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When it becomes 'The Hobby'......

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Posted on March 15, 1999 at 12:51:05
Rod M


 
Well, about the time of the last upgrade, or maybe the one before that, when I was telling the wife the 'this last upgrade and we'll be all set story' for about the 4th time, she's says, "That's ok, I tell everyone it's your hobby".

Hmmmm, I ask, "What do you mean?"

Well hobbies never end. With hobbies, you are expected to always get one more thing and then another and another, like train sets or collections, baseball cards anyone?

The best part is that now 'I'm free!' No more explaining why this or that, it's just, 'The Hobby'. Now if I just had an adequate hobby allowance, this could be heaven. ;)

So when did it become your hobby?



 

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Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 13:00:30
Jack G


 
It became *the* hobby for me about 2 years ago. The photography slowly died away. There no more room(or time) for more parrots, or breeding any more Rabbits, and the Reef tank is stable and happy. Now there's tunes...
Jack

 

You just figured this out?, posted on March 15, 1999 at 13:01:29
Stephen


 
Thee's a great Dilbert cartoon where one of the charcters is running around with a flyswatter. Someone asks him what he is doing. He says "I like to go around swatting people I don't like." When asked why, he replies "It wouldn't be a hobby if it had a reason."

Call me twisted, but I sincerely believe that it wouldn't be a hobby if there was a lot of reason involved. For me, by definition, hobbies are about joy, and the abandonement of reason. My work is about reason, which is something I'm happy to release when I get home. When I'm exprimenting with my system and listening critically, I enjoy the process of discovery. When I'm kicking back, the flow is enjoyable, too.

When my lovely bride considers her hubby's other hobbies, they don't make a lot of sense either.

I play the piano, guitar and drums. "What's with the new drum?" she asks. "It's from South America," I say. "Doesn't it have a unique resonance?" "But you already have twelve other drums," she pleads. My response is a joyful "Yes, I do!"

Mountain biking is just plain dangerous. "Why would you want to go out there and risk breaking your neck?" she asks. "'Cause it's fun! End of story." Of course, I also wear a technically sophisticated helmet, have mechanically sound pedals that I can get in and out of quickly, use the right tires for the terrain, have a bike with a light frame, don't skimp on safety features and always have a spare tube, etc. for the times when things don't quite work out.

Bottom line—the right equipment makes the difference between an enjoyable day out in the dirt, or a miserable walk home (or afternoon in the emergency room). And, whether its stereo, music, mountain-biking, cooking or whatever, I enjoy seeking out the accoutrements that help make my experience more enjoyable.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 13:04:29
Edp


 
The second after I failed to convince that it was "Essential".

I had been doing the hobby prior to any mergers, buyouts or hostile takeovers, so it was grandfathered!

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 13:30:49
Jay


 
After the "observer" and before "Obsession"....

I became a gadget person long time ago, probably before preschool, it graduated to anything electronic, video games, TV, etc. I'd take apart my old Atari 2600's and Comm. 128's. Later graduating to more expensive toys like Receivers and separates... ding ding ding... now a hobby.

I've been cyclic, getting into Mtn Biking, then Aquaria, then Audio, soon back to Mtn Biking, therefore it remains a hobbie, rather than an obsession like if my only hobby was audio stuff.

Now if my other hobbie was saving money.... :-P

Jay


 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 13:50:54
Mike K


 
Well, about 2 years ago seems right. When I realized that my old
McIntosh gear just wasn't cuttin' it any more, then the cd player
died ... So I changed my system completely, and now I fear I am
about to do that again. Maybe tubes this time. And do I hear
the siren song of vinyl lurking there in the deep background
somewhere (I swore I'd *never* go back to vinyl, but if I cant get
CDs to sound non-fatiguing I may have to). Now I am starting
to wonder about the differences between hobby and obsession.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 14:51:22
I was 16 and got a job, not to buy a car but to buy my first audio system.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:03:14
My wife would never say, "well, it's just a hobby". It seems from the post I have read that everyone has multiple hobbies. Mine are, in this order, music, speaker building, Home Theater, and that dreaded game called golf. Golf used to be an obsession with me, but I have learned to not take it so serious and as a result, have finally become pretty good at it. If it were not for my yearly membership fees, I could sink more into audio. My wife says that I have "obsessive complusion disorder", because when I get into something, I go head over heels into it, no half ass stuff. Have spent the last two years reading everything I could get my hands on about speaker building. Before that it was golf. Now it is the music portion of my system. Is it a trait for audiophiles to have "OCD"? My wife thinks so. She wants to know what the cure is, besides hitting me on the head with a frying pan.

Clayton

 

the CD explanation......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:29:45
Dave B


 
>>but if I cant get CDs to sound non-fatiguing I may have to)<<

It's fixable but like any new technology, you have to spend twice as much as the previous tech. to get the equivalent _______(fill in the blank) sound, in this case. ;-) This is how the new technology provider companies grow so big and is a little known, poorly understood fact of economics regarding technology shifts, by us peons.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:35:34
Dave B


 
Audio, as a hobby, is no more OCD for us, than it is OCD for 'them' regarding clothes / shoes / sparkly things/ interior decorating and all the other Barbie Doll Syndrome related fallout WE all have to put up with.

I would advise NOT to share this fact with your spouse. ;-)

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:35:47
Rod M


 
Are audio fools also photo junkies?

I've been into that stuff since high school, though I never got past setting up the B&W darkroom. Color was just too touchy back then to attempt in the home darkroom. The interesting thing is how good the point and shoot like 35mm camera have gotten. The pocket Pentax with zoom that I got my does does so well that I unless I need a lens or a better flash, I hardly unpack the Nikon anymore.

BTW: Breeding rabbits isn't a hobby. Getting rid of the babies might be tho ;)

 

Re: the CD explanation......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:36:05
Mike K


 
Well, I believe the problem is fixable, but, as you say, at a ridiculous
price. Which is one reason I aint jumpin' to audio DVD, or whatever
it may be called, for quite a while. And you are right. We peons
have got to learn to understand that the purpose of high-end equipment
and software manufacturers is *not* to make great equipment/software,
but to convince us peons that they make great stuff so that we will
buy it at the greatly inflated prices they want to charge.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:40:14
Rod M


 
Get her into that Creative Widows, er, I mean Creative Memories thing. It helps to have about 10 years worth of old photos for her to work on ;)

Then she'll hand you the frying pan nicely (for cooking your dinner), because she'll be too busy to stop! On second thought..........


 

Yeah, and then......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 15:51:01
Rod M


 
they want to sell it to you all over again in yet another 'perfect forever' format, along with new overpriced hardware to replace that obsolete stuff, of course ;)

Where are my records!

 

Re: You just figured this out?, posted on March 15, 1999 at 17:08:56
Bill M


 
A lovely post.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 18:28:19
Chrisp


 
I had to laugh when you called it "the hobby". I've only been in the high-end for just over a year, but if I upgrade something and my wife is in a good mood she calls it my hobby. If she's not in a good mood she says I'm out of my mind and would like to kill me.

By calling it a hobby my wife thinks this justifies her hobby of spending money.

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 19:12:56
My "Obsession" began like the post of Wheeler, above, in "Please Help Me Guys". Yes, that's right, -in college. If my system had broken down, and didn't have money to fix it, I would have been forced to leave it alone. Maybe I would have studied more, and would have been a lot more successful in life. Now I can only look back at my mistakes and be, merely "The Advisor of Life".

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 20:50:12
Rodney Gold


 
About 25 years ago , when I lusted after these monsterous Kenwood speakers with 2 15" bass drivers and a huge array of mids , supermids , tweeters and supertweeters.
On and off , when sailing , photography , drag racing , motorbikes and so forth havent taken its place , it's been an OCD type thing (see a post below for OCD)
I too go all out and luckily have a wife who doesnt complain and have the wherewithall to indulge myself as well as being able to buy my wife shiny things when I buy some for myself.
All boys like toys , after all , what are we working for , if its just to survive , whats the point? You gotta play sometimes.

 

Re: the CD explanation......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 23:49:25
oakroot


 
You'll spend twice as much on the new technology just to get the CD's to be nonfatiguing, but they still won't sound as honest to the acoustical source as the old technology. :-)

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 15, 1999 at 23:54:40
Oakroot


 
What is a hobby to some is an obessive complusive behavior pattern in others. I'm just not sure in which camp I spend the most time.

 

a discarded VPI ruined my life...., posted on March 16, 1999 at 04:37:58
dy/dx


 
found it in a junk pile in a back room at the hi-end dealer (what was I doing there anyway?) and couldn't resist the temptation to retry LP after 20 years of other interests. Now I'm going absolutely nuts trying to "fix" my digital front end. I have 4 cd players and 3, no, make that 4 processors and cables and do-dads and I just can't get the CD's to sound like music. It's absolutely no contest. As bad as LP is, with all it's fussyness and noises, I just love the sound. Will sombody please come over to my house with a pickup truck and haul all this digital gear away? I hate this hobby!

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 06:45:55
Jack G


 
>>>Breeding rabbits isn't a hobby.<<<
It is if you wish to show them.
Jack

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 06:49:51
Rod M


 
Yeah, I know, just kidding Jack. What kind were you breeding?

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 07:43:14
Jack G


 
French lops.
Jack

 

Re: Yeah, and then......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 07:54:06
Mike K


 
Yes indeed. But vinyl is not the answer, either. Most vinyl produced
in the heyday thereof was just as crappy as the average cd. And the
associated hardware was just as crappy as the average cd player today.
And dont tell me people dont buy new copies of their favorite vinyl.
I'll bet good money that the - for instance - jazz vinyl lovers have
been stocking up on expensive reissues of their favorites from
Analogue Productions, MOFI, Classic records, etc. The original
version just doesnt cut it, compared to the reissue. And as for
turntables and associated equipment, do you know anyone who is still
using his perfectly good turntable of 20 years ago? So, it doesnt
matter the format: as an audiophile(audiofool), you are going to
spend money on software - cd, vinyl, dvd, tape, or whatever - and
you are going to spend money on hardware - be it cd players or
record players. What we as educated, intelligent consumers need
to do is to stop squabbling with each other about vinyl vs. cd,
or tubes vs. ss, or whatever; we need to present a united front
to the music industry demanding better product and lower prices,
in *every* format. Thanks for providing me an opportunity to vent.

 

This hobby of mine, posted on March 16, 1999 at 10:58:46
FrankC


 
I got a great advice from this investment broker who teaches an investment class at the local college. The advice came from his father twenty five years ago. It says, "Life is a mystery for you to enjoy, not a problem to solve." Unlike many of the notorious "techno freeks" from the other site who tend to analyze this hobby to the 10th degree with their "scientific data", double-blind tests, etc., I just like to enjoy my music and a few glasses of wine on Friday evenings. I don't care how electrons, laserbeams work, or what the data say about a piece of equipment, or how my perception affects hearing, etc. If a piece of equipment improves the sound of my system to my liking, and I think the improvement is worth the pricetag. I would consider shelling out the cash. Am I obsessed? Yes, because I cannot imagine what life would be like without music!

Great job guys, keep up the good work and keep these discussions civilized!

 

One Hobby for another..., posted on March 16, 1999 at 11:06:08
Greg K.


 
...when the "ultimatum" was laid down regarding my "excessive" time away from home (and kids) whacking that little white ball around ("excessive" here was taken to mean one night/week plus one weekend 18 hole round and was not *my* definition of "excessive") which just so happened to coincide with my purchase of a pair of Dahlquist DQ20's...

As the previous poster mentioned, golf has now become a "hobby" (although I would prefer to play more than I do), audio does have me at home more. It also fits in well with enjoying the efforts of my other hobby, making my own beer.

Greg

 

Re: When it becomes 'The Hobby'......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 12:24:25
Satyr


 
When spinal injuries prevented me from having more exciting hobbies such as horse riding, skiing, mountain climbing etc. However I could only afford to start really upgrading when the children finished University. Yippeeee!
PS This is when the budget expands IF you can prevent the SO from setting her sights on TRAVEL, etc.

 

I must be slow...., posted on March 16, 1999 at 12:25:20
Rod M


 
but then again, I've had to train one about this a second time, takes longer when they're older and more set in their ways.

Yup, you've got have the right tools, er toys, for any good hobby. Take surfing, nobody I know has just one board! Then there's the wetsuits and the ....... well, you know, all the other junk you just got to have ;)

 

Re: You just figured this out?, posted on March 16, 1999 at 12:41:22
Satyr


 
I used to have a friend who had a hobby you'd like. You find a "swallow-hole" - an opening into a cave some >50 feet above the waves and dive in. If you are any good your dive coincides with a wave filling the cave below and there is enough water not to break your neck. When I asked him why he told me that he really knew he was alive afterwards. Crazy man ... Maybe he is still alive somewhere and if so by now he may just have started to listen to music instead.

Pesonally i believe that he was addicted to adrenaline and that we are ...

 

Speaking of "hobbies" ..., posted on March 16, 1999 at 13:20:01
Stephen


 
As I recall, you were not complaining about
any of the uh ... erm ... "sights" in Greece
last year, now were you?

And you were a newlywed, to boot. For shame!

 

Re: When it becomes "The Hobby'........, posted on March 16, 1999 at 14:24:34
Why would you want to (or have to) show them? I thought rabbits
were fairly adept at breeding without instruction :)

 

Re: the CD explanation......, posted on March 16, 1999 at 16:46:29
nataraj


 
>Which is one reason I aint jumpin' to audio DVD, or whatever
>it may be called, for quite a while

Are you sure ? I can resist anything but temptation ...

 

You are DA MAN!, posted on March 16, 1999 at 16:49:11
AT


 
Greetings from another MTB-audio enthusiast/nut.
Glad to find an audio enthusiast who doesn't spend ALL
his time indoors. --AT

 

Re: a discarded VPI ruined my life...., posted on March 16, 1999 at 16:49:46
nataraj


 
Give me your address ... always willing to help in such unfortunate circumstances.

 

Spinal injuries, posted on March 16, 1999 at 17:04:13
Spike


 
Pardon me for pointing out the obvious but wouldn't the same spinal
injuries prevent you from lugging the new 100lbs+ monoblock amps into
the house? Or experimenting with different speaker placements?
Just my 2 cents...

_Spike

 

Re: Spinal injuries, posted on March 16, 1999 at 17:15:15
Stephen


 
>> wouldn't the same spinal injuries prevent you from lugging the new 100lbs+ monoblock amps into the house? Or experimenting with different speaker placements?<<

That's why people have children. ;-)

 

I'm not kidding, I am dumping all my digital gear!, posted on March 17, 1999 at 05:42:03
dy/dx


 
I have just had it. I have 4 cd players and 5 processors and cables and magic rings and paint and room treatments and I'm just sick of the horrible digital sound. Everything's gotta go. Forward! into the Past!

 

financing your habit through children, posted on March 17, 1999 at 05:48:45
dy/dx


 
I convinced the wife that we need to set up a college fund for the kids. We got into Vanguard's Index 500 a few years ago. Needless to say, somehow some of the huge profits got shunted into the secret stereo account. Please don't tell the wife. She has no idea how expensive that tiny "record player needle" is. Now if I can only keep the kids from eating my records.

 

Re: When it becomes "The Hobby'........, posted on March 17, 1999 at 05:58:27
Jack G


 
Its like showing dogs, cats etc. They are judged on various criteria, the idea is *controlled* specific breeding.
Jack

 

Re: Spinal injuries, posted on March 17, 1999 at 07:33:12
Jack G


 
>>>That's why people have children.<<<

I knew there had to be a reason!
Jack

 

Re: Spinal injuries, posted on March 17, 1999 at 09:43:47
Bill


 
And I always thought it was to cut the grass...

 

Re: Spinal injuries, posted on March 17, 1999 at 10:18:40
Satyr


 
If I'm ever that wealthy I'll pay the dealers to slave away setting the whole thing up to my spec.!

 

Re: I'm not kidding, I am dumping all my digital gear!, posted on March 17, 1999 at 11:21:47
Dave B


 
Just out of idle curiousity, would you be kind enough to name the brand and model number of the 4 cdplayers and 5 processors. TIA

 

Financial planning..., posted on March 17, 1999 at 11:29:52
Spike


 
Hmmm, that is quite possible. Let's see, if I can just tap into the
money set aside for the kids' college and funnel it into a sizable
disability insurance policy, then...

_Spike

 

Re: Speaking of "hobbies" ..., posted on March 17, 1999 at 11:49:08
satyr


 
Every time I pay for a foreign holiday I do regret the fact that the money wasn't spent on audio equipment! (And if you believe that either I'm a sad b***** or you are being naive...)

 

Re: I'm not kidding, I am dumping all my digital gear!, posted on March 18, 1999 at 08:11:29
Q


 
would you also be willing to find it in your heart to take a hit on shipping charges to my front door? Heck, respond to this message and I'll even go in for half!

 

Re: Financial planning..., posted on March 19, 1999 at 00:41:04
satyr


 
Why didn't I think of that first?!

 

That's a crime in most States (NT), posted on March 19, 1999 at 00:57:18
nt

 

here they are:, posted on March 20, 1999 at 05:40:17
dy/dx


 
JVC XL-Z1050TN players 2 of them and one 1010 which preceeded it
McCormack Digital Drive SST-1 transport
Enlighetned Audio Designs DSP-7000 series 1 and series III D/A processors
Harmon Kardon Signature 2.0 DD processor/preamp
JVC XP-A1010 6-channel digital acoustics processor (this one's nice!)
Celestion DLP 600 digital loudspeaker processor for the Celestion SL600Si

I think that's it, but I'm selling the Celestion system today and I've sent the EAD series I to California already. Come and git 'em, they're all going. You may have the digital cables too: Have, MIT, LAT, etc

 

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