2. misc-audio
  3. 1145061424

Expectations low, listening pleasure high.

I am listening to a $300 minisystem, and am thoroughly
enjoying the experience. This is in stark contrast to my
experience with my highend stuff. Although I feel I have
the right components and synergy, I never quite feel as
though I am enjoying myself because I am either making
judgments on the sound, or because so much money was
spent I expect so much in return. Now I know that my
kilobuck system sounds better than the mini, but it makes
me wonder when this obsession with sound quality interferred
with actually listening to the performance. I figure it all
started with magazine reviews, and countless number
of components to achieve what will never be. It seems we/I
will always focus on what is not right with our systems because
nothing is perfect. And thats where I think everything went
wrong; Imagine what would happen in our day to day relationships
if we traded in our friends and spouses like we do our equipment.
I guess the enjoyment comes in the constant pushing of that boulder up the hill like Camus's Sisyphus. Anyone else experience this phenomenon?
Now back to Stan Getz on the mini.
cody
bignerd100
515 posts
 
My favorite stereo is my kitchen stereo.
Is is a thriftstore scrounged job that sits on top of the cabinets.
I use it when I am cooking and my favorite radio shows usually coincide with these times. Maybe it is just the positive associations and correlations between food, listening content, and listening satisfaction.
Enough booze does make most equipment related anxiety fade as well.

:)
goatwuss
875 posts
 
All of you people that say drinking increases your musical enjoyment... have you tried pot? works a lot better...
newbee
4,093 posts
 
Goatwuss, It's an interesting trip, just don't do it with earphones. My ears are still ringing! :-)
bignerd100
515 posts
 
If you combine enough vices simultaneously (booze, pot, audiophilic-self-gratification,etc.) dont you go blind,... or grow hairy ears or something?
davpowerslave
3 posts
 
I used to have an old aiwa minisystem and thought that sounded fine for years. It wasn't until I got a decent pair of bookshelves and integred that I realized what was missing. It's the soundstage and image, the sense of space in the sound. You loose that sense of spaciousness when listening to a cheap minisystem or radio. You don't need a megabucks system to get some descent imaging and soundstage.

In regards to the original post, I've found that high end audio is alot more then just buying components and plugging them in and pressing play. From speaker placement, to toe in, to room treatments, there is so much that goes into it and if you don't get it right, you can end up unsatisfied.
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