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An unscientific poll: How often are you happy?

What percentage of the time do you just break out in a smile and thoroughly enjoy the music *and* the sound when you fire up your system? 10%? 50%? 99%? (The other times: you hear something wrong, something lacking, needs tweaking, needs upgrading, colorations, distortions, you hear a noise, a tube might be going, not musical enough, can't suspend your disbelief the way you want to, your expectations are disappointed, it doesn't sound like you remember the dealer's system did, doesn't sound like you remember your friend's system did, you made the wrong move with the last upgrade, you doubt the money you recently spent really made a difference, the recording is too flawed, you wonder what it would sound like if you changed this or that, you enjoyed it more in the car, you question whether you've truly got your priorities in perspective, etc...) Give your %, and list the approximate $ investment you have in the system (specify new or used valuation). Mine: happy about 15% of the time, valuation around $17,000 if all bought new. Conclusions - if any - drawn later...
zaikesman

Showing 6 responses by zaikesman

zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
So that's my problem - I never guessed that being a teetotaler would prevent me from getting the most from my costliest hobby...
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Going through all these great responses makes me want to clarify a little something about my original post: I didn't mean to imply that the remaining percentage of the time (about 85% in my case) that we are apoplectic or despondent - merely that we are not completely satisfied and blissful (with the system/sound/music, that is) to the point where there is no perceived impediment to enjoying the moment. So far, no clear correlation seems to be emerging between $ spent or represented, and % of pure joy (maybe I should have also specified $ spent on recordings?). Many mentions of one's pre-existing mood being a determining factor in peoples' response; this interests me because I've frequently regarded my music and system as a balming counteractant to the exigencies of everyday BS. I want to be so arrested by what I hear that I literally forget what I wasn't feeling good about!
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Doctor, I must take pains to point out that the offending coronetist had undoubtedly been drinking beer (beir), not scotch, before performing his percussive exclamation! Wouldn't it be indicated only to imbibe spirits that are like in kind to those consumed by the musicians themselves, if one wants to stand a chance of most closely approaching the absolute sound? (Thread's dead anyway, may as well bury it...)
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Well, if nothing else, Detlof may be on to a new criteria for establishing the benchmark in system resolution - that is to say, simply being able to *hear* the passage of said wind emanating from that particular location in the orchestral ranks, as recreated within one's suberbly extended and layered soundstage, can no longer be quite good enough. No, one must actually be able to *sniff* out the precise constitution (sorry) of the hornist's discomforture before he may lay claim to the acme of world-class, reference-level reproduction!
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
(SLAP!!) Thanks Nil, we needed that...
zaikesman OP
3,017 posts
 
Thanks for the input, gents, glad to see this thread revived (Detlof sez, Let's see how long it lasts!).

RC, is it your system you wind up enjoying a little less, or maybe your recordings? Does the difference matter? Should it?

As for me, both my room (I moved) and system have changed substantially since I first posted the thread, so once I finally figure out just where exactly I've landed myself, I'll have to update my $ and %.
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