Do you spend more time analyzing the sound of your system, worrying it could be better?

No complaints here, but it’s always fun try new stuff…

This is a good place to vent. I started the year with a Marantz SR6014 receiver, Fluance turntable, ortofon bronze cart, Vincent PHO 301 phono stage and Polk LSi 703 speakers and all was part of a modest home theater system. I was never quite satified with the sound for vinyl listening and it was ok for movies and such and it wow’d most people who listened. It started with upgrading my cart to a ortofon black and it got away from me chasing sound. I have ended with the same receiver but now have KEF R3s with all KEF surround, Rega Planar 3, Hana ML Microline cart, Rega Aria phonostage, Rega Elex-R integrated amp to separate my hometheater and vinyl listening. I went down a rabbit hole chasing this "audiophile" sound. It sounds AMAZING but then I was in a audio shop just the other day and the guy put on Eric Clapton playing through a McIntosh amp and some gear that was easily $20,000 or more combined. One has to stop and say, just enjoy the f**king music.

I think it applies to just about every hobby, music, cameras,musical instruments, etc the list goes on and on. But we all do it in slightly different ways. Some do it all the time, in constant striving for that elusive sound they are looking for, some get new equipment and are satisfied for awhile, content to just enjoy what they have until some outside force or opinion affect there choices, and I'm sure there are other ways as well. All are OK, we all do things differently.

 I wonder though are we ever really satisfied ?

The one thing I don't think most really consider is our actual hearing itself. While we are chasing that certain sound, our actual hearing is slowly but certainly going downhill.

So as has been said, just enjoy the music.

Great thread BTW.

no

I got into some Linkwitz Orions about 16 years ago and fell in love.  I'm still in love with them.  They're my "forever" loudspeaker and now I don't have to worry about all the little nits and details.  There are other loudspeakers I've heard that sound great, but my Orions still make me smile.