of my traditional stuff,incl all 3000 Lp's and 800 CD's years back,when the recession hit and I needed to infuse money into my business.My daughter was getting married too and I wanted to make her a nice wedding.
Never thought I'd get back all my music...but...Now I have it all again.
Lockdown is not too bad,with the Chess and all of our smart devices to keep us busy.
I've neglected my chess book study though....I simply must get back to that,since I can use all the help i can get.
I can't help thinking the knights look like blanks waiting to be carved.
I have to admit you have shown very good taste and had really good luck with the numerous sets you've posted over the last year or so. This one is no different.
theendgame3 wrote:
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
I can't help thinking the knights look like blanks waiting to be carved.
well you've never seen a WCC set then.
Only photographs, next time I'm in town I'll be popping in The London Chess Centre for a touchy feely close up and personal inspection. As has been said photographs can be misleading.
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
theendgame3 wrote:
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
I can't help thinking the knights look like blanks waiting to be carved.
well you've never seen a WCC set then.
Only photographs, next time I'm in town I'll be popping in The London Chess Centre for a touchy feely close up and personal inspection. As has been said photographs can be misleading.
Similar to the Staunton Castle Dubrovnik knight and the Chavet knight, the WCC knight has to be seen in person and held in hand to fully appreciate the shape, carving, and heft.
Pawnerai wrote:
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
theendgame3 wrote:
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
I can't help thinking the knights look like blanks waiting to be carved.
well you've never seen a WCC set then.
Only photographs, next time I'm in town I'll be popping in The London Chess Centre for a touchy feely close up and personal inspection. As has been said photographs can be misleading.
Similar to the Staunton Castle Dubrovnik knight and the Chavet knight, the WCC knight has to be seen in person and held in hand to fully appreciate the shape, carving, and heft.
That is exactly why I like to visit the London Chess Centre. Not that I'm in the market for another chess set I just enjoy admiring beautiful chess sets. The sets I own need to be practical so I only have three. An ebony & boxwood set for games/analysis at home, a vinyl set for games away from home or taking on holiday and a small ebony & boxwood for traveling when luggage space is at a premium.
Here's an instagram post from theworldchess explaining that their chess set design was based on Elgin Marbles and the temple of Parthenon. Let's not blame the NY Times journalist.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFozSpPnbyf/
Thanks @sound67. That got me reading Robert Frost. It certainly captures Daniel Weil's own fear of loss of creativity. But I am fond of the design now.
The design does grow on you. Of course the Elgin Marbles are architectural salvage from the Parthenon Temple.
@zagryan Maybe we should apply our own intelligence to the design claims and Greek hype being made by Weil and supported by his paymasters. It seems to me he's just used up all nine lives of artistic licence on this one. The dying horse on the Elgin Marbles is depicted so because according to Greek Legend it has just pulled Selene's chariot (and the moon) across the sky. Which explains the open mouth, flared nostrils, bulging eyes and look of exhaustion across the horses face. None of which I see in Weils Knight design, maybe I'm not imaginative enough. As for the pitch in height of the line up of the eight (?) major pieces reflecting the pitch of the Parthenon Temple facade I don't see that either, its a matter of fact that the pitch of the pieces is so obviously less acute.
Made_in_Shoreditch wrote:
None of which I see in Weils Knight design,
If he was really going back to Elgin horse, it is felt a bit in the first iteration of WC set, where the neck is hooked as if the head was hanging over a wall.
-Izmet Fekali
As if... I see can see a beauty and elegance in the simplicity of the design but nothing more. To liken it to Selene's horse is ridiculous. I can imagine the brief from World Chess being 'don't go to detailed on the knight we want to knock these out for top dollar at minimum manufacturing cost'
From where I'm sitting a $500 set IS an expensive set. But I wouldn't buy the Selene Imperial at a quarter the price because I'm just not that fond of it.
Hi Brynmr,
Passing along another buying tip. Many, but not all, of the Indian suppliers are offering their sets on eBay. Usually showing the same list price as posted on their websites. Many of these listings will have a "Make an Offer" option (HoS typically does). I have been able to score a number of sets using this feature. My last purchase accepted a minus 10% offer, which saved me $55! I've been successful in offering up to 25% off, getting a $200 set for $150. Give it try, guys, you've got nothing to lose. Best of luck.
Wishing all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! May you get the chess set of your dreams (and a great matching chessboard to go along with it).