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Listen to the music and not worry/critic/evaluate/obsess...
Just askin?
Follow Ups:
Are you worrying about/critiquing/evaluating/obsessing about music or gear?
Neither is obligatory.
http://mindseyemusic.blogspot.com/
"Neither is obligatory."Doesn't matter. You either let the music come to you or you go chasing after whatever.
fwiw, not bothering to respond to "his" question as he just seems to like to ask and not participate. Must be busy chasing things. :-)
Edits: 09/28/14
...and while this may not be entirely true, I do think that, if you really really like the music, you won't care as much what kind of system it is played on.
Yes I remember being moved by a 9V powered 6 transistor AM radio as a kid.
Did the job fine.
ET
just do it.
1. Evaluating gear/tweak - When something bad sticks out in my system which I cannot endure my quest for correction ensues. When I am evaluating new gear or a tweak, I am in full critique mode and thus unable to listen to music for pure enjoyment.2. No longer evaluating gear/tweak - Once I've accomplished fixing whatever was wrong with my system I go back to listening for pure enjoyment. I no longer search out anomolies while listening and just go with the flow of music. This period can last one month or for years, depending on how good/bad my system is.
This only works for me because I realize that: 1.) true perfection is likely unatainable, especially since I listen to so many genres of music; 2.) accepted reality of a limited budget.
Edits: 09/26/14
Once I'm through with the initial setup process I almost never bother looking back.
On occasion, the room or some other aspect of the environment will prove to be hopelessly problematic for loudspeaker listening. In these cases, I'm usually quick to bring those efforts to a conclusion in order to get on with life in the form of headphone listening.
Whenever I attempt to improve my system I never chase down gear or tweak which improves one genre of music yet punishes the others. For example, I want distortion free, clean, clear, detailed sound. And sometimes certain gear can better achieve that for acoustic and vocal music than my current system, but will thin/bleach out rock music. It is always a compromise of some sort. So compromise must be acceptable to retain my sanity.
The key IMO is to give up doing conscious critical listening.
Until you actively stop always adding in the two minutes of 'Is this OK" stuff, you will never be able to just plain enjoy music without it coming into your mind over and over.
I suggest when you are buying or trying out equipment then yes you will listen to the sound of the equipment and judge it.
Then remind yourself to stop doing that. and do not do it on purpose anymore at all.
It may take six months... but if you just drop it without anger, or any emotion, recognize "i am again judging the equipment/sound of recording' and simply drop it. eventually you will stop doing it.
And be able to enjoy the performance.
Some folks can never separate the two. and They have their own Hell.
Some even deny it is happening, even as they are talking about it to your face.. LOL
..... How to listen to music..... I just do it.... No problem.........
I think this is the case for most people, audiophile or not....
l
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
I certainly have the ability to "worry/critique/evaluate/obsess" over the music but it doesn't come naturally.
I feel sorry for anyone who has to TRY to "listen to the music".
If the system is more important than the music, something is either amiss or I'm simply evaluating a piece of gear. Gear evaluation requires effort, music enjoyment dials in easily.
This is a reply to a couple of replies since my previous reply, but I thought I'd reply here.
Rick at dogwood fabrics raises an age-old interesting point. How does a person divorce themself from the sound of a stereo system, and still remain focussed on the music.
One answer is to be a musician!
When you're a musician, you listen to the performance. The recording quality and playback system are secondary.
:)
stay away from Internet audio boards.
Jim
http://jimtranr.com
Edits: 09/25/14
When I try to divert my attention away from the equipment my mind tends to be diverted from the music, also.
When one attends a concert one can enjoy the music and discern the quality of the performance, simultaneously. There are dramatic differences in the sound quality of halls. Can one divorce themselves from that? Why would they want to? I cannot imagine there being anything incorrect about noticing the sound of a good hall.
When listening to a record I find myself thinking about "the music" along with the performance of the musicians; how can one help but notice that certain records sound better than others on one's system? How a recent change to the system is bringing you closer to the sound of music?
I find when I am listening to a favorite recording there is no conflict between music and equipment. Focusing on one aspect cannot help but bring the other into just as clear a focus.
If one wants to ignore the equipment entirely they should go listen to music in the car or on the radio in kitchen. Then one has no choice but to ignore the equipment!
I find this subject to allow a little bit of some presumed moral superiority - "When I listen to my grand system I only concentrate on the music - I am, at least, as grand as my system" Oh yes, in your own way ...
I suspect your question is not so much for yourself as it is to speak for others. In any case, ...I'm painfully aware of the shortcomings of my system. Not enough low bass, a little too forward midrange. Both will be remedied in the next several months. So, how do I cope?
A stereo is kind of like a wife. Lots of nice qualities, which are why you bought, er, married, er, hooked up, in the first place. Then, you start to hear/see the nagging, er, shortcomings, and you become restless. Sturm und Drang ensues. After a while, a certain bird-like flute-ish pleasant melody overcomes the raging energy of the timpani and trombones in your tortured soul.
If you don't believe me, just listen to The Planets, or any of several other compositions. La Mer. Firebird. Scheherezade. It's all there.
Listen to the music, not the equipment.
That is, unless you're really not into the music, in which case, you're on your own.
Attitude.
:)
Edits: 09/25/14
.
If anything, it only made me uninterested in listening and sleepy!
Dman
Analog Junkie
Well... to be perfectly honest- me too. Occasionally I'll pour me a nipper if I'm feeling particularly wound or if I have nothing to do the rest of the evening (which is rare).
I hate listening in a way that picks my system apart so I guess I'm lucky there. I actually have to force myself to listen that way.
Most of the time I just don't fight it. The music either hits me or it doesn't. I am always listening to new music so it's hit or miss. Lots of other physical and metaphysical factors going on in there, that are sometimes hard to self diagnose.
...and for those who have trouble quieting their critical mind, there are alternatives to scotch.
I usually prefer a nice zinfadel.
Zinfadel and a Dutch Treat- niiiiice!
...be there, relax, let the music take you away, enjoy.
My wife says I'm "TOO ZEN" sometimes, because with me, it's lights off (most listening at my place is done at night anyway), turn up the music, sit down in the hot seat, and just enjoy it.
Yeah, sure there are a million things I'd love to have or do to my system (all of which costs money), but I can still enjoy the music at hand and can still put all those wants/desires away for the time (unless, of course, something dies in the middle of the session!).
Dman
Analog Junkie
be happy/content with your gear!
.
"We are all in God's hands... and God is a malign thug."
-Mark Twain
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