Burned out Audiophile - Trying to Find some Zen

Anyone read the book "Affluenza"? It may be a cure for Audiophile burnout.

I started out in 1965 or so as a teen.
So I have been around awhile.
At this point I am just wanting to have some RELIABLE, equipment, that sounds ok.
I have been recently (last two years) buying up LPs (14,000.. then tossed 3,000) and just since December 2004 gotten about 300 Jazz CDs also.
I like to tinker a little bit with the equipment, but try to keep anything that is pretty good sounding for a long time.
i do go in cycles where I decide to start looking for something... but no too often.
The last group of items were all Phono stuff. (all from the goN')
My current system is satifying to me.
If I had to pick one area where the Audiophile community has gone 'nuts' so to speak, it would be cables, and powercords.
The other problem is 'state of the art' at $20,000 and up.
The manufacturers concentrate on the small super high end and seem to ignore the middle ground. If they invested as much time in creating $1K to 2K products, they could sell a *ell of a lot more of them...

O yeah, the ZEN part:
stop listening to the equipment.
Never try to judge the sonics.
Listen to the music.

"O yeah, the ZEN part:
stop listening to the equipment.
Never try to judge the sonics.
Listen to the music."

Well said Elizabeth! I enjoy this hobby very much but I am much more sane about it. I was truly out of control for a while buying and selling and trading. It truly got out of hand when I started buying music for recording quality instead of music I actually wanted to hear. I then called it quits for a while and sold everything but a bedroom system which consisted of a NAD Integrated and some Signet Speakers.

I actually listened to nothing else for about a year and was happy as I was enjoying music again. I then purchased my first home and had a den all to myself. I turned it into a listening room as I decided I would step things up a bit. I purchased an Electrocompainet Integrated opposed to seperates and a single box XA7Es Cd Player and ran a balanced connection. WOW! The music got much better and I did not spend a fortune.

Well, I have upgraded since then but my Cary SLI-80 is with me to stay along with my Sonus Fabers. This is a big step up from the NAD and Signets but I am still enjoying my music. That was what pulled me into this hobby to begin with.

I think it is all about finding a sound that is pleasing to you. When you have it, you will know..

Good Luck!

Best,

Chris

Audio for many of us is a solitary endeavour. Consider developing or refining some human relationships. This has helped me in the past.