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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Turning in My Audiophile Badge posted by AudioDwebe on January 12, 2011 at 08:56:44:
This “badge” thing doesn't really mean much.......
“Well, not quite yet, but for the past several years, I've been finding myself getting closer to saying goodbye to all this audiophile craziness.”
Craziness is subjective...... A lot of people think I'm crazy...... But I don't care.........
“It's funny to me how the same things that really used to excite me before absolutely bore me to tears now. Any cable (speaker/IC/power) costing over 1K for a meter or two, CDP's in the 5K-plus range, speakers priced at above 10K and on.”
It hasn’t excited me in recent time either, after finding out most of it is overpriced and overrated......
But that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying audio. In fact, I think I enjoy audio as much now since prior to the digital age......
“I've always known that that last 3-5% in audio quality is the most expensive part of this hobby,”
Totally disagree........ Totally disagree..... I found out the contrary the hard way....... In retrospect, I regret the money I’ve blown prior to the revelation.
“and I was willing participant in playing that game then. But now, my way of thinking about components has taken a dramatic change.”
I've never really seen it as "participating in a game"..........
“I guess I no longer value the value of spending crazy money (at least to me) chasing that latest and greatest improvement and all its supposed glory, only to then chase the next greatest thing.”
As I’ve found out roughly five years ago, what’s touted as the “latest and greatest” wasn’t the case at all...... One should, however, listen to enough of other audiophiles’ systems (and even more importantly, lots of live music) in order to stumble across prospective components that don’t break the bank.
“I quit doing all those stupid AB'ing of cables, speakers, amps...yeah, you know the deal. Hours spent listening for the most minute improvement of cable A or B to match better with amp C or speaker D. I see that as such a waste of time now.”
IMO, this is a fruitless way to evaluate audio components...... The most effective way IMO is to try living with the setup for several days, and then you’ll realize whether or not the system took a step forward. Quick listening IMO was never an effective method of evaluation.
“I've become more of a ‘set it and forget it’ type of person. I'm sure my speakers would sound better if I moved them an inch or two this way or that, but no longer feel the need to go through that effort.”
With “placebo effect” often coming into play, such activity IMO can be both frivolous and maddening......
“My systems sound pretty good where they are, and I'm okay with that.”
I'm OK with that too...... [-;
“This is how far off the audiophile wagon I've fallen: I'm trying to decide between the Dunlavy SC-IV's and Bose 901's for my living room system. You read it right, Dunlavy's or Bose. Crazy, right?”
I can hear the groans from here.......
I was never a fan of Dunlavy speakers, only because I thought I could hear the individual drivers, in spite of a design that suggests the contrary should occur.......
A lot of people will scream at you for trying Bose, but I’m not one of them.
And if one listens to primarily recent pop music, I'm sure he’d likely prefer the Bose over high-end products.
“But then, the living room's used primarily to watch TV or play with my son, and my main rig is in the largest (though quite small) bedroom. I've recently had to downsize from a house to an apartment, and that reduction in living space has caused me to seriously reconsider what I feel is important to me, including audio playback.”
If you have neighbors sharing common walls in your apartment complex, Bose 901s (or any speakers that project sound into the walls) might not be a good idea.........
“And don't get me started on my 7K or so vinyl collection, along with 5K or so CD collection that takes up an entire small bedroom to store, along with a couple of Ikea shelves (16 slot one plus 8 slot one) in the dining room. Those will definitely be reduced at some point.
“I've reached a point in my life where I'm tired of the craziness of this hobby, and how deep I was into it. It's been mostly all-consuming most of my adult life and I feel it coming really close to having run its course.
“Have any of you gone through a similar evolution, and if so, how did you come through on the other side?”
Yes...... It’s called finding local designers and seeking absolute performing products (to my own ears) that are relatively inexpensive. From Volex power cords to OneAC power conditioners to Don Allen electronics to DIY and locally-built high-efficiency speakers. The big key IMO is whenever you hear a component or system that you think really sounds good, and is not necessarily expensive, try to find out aspects of that system that makes sound the way it does, and try to incorporate it into your own system. But as I’ve stated earlier, you would need to have a lot of friends and contacts, so you can get a better idea what works and what doesn’t. (No two people like the exact same sonic presentation.)
We all want to enjoy the music to its utmost degree..... We just need to realize there are ways to do it besides throwing money at it. And once you figure out these methods, it will set you free.
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Follow Ups
- We Don't Need No Stinking............... - Todd Krieger 17:18:51 01/12/11 (1)
- RE: We Don't Need No Stinking............... - josh358 06:52:37 01/13/11 (0)
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