Do we ever forget that it's all about the music?

2

Comments

  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited September 2006
    TroyD wrote:
    Not worth the breath, Cliff hasn't seen the ball since kickoff.

    blow it out your **** troy , Are we related or something? cause you sure think you know me better then anyone.. and all from an internet forum, Such talent
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2


    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2006
    What? You mean I can play music through this stuff? All this time I just thought if I spent more money than Dorokusai, I won. Wow. I'll have to try it tonight!
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    Blue! Your my boy!
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited September 2006
    Its NOT all about the music. I know many people who truely love music. MP3's are fine with them. In their world music comes together the same in their mind no matter what the fidelity.

    Me, I'm into sounds. The tone of the notes from various instruments. I can sit and listen to a cool guitar, B3 or trumpet note all night long. If it does or doesn't blend in with all the other notes I don't really care. I can listen to and enjoy music which I do not care for. On the other side I find it very hard to listen to music I love if reproduced poorly. I must admit, I'm turning more toward music content as I age, but it still must have fidelity for me to enjoy it.

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited September 2006
    ^^ I can't relate to that. If it ain't making me tap my foot, I don't care how well it was recorded, I'm turning it off. If it's making me tap my foot and bob my head, I may wish it sounded better, but I'm going to keep playing it.
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
    In Use
    PS3, Yamaha CDR-HD1300, Plex, Amazon Fire TV Gen 2
    Pioneer Elite VSX-52, Parasound HCA-1000A
    Klipsch RF-82ii, RC-62ii, RS-42ii, RW-10d
    Epson 8700UB

    In Storage
    [Home Audio]
    Rotel RCD-02, Yamaha KX-W900U, Sony ST-S500ES, Denon DP-7F
    Pro-Ject Phono Box MKII, Parasound P/HP-850, ASL Wave 20 monoblocks
    Klipsch RF-35, RB-51ii

    [Car Audio]
    Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP, Memphis 16-MCA3004, Boston Acoustic RC520
  • John in MA
    John in MA Posts: 1,010
    edited September 2006
    I don't get the super-gear-tweaker types. I also don't get folks who love listening to everything through a Sony boombox or MP3 player headphones. Guess I'm in between somewhere. I find a great deal of enjoyment listening to good music through a cheap system (my computer, for instance, with junky multimedia speakers) but I get greater enjoyment when I can hear its full potential. On the other hand, lousy music (ie: hip-hop, etc), no matter how well recorded will drive me out of the room on the world's most expensive stereo.

    Endlessly messing with hardware gives me no pleasure. I sometimes get a little too much wrapped into trying things when I have them side-by-side. Other than that it's not a big issue. I fully realize what faults my rig does or may have. It's good enough for me and until something better falls in my lap I won't sweat it.

    Although I'll always kick myself for selling my Scott 299a, my only tube amp.
  • Lsi9
    Lsi9 Posts: 616
    edited September 2006
    Excellent thread, for me the music is very important, maybe because I play giutar and write songs, but I think many audiophiles love the music also, but we get lost in the upgraditis and forget what got us here to begin with.

    I always found it awkward that music isn't discussed on this forum or other audio/video forums. I have become a big african music fan and have found this genre the best for serious listening because of the odd instruments and instrumentation.
    I guess you also get tired of a certain genre of music, will always love my Rock but I need a breaK from it once in awhile.
    Nothing like listening to African music on a good system

    we should discuss good (sound quality) music for serious listening, I know I would love some recommendations

    Audio Physic Scorpio II
    Pathos Logos
    MIT Shotgun S3
    Bada HD-22 CDP
  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited September 2006
    What makes us so unique? Well, it ain't because we're music lovers. Ever heard of anyone who hates music? And it ain't because we enjoy higher quality music. Try making that argument to the neighbor who believes his $100 boombox sounds as good as your $10K system. We are no different than the gun enthusiast who buys a gun, takes it out to the range a few times, then sells it and buys another one. Of course we love how music sounds through our gear, and likely so does everyone else who listens to it.

    And we can't help it -- audio is our drug. We have to keep tweaking. That's our fix. And many of you are in denial. It's OK, though. The first step is recognizing that you have a problem. There's an Audioholics Anonymous meeting in your area. Just pick up the phone and make the call. You'll be glad you did.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited September 2006
    Lsi9 wrote:
    I have become a big african music fan and have found this genre the best for serious listening because of the odd instruments and instrumentation.

    I've been seriously looking for this type of music but have only found a few items, mostly the exception to the normal stuff out there I think. Basically, no luck at all. Care to share a few titles in a new thread?
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited September 2006
    Damn and I got all my gear just to listen to NPR and talk radio:rolleyes: ;):D
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
  • univera
    univera Posts: 848
    edited September 2006
    I don't see how anyone can say this isn't about the music, or at least largely about the music. My love for music started in my teens and led me to bigger and better equipment. I think many of us stumble on the fact that there is way better **** out there than our first JVC rack system, which I loved to death! Fortunately; it had a fatal problem. It was still cool gear to me at the time. Yet, when I walked in the repair shop and the owner was selling a Boston sub and two Rotel amps, I knew there was something special, simply by looking at the simplicity and quality build of the designs.

    I in turn stubled across a sweet pair of AR pawn shop speakers and so it began. Ulitimately, my desire to listen to tunes led to my purchase of better gear.

    I have since found that this forum is responsible for further purchases. I thought my AVR sounded awesome, but when I heard the SDA's and discovered this site, I realized that there was much more to go. The fact that I am fortunate to own a pair of speakers that aren't easily bested and which would require a significant investment to do so is great as I don't feel the need to ever upgrade my speakers. In my mind, I am done. Only new gear from time to time down the line.

    I'm one who would prefer NOT to swap gear out all the time. I want to sit back and enjoy, not stress over constantly swapping out gear and cables. I'm content to "go big" (as much as financially possible) to buy the best I can afford and stay pat for quite some time. Even now, the idea of auditioning and swapping cables causes me stress. I want to buy a good set that can carry a clean signal and just chill.

    Ultimately, it is about the music. I won't listen to cRAP, no matter how tight it might sound on my system. The love for the music and SOUND is what leads to upgrades and sizeable purchases. The gear is cool and looks definitely play a part (I would never buy Parasound because I just don't like the look for whatever reason) but reproduction of a clean, realistic SOUND is what drives me. If its a **** CD SOUND wise, it might as well be played on my bedside radio.

    And, with the addition of Signal Cable Risers, I don't think I will ever need to upgrade.....
    UNIVERA
    Historic Charleston SC

    2 Channel:
    SDA-SRS's RDO tweets
    Biamped Anthem 2 SE's w/1970's NOS Siemens CCA's
    Anthem Pre 2L w/E.harmonix platinum matched 6H23's
    CDP- NAD C 542



    HT setup:
    AVR: NAD T 773
    Rears: Polk LC80i
    DVD: Toshiba 3109 dual tray
    Subs: Velodyne and M&K
    T.V.: Sony KDL-52XBR4 w/Vans Evers Clean Line Jr.
    Conditioner: Panamax M5100EX

    Master Bedroom Sony 40KDL-XBR3

    "I love it when a plan comes together." Hannibal Smith, The A-Team
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,820
    edited September 2006
    Heh. This is too good to pass up!

    First off, Zero has plenty to do with music. From what I have seen, his collection is not huge by most standards but what he does have, he throughly enjoys. Just because he runs through gear doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy music.

    For me, it's about the gear. It's not about the coolest stuff or shiniest stuff. It's about getting the most out of what I have. I have put together stereos on the serious cheap and they are verifiable giant killers. I also have some expensive gear that I managed to get on the cheap too but most of what I have, I have aquired in a broken state and repaired to working condition for my enjoyment. That's not to say I don't enjoy music. That's not true at all. I got in to this hobby through car audio and competitions where there is an extreme focus on gear and performance and music is secondary.

    Then again, it's also about the music, I can't help but enjoy it. However, I don't have to be listening on a high dollar rig to enjoy it. My $50 Magnavox boom box works just as well when I'm in the garage or doing some sort of yard work. I'll still enjoy the music. The boombox sounds like crap compared to the other gear I have but the sound doesn't have to be perfect for me to enjoy the music. There is so much more to music than just how it sounds. It's an emotional experience capable of conjuring up your most distant memories of good times and bad, family and friends and times gone by. I still have a transistor radio that I will listen to from time to time. I have never heard Frank Sinatra or even Harry Kalas commentating the Phillies ever sound better on a sunny, summer, Sunday afternoon. Whenever I have it on and a game is on, I can almost smell my grandfather's beer and hear him cracking the peanuts. If Frank Sinatra is on, I'm at my uncle's house again playing with the dog while the Eagles game plays in the background and my aunt is cooking up some stew or her incredible tomato sauce.

    The gear is seperate from the music for me. The music can be played on anything. I've actually transferred old LP's of Christmas music to CD and preserved the cracks and pops of the LP just because it mimics the sound of my dad's old turntable and I feel like a kid again when it's on. The gear is just a way to enjoy the music. Music can be enjoyed live or recorded and on any media you want. The gear though, that is a whole other level of enjoyment! The hum and glow of the tubes, the smell of the transformers in the amps burning ozone like it's going out of style, the click, thump and hum of an old solid state amp powering on or the mechnical clicking and groaning of a turntable after you flipped to side 2. Remember B-sides? Better yet! The look and feel of a vintage speaker cabinet dressed out in REAL wood veneers in walnut, cherry, oak, poplar, beech, chestnut or maple! The textured grille cloths and elaborate wooden lattices just aren't found anymore. There is little on this earth that can match the beauty in both teh look and the engineering behind it like a perfectly executed wooden horn!

    The music is an abstract art made by man and laced with meaning and emotion over every single note. However, the gear is a concrete art born of science and engineering and a culmination of what man has managed to accomplish on this earth in his short time here. Neither is more worthy of consideration over the other. The gear is just as important as the music. The gear often gets overlooked because it gets taken for granted all in the name of the seemingly high and noble ideal of being "in it for the music".

    Nah, I'm in it for both! There is just too much beneath the surface to see, hear and appreciate to forsake one for the other.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited September 2006
    To me it started at an early age with the music. I would spend hours in front of the family "stereo" and record songs on my handheld cassette player with a microphone pointed at the speaker.

    Later, in my early teens, I got an Electrohome stereo (the one that looked space-age with a half-moon cover and bowling ball speakers) and I'd lie on the bed with one speaker next to each ear and listen to Pink Floyd.

    As I got older I started to hang around more and more in audio stores looking at the gear and thinking about how much better my music would sound with better gear. Sometime in the late 70's, I remember paying $3500 for a Nakamichi rack, and I'd find myself inviting friends over to listen to music like they never heard it before. I believe that it was at that time that my love affair with "rack mount" equipment started.

    So for me it was about the MUSIC first, and what the gear can do to that music was SECOND. I had friends over for LISTENING sessions....where we would sit facing the speakers, dim the lights, and listen to rock music or if we wanted to freak out a bit, we'd listen to Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the room decor.....I had this psychedelic wall paper and I painted florescent stars on the ceiling, that I lit up with a black neon light.

    My obsession with power came about when I went through the mobile disco phase, where is was about the gear FIRST and how loud your system could play at the school dance.

    Joe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited September 2006
    Zero wrote:
    Cliff,

    It looks like I was honored enough to be used as an example in your responses in the thread. Like most things at this place, I find it pretty funny. The bottom line here is you have absolutely zero insight into my listening habits, how often music is played, my collection of media, and other passions / roots that extend itself beyond home audio. It just so happens that I like the toys that play-back stereo music, I love the different designs, the history, and results certain pieces can deliver when brought together.

    Oh relax Sean, it wasnt derogatory (sp) you do go through tons of gear and it amazes and amuses me to watch... and i never said i knew what you listened to or didn't.. lets everybody take cliff's word our of context.. :D
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2


    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited September 2006
    It's funny you say that Joey as I have acquired all the equipment that I have in about the last 7 or 8 months or so and alot of the cd's that I used to listen to and love sound horrible now. Case in point one of my favourite cd's was/is the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers and now I literally hear a distracting noise in the background that wasn't there before. Do I give up this music? Do I only listen to it on different systems? or maybe the answer is LP's?

    Mike
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • Holydoc
    Holydoc Posts: 1,048
    edited September 2006
    Mine is about the HT. *cheer* I have owned my system only for over a year now. When I got it, I bought it because I had just purchased a receiver that could handle 7.1 sound and wanted to "experience" the movie rather than just watch it. Now that I have purchased a decent system for HT and have learned quite a bit more about it, I want to get the most out of it. That is why I will be swapping out equipment and upgrading speakers. Not because I am addicted to buying and selling equipment, but because I bought my system to give me pleasure. If I can add or upgrade a piece to make me smile a bit more because I become encompassed more in the movie, then that piece is worth every penny.

    Confession is over. I send you back to your regularly scheduled two-channel station.

    >>> knows he is going to be banned from the 2-channel threads very soon. Runs away! <<<

    :)
    Holydoc (Home Theatre Lover)
    __________________________________________
    Panasonic -50PX600U 50" Plasma
    Onkyo -TX-NR901 Receiver
    Oppo -Oppo 980HD Universal DVD Player
    Outlaw -770 (7x200watt) Amplifier
    PolkAudio - RTi12 (Left and Right)
    PolkAudio - CSi5 (Center)
    PolkAudio - FXi3 (Back and Surround)
    SVS - PB-12/Plus (Subwoofer)
    Bluejean Cables - Interconnects
    Logitech Harmony 880 - Remote
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    faster100 wrote:
    Oh relax Sean, it wasnt derogatory (sp) you do go through tons of gear and it amazes and amuses me to watch... and i never said i knew what you listened to or didn't.. lets everybody take cliff's word our of context.. :D

    What concern is it of yours Cliff? Wanna have a discussion of YOUR personal habits? Got any more X-box's to try and hose the forum on? Any speakers to sell to "a friend" at more than you paid? Subs to underpack?

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited September 2006
    Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark.

    Cheers,
    Franks & Beans
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited September 2006
    RuSsMaN wrote:
    Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark.

    Cheers,
    Franks & Beans


    Nah Russ, he's so **** full of **** his eye's are brown from it, keep it coming Troy dick face... keep it coming

    Get some more free records and then sell them in "great sets" for 200% profitt, sell some more grunt broken dynaco gear to the young man, the shitiest models, and be a baby after this post and start a worthless tribute to me thread, (like you always do) and finally try and follow me around and smell my **** because obviously your home life lacks and you have nothing better to do ... see i can name off random **** too
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2


    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited September 2006
    Zero wrote:
    Cliff,

    I'm completely relaxed. Its a cool night -the windows open - sage burnin'.. I didn't find anything condenscending about your remarks. When I am being used as an example, all that I ask is is that it be accurate to a reasonable degree. I got a chuckle out of your comments. Of course, I don't take it seriously. Hell, I'm glad I can offer up some form of entertainment! However, the bottom line in my response is to point out that I am far from being strictly equipment oriented - which was more/less the message and example you created. If you were able to answer my questions above - than I wouldn't be posting this right now.

    This Music Lover / Gear **** - out!

    Oh quite being a stinkin baby about it.. move out of mothers house and see how much gear you can buy :rolleyes:
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2


    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    This just in from Cliff via PM
    your a c**k sucker!!! feel better now..

    Sleep well Cliff, I sure do. G'head and check around and see if anyone feels if they got less than they bargained for in any deal that they made with me. Also, not that any LP set that I've sold, I've included at least three more LP's and priority shipping. Yup, a real dicking I've laid on them.

    Actually, AB opted not to by the Dynaco gear in favor of a Parasound amp.

    I'm up at this hour because I'm at work, actually. The things that I mentioned, unlike your suppositions are documented fact, Cliff. The Dynaco stuff works like a champ, in fact, I've got it hooked up to my LSi9's right now and the combo sounds pretty damn good.

    The truth shall set you free my brotha.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    As to the original intent of the thread:

    For me it's probably 65/35 in favor of the music. While I enjoy music on my rigs, I also have no issue with either my ipod or the one speaker that still works in my truck.

    That said, the hobby for me has taken a turn away from swapping gear. The basis of my rigs has been fairly stable for about a year now and I really don't see that changing much. I like the gear I've got and see no need to make any drastic changes.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • Fireman32
    Fireman32 Posts: 4,845
    edited September 2006
    I have to say thats its about the music. Being new to this hobby at first i wanted all of the best gear i can get and have an impressive looking system, but really what good is all of the gear if were not listening to music on it? Since getting into this hobby my tastes in music have branched out an now im enjoying music i never thought that i would enjoy. Thanks to my boy lou (ohskigod) he helped me put together a very nice sounding system through a few equipment swaps from solid state to tubes and now i am very happy with it and do not plan on swapping out ger anytime soon. The only equipment i might get is a better cd player but thats it for now. For myself i can get home after a long night at work and throw a cd into the player and just enjoy listening to some music and chillin. just my .02 cents
  • Holydoc
    Holydoc Posts: 1,048
    edited September 2006
    TroyD wrote:
    That said, the hobby for me has taken a turn away from swapping gear. The basis of my rigs has been fairly stable for about a year now and I really don't see that changing much. I like the gear I've got and see no need to make any drastic changes.

    BDT

    Just out of curiosity, what gear do you have now?
    Holydoc (Home Theatre Lover)
    __________________________________________
    Panasonic -50PX600U 50" Plasma
    Onkyo -TX-NR901 Receiver
    Oppo -Oppo 980HD Universal DVD Player
    Outlaw -770 (7x200watt) Amplifier
    PolkAudio - RTi12 (Left and Right)
    PolkAudio - CSi5 (Center)
    PolkAudio - FXi3 (Back and Surround)
    SVS - PB-12/Plus (Subwoofer)
    Bluejean Cables - Interconnects
    Logitech Harmony 880 - Remote
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    In the Living Room rig:

    SDA SRS 2.3t's (w RDO tweeters)
    Philips DVD963SA SACD player
    Polk XM tuna
    Sunfire tube pre
    Classe 25 amp

    Cave rig:
    AR9's
    VPI HW-19 MkIII w/Rega RB300 arm/Dynavector 10x5 cart
    Jolida JD100 tube cd player
    Melos SHA-1 preamp
    Conrad-Johnson MV-75A1 tube amp

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,552
    edited September 2006
    I like to look at the pretty lights.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited September 2006
    you are drinking too much cheap merlot and eating too much moldy cheese
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited September 2006
    One thing's for sure. We all got into this hobby because of our love for music. The audio virus is everywhere, always ready to infect a few within a group of people. Once bitten, there's usually no turning back.

    What I'm trying to say is, we all remember the first time we got into audio. Remember how things changed for us? It made us enjoy our music more than before because of better sound quality. This is the blessing and curse the audio virus gave us.

    What we did (in those early days) without knowing is raise our standards in sound reproduction MUCH higher than other folks who can easily enjoy their music being played back on an iPod or a boombox. We demand a lot more from our stereos. Having systems with greater resolution and a more complete frequency range, we're able to see more of the aural soundscape. This is now our reference point. We've achieved something. And this is where the upgradetitus begins. As we sit there and listen to our music, we wonder how much better it can sound or which area we want to improve.

    MY GOAL is to get involved with the music. I want it to communicate its power, emotions and overall atmosphere. But at the same time, I want my system to transport my mind to far off places. I want to explore new lands, oceans, rainforests and culture. Our caves is our sanctuary from the outside world and brutal reality. We want our systems to make us forget about everything and just enjoy being somewhere else for however many hours a day we listen. Our rigs are virtual reality machines, that with our eyes closed, we're able to visualize a realistic and very believable soundscape (many refer to this as the "Audio Matrix").

    I spent the entire week tube rolling from source to amplification. I was swapping and trying different combination of tubes like there's no tomorrow. Did I enjoy this? Hell yeah! It's my hobby. After many days of tweaking, I was able to get one particular part of the sound spectrum to my liking. I was able to give the mids and highs this nice wet, lush and sparkly sound. It was quite a bit of time and money but a small price to pay to add this nice environmental factor to the seceneries being produced by my virtual reality machine. So tonight, I plan to sit down in the dark, close my eyes and enjoy this heightened sense of realism I created.

    Some people get there at $200, some at $2000, $10 000 etc. Hell, some probably won't ever get close.

    I guess, for us, the better the sound, the more we can enjoy our music.

    BUT, to sell off a large portion of our music collection because it didn't meet our standards for sound quality, is plain dumb. We enjoy certain songs because it has meaning for us. In my rig, I can still enjoy good music even though the recording was bad.

    Maurice
  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited September 2006
    Very well said Organ....much applause to you. And then I looked at your join date and location and wondered.....
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
  • adam2434
    adam2434 Posts: 995
    edited September 2006
    For some, audio gear is a hobby. For others, audio gear is an appliance.

    Same can be said for cars, guns, cameras, computers, etc.

    For me, being into music (from an early age) has led to audio gear becoming a hobby - trying to enhance musical enjoyment with each purchase.

    I also think there is a personality factor that makes certain people prone to becoming a hard-core hobbyist/collector of any sort or variety. I know that, as a kid, I had other hard-core hobbies, whereas my friends just seemed to dabble in stuff in a much more laid back manner. Maybe there's a little OCD tendency at the heart of this (just speaking for myself).
    5.1 and 2.0 ch Basement Media Room: Outlaw 975/Emotiva DC-1/Rotel RB-1582 MKII/Rotel RB-1552/Audiosource Amp 3/Polk LS90, CS400i, FX500i/Outlaw X-12, LFM-1/JVD DLA-HD250/Da-Lite 100" HCCV/Sony ES BDP/Sonos Connect. DC-1/RB-1582 MKII/Sonos Connect also feed Polk 7C in garage or Dayton IO655 on patio.
    2.1 ch Basement Gym: Denon AVR-2807/Klipsch Forte I or NHT SB2/JBL SUB 550P x 2/Chromecast Audio.
    2.0 ch Living Room: Rotel RX-1052/Emotiva DC-1/Klipsch RF-7 III/Sony ES BDP/LG 65" LED.
    2.0 ch Semi-portable: Klipsch Powergate/NHT SB3/Chromecast Audio.
    Kitchen: Sonos Play5.