Finally, audio bliss...

AsSiMiLaTeD

I'm not gonna say this will be my final system or anything like that, but for the first time ever I've been listening to hours of music over the last week or so and the thought of 'OK now what can I do to make this sound better' never once crossed my mind.

It's hard to describe what I'm hearing really and I'm not going to throw out a bunch of superlatives, everything just sounds better. Maybe music is not supposed to envelop you, but that's the best way to describe what I'm hearing.

For the first time ever, I'm completely content with my system. What's weird is that its a seemingly random set of components all thrown together without regard for other parts of the system, but it just 'works' for some reason.

Over the past 10 years or so I've been through my fair share of gear. Its nothing compared to what guys like Mark and Russ have been through, but I've seen quite a few components (some great, some not so great) pass through here over the years.

I've been through gear ranging from cheap AVRs to Parasound to Music Hall to Musical Fidelity to Dodd tube gear. I've owned speakers ranging from DIY stuff to Klipsch, Athena, Energy (back when they were Energy), Totem, B&W, and of course the LSi and and every RT line of speakers made by Polk. Its still not a lot compared to what I'd call a true audio nut, but plenty from which to base an opinion.

My system is listed in my signature, but honestly there's nothing really 'special' or high end in there.

The PSB speakers are fantastic sounding, and they are better than the previous incarnations of the Image series as they include more tech from the higher lines, but at $499 for the B6 (mains) they're certainly not high end and I don't have any (d)illusions of them being the greatest speaker ever. Hell, I originally bought them because they were supposed to sound 'decent' (i.e. good enough) and had a smaller footprint and in dark cherry are a perfect match to our furniture. The fact that right now I like them more than any speaker I own or have ever owned (that includes the Rainmakers that I'll take to the grave with me) is just an unexpected bonus. But its not that the speakers are that good, Stereophile called them the 'Honda Accord' of speakers, that can't be good right?

The SC-25 is very nice, but lets be realistic, its not really high end. Its a great AVR, but there's no way it should be able to compete with a $2500 MF integrated, right?

My Oppo and Touch are both highly regarded for how well they do what they're designed for, but there's no way they should sound better than a MF or the Cambridge 840 CDP, right?

So what is it, the speakers, AVR, source??? None of my components are 'that good', but what I'm hearing tells me otherwise. I didn't 'want' to like this system all that much, just wanted something that's listenable yet smaller and fits in with the decor better. What I got instead was the best music listening experience I've ever had with my own equipment.

The term synergy gets thrown around alot, but I think that's what I'm really hearing for the first time ever in my system. What's odd is that it wasn't by design, I just happened to throw all this stuff together and voila!

Does this mean I'm set for life and am done buying audio gear? No, that's absurd. What it does mean is that I now have a baseline, so when I swap gear or build another system I have something to compare to, and that's very important.

My wife doesn't really care what I buy and doesn't 'get the audio thing', but for the first time in the 10+ years we've been married she stopped and listened for a few minutes last night and noted how good it sounded. That's not a milestone in our relationship or anything absurd like that, but was a good indication of 'wow maybe what I'm hearing really IS good'.

Moral of the story? There isn't one really, maybe just go buy and bunch of random crap and hook it up and see how it sounds???

audiobliss

After reading the title of this thread, I for some reason feel compelled to post in it.

The term synergy gets thrown around alot, but I think that's what I'm really hearing for the first time ever in my system.

That is quite a milestone! Congrats on reaching that point. Hopefully you can enjoy it for some time before you get the itch and have to start meddling with it again.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I was wondering if you'd be the first to respond...

BlueFox

Congratulations!!!!

I know exactly what you are saying. Ever since my last upgrade I have been absolutely satisfied with my two-channel sound. It is so nice to just sit and enjoy. I might be able to tweak another small sound upgrade out of the gear, but I am perfectly content today.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Joe08867

Braggart!!!! Glad you are happy....






























For Now!!!!!!

steveinaz

I always had that tail-chasing, agonizing, nagging "thing" going on in the back of my mind that told me I was still listening to the gear, and not the music. That is, until I bought my Fritz Carbon 7's. Now I just enjoy the music. It took 10 years to get back "there" after totally re-doing my system in 2001.

sucks2beme

So the real question is will the Hales throw all this bliss into chaos?

cnh

Congrats. I totally understand what you mean. I'm not 'there' yet. But significant improvements were had recently with the addition of a new pre? This new piece in the chain made even my Pioneer BDP 51 sound like a completely new machine as a CDP. I've never heard that unit, and it's not intended to compete with the likes of the Cambridge you mention above, sound so good? And I've had 3 or 4 pres on this amp--the current one is nothing spectacular but it just works! It's just a pure chance phenomenon.

Hope this pattern continues! And Enjoy!!

cnh

txcoastal1

Can we debate about "Audio Bliss" JK Enjoy
Everyone have a great weekend and for those who get a 3'dayer really enjoy

Kick up the jams brothers and sisters

bigaudiofanatic

Glad to hear you hear what you want to hear. LOL

I hope to be there one day, still searching.

Tony M

That's a great feeling and I've felt it over the years many times.:biggrin:

I've been feeling the same way this whole week. Humidity, spring, sunshine, I don't know but my space is cleaner so that's probably the only real reason.

I still have to install Larry's rings so I'm in for a real treat when that happens.

heiney9

I was there until I moved into a new house. Similar rig placement, but I have some work to do dialing her in. Right now, I'm very bass heavy. Not so much bloated, just some thunderous bass that doesn't always sound as natural as it should.

H9

treitz3

I lost my synergy when I had to move the rig into the living room to make room for my newborn, combined with having to [unfortunately] get new speakers. I have yet to find the synergy again. Yeah, it sounds good but I'm just not where I need to be. Keep what you have and be very careful doing anything to change. If you do? Make sure that you can change it back. Synergy is a hard beast to nail down and like you said, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you have to work at it a while.

Enjoy the music.

nspindel

heiney9 wrote: »

I was there until I moved into a new house. Similar rig placement, but I have some work to do dialing her in. Right now, I'm very bass heavy. Not so much bloated, just some thunderous bass that doesn't always sound as natural as it should.

H9

Get some bass traps. Acoustic treatments were the best tweak i made to my system. I use GIK tri-traps. Love 'em. I have 4 traps and 6 panels in my little listening room. They make me forget I'm in a little room.

PolkClyde

I'm happy with my system(RIG) also.... The Polk 1.2's with the tweeter upgrades. The infinity Kappa 9's, The carver Silver 7t's, Shotgun MIT cables...PSW 505 sub.... I'm in Sonic Audio heaven...Now,I need a new house. Oh yeah,I can't forget the Adcom gfp 750 Pre-Amp and the Oppo 95 Blu-ray Player.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Well it's been almost a year and (other than rounding out my surround setup with the matching surround speakers) I've made NO changes to my system. What's more, I've had no desire to change. We moved into the condo here back in June and the system as-is just dropped right in and didn't loose a bit in terms of sound quality.

I even made it through Lone Star Audio Fest without buying anything or making changes to this setup, that's quite an accomplishment!

Going a year with no changes is easily a new record for me, and I see no changes in the near future.

heiney9

So the Touch wasn't a change at all?

AsSiMiLaTeD

I mentioned the Touch in the original post, and I haven't changed anything to it since then. I still use it daily and am 100% satisfied with it.