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Am I a burning out audiophile????

...or am i simply a music lover to begin with???

Disregarding the debate that could potentially be born from the statement above, I sit here in my 18x18x8 room listening to Diana Krall's 'When I look in your eyes' through a pair of Totem Winds powered by a Krell kav-400xi and Jolida JD100a source. It sounds great, it truly does! It does so many things right and so little wrong! Why then, do I have the question in the back of my mind - 'is this system as musically engaging as my past system was?'

Tonally, it's better. It goes deeper. It's more accurate, smooth, well balanced, etc. etc. etc.

The prior system the back of my mind questions is that of the Totem Arros powered by a PrimaLuna Prologue Two with Cairn Fog source in a 9x11x8 room. If memory serves me correct - pure magic! What I thought at the time (and am wondering now) was the epidomy of emotional involvement!

Q.1 - am I only remembering the 'good times' with the prior system? (like how we photograph only the good times of our life and wax nostalgic about how great things used to be)

The move to the upgraded system was initiated by my desire to listen to more music with my wife. Today, (and last night, and the night before...) I still find myself listening by myself. Regardless of the extra chairs in larger space!

I also wanted to simplify and combine my seperate systems (5.1HT and 2-channel) into one higher-end 2-channel dual purpose system. The result is great sound, but perhaps not the most musically enagaging two-channel nor the most enveloping, impactful HT either? As a dual purpose system it performs great, but it isn't send ingtingles down my spine or have me toe-tapping like the smaller Arro system did.

Q.2 - have I gone too far??? Have I treaded into water where I have to think about the music too much to enjoy it??? Am I asking too much of a single system???

The road from system #1 to system #2 has had a lot of in-between systems that have just led to frustration and/or musical dissatifaction, but too much too get into detail here...

Q.3 - which brings us back to where I started; am I a burning out audiophile??? Am I simply thinking about this too much???

I don't know what I expect in response to this babble? I don't know if these questions are even 'real' or simply part of a rhetorical rant? Anyway, thanks for listening and feel free to post and thoughts or comments....
jh2os
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Could be the post honeymoon blues? Those new anticipated expensive Totems or something else in your life, much deeper...
The move to the upgraded system was initiated by my desire to listen to more music with my wife. Today, (and last night, and the night before...) I still find myself listening by myself.

IMHO. My mood has as much to do with how how I feel about music - it is not just down to the technology. Perhaps something is irking you. Perhaps it has nothing to do with audio technology?

Suggestions:
Do not set unrealistic demands that your wife should be expected to enjoy what you do (especially since you made all this effort/money, which sounds like a dangerous chip on the shoulder is building to me!).

Instead of withdrawing by yourself to listem in your room....stop being a hermit... try to find out what SHE enjoys and try to do that together and make sure she knows you are having fun...you might be surprised that it works wonders....you may find yourself enjoying music again much more than any technology money can buy!
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
knowing when to quit, is the most important thing you learn in this hobby. any system stinks, if you think it stinks. consumer satisfaction in hi end audio is (for most) short lived or non existant. many hi end components are not designed to be used long term. they are designed for a great first impression,and as the classifieds will confirm...most in this hobby believe that 'the equipment' will replace the real reasons we loved music in the first place....and that has NOTHING to do with expensive gear.
fritzg
5 posts
 
Have you tried high-efficiency gear? For me, it has been the answer to enjoying music more. Perhaps it's personal taste, having started with 15 watts and Jensen reflex speakers 40 years ago. I went through speakers from the Cambridge, Mass era, Martin Logans, Aerials and have ended up with horns and reflex speakers again. My least efficient speakers are 91 db and my most are 98 db, and cost less than $5000. I still have the Jensens (in Heathkit cabinets) in a secondary system.
jh2os OP
244 posts
 
Shadorne, get out of my head! ;) All good suggestions, but I find myself listening alone after she has gone to bed for the evening, not 'hermiting' or neglecting in anyway. We spend the evenings shopping, at the movies, mini-golfing, etc. The only thing unsatisfying in my life is probably work, and only the fact that I HAVE to work! ;) I do agree that mood does have a lot to do with one's perspective on a system. Who knows, maybe next week I'll be loving it?

I just think, for me, when spending this amount of $$$ I want to get some use out of it, but am realizing that this whole 'audiophile' thing may be way further down on my priority list that I thought???

Jaybo, that may be my wife's only concern with this hobby of mine. Every step up, every next piece I think (and state) I won't need to replce this for awhile. Awhile for me is usually in the 3-6 month realm. For my wife it would be 5-10 years! I think she's the one who's right about how that should be! ;)

Friztg, I have never tried high-efficiency gear before. Having a prior system that I still seem to hold in high regards I almost think it's smarter to rebuild that than opening a whole new can or worms! Although, that can could quite possibly be the answer as well?
electroid
283 posts
 
Is the thrill gone a bit? Maybe so. We are really excited when we first get the bug and often people spend much more and get that small** improvement and get a little disenchanted. Its that way with anything...... I gotta tell you I think Diana Krall is beautiful but it wouldn't be long before I wanted to bang my head on the wall when listening to her. Are you sure you're not burnt out on software raher than hardware?

ET

** this refers to the return on investment in almost any product. A $10K system doesn't sound 5X better than a $2K system and so on. As well a $400,000 Ferrari isn't 8X faster or 8X better than a Corvette- don't get me wrong I would gladly push a Vette off a cliff to get a Ferrari
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