ADD or Audiophile?
I’ve loved listening to music since a very young age, starting with my parents Grundig console tube stereo which they brought to the states when the army transferred my dad back to the US. I bought my first stereo components as a young teen and would sit in my dark basement bedroom listening to Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan…..In college, I’d sit and listen to music for hours. Fast forward 40+ years…I now have a nice system. I look forward to weekends when i can listen to music in peace and quiet. What I’ve noticed is i can no longer just sit and enjoy music. I usually read (a lot of times Audiogon Discussion Forum) while listening. When a particular song comes on or a beautiful passage comes up, I focus on the beauty of the music and artistry of the musicians creating it, then its back to mental muli-tasking again.
I suspect its some form of ADD, but I’d like to think that doesn’t disqualify me as an Audiophile.
Anyone else share this “affliction?”
I am usually working out during listening to music. Instead of listening chair I use balancing ball to just sit and listen. I often bulk myself up with freeweights right in the sweet spot. My best system is down at the basement gym where in the breaks between reps I can change records or tracks. That apparently works to kill ADD. |
LOL @czarivey ! I’ll have to try that ADD busting technique in a few months. I’m current recovering from total hip replacement surgery on Wednesday. Ive actually been looking forward to post surgery recovery as an excuse for extended 7 days a week (not just a few hours in the weekend wee hours) of music and reading enjoyment. |
I've noticed this when I listen to digital. I blame it on convenience. It makes us less involved because we don't have to be involved. I've never noticed this with my vinyl system.Then too, my vinyl system cost about 5x the digital so it should sound better. Now that I've bought a PS Audio DirectStream dac, I'm looking forward to see if this changes. However I really believe this has more to do with convenience factor than sound. Sometime my Theta CDP comes far too close to the vinyl. So its not like the CDP sounds bad.Its not as good but still sounds pretty darn good. My suspicion about convenience is based on observation of life itself. I'm often amazed at the lack of situational awareness of many, if not most, people. Living in an area where danger is more the norm than the exception makes one naturally more involved in life. Consider the pioneers who went west through the wilderness. They HAD to be aware or lose their life. We, OTOH, have conveniences that our forefathers on;y dreamed of. But look at us. Our senses are dull. Many people can't listen. They are like those on a BB who read the headline but not the article. Then they answer the headline only to find it was more clickbait rather than descriptive of the actual article. People often listen just enough to form a reply. IMO, convenience is the enemy of the good. Our senses have become dull. Only when forced can/will we use those senses to anywhere near their ability. Vinyl forces us to pay attention. Digital doesn't. FWIW this is just one of the issues with the problem IMO. Modern Life's complexity and our busyness are others. We have lost sight of the beauty of simplicity.
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I usually (but not always) read while listening because of two factors. The first is that if I just listen, I get too relaxed and may fall asleep. The second is that many years ago, I listened for hours while conversing with good friends, and that kept me interested in both the music and conversation. I don't have that now. |
