Has it all been worth it?


I recently turned 63, and I've been into all things audio since the mid 70's. In that time I've spent countless thousands of dollars chasing that damn rabbit down the hole. Solid state, vinyl, cassette, CD, tubes, big speakers, small speakers, pricy gear, cheap gear...been there, done that. Sitting here in my less than acoustically friendly office listening to a Hi-Res version of Angie by TRS this is probably the nicest stereo I've ever had. And even with my compromised hearing (bouts of tinnitus, and a stroke) I know the music sounds as good as it ever has, but yet I can't help but ask myself - has this journey all been worth it? The money, soul searching, reviews, disappointment in the review when it didn't live up to the hype, "am I missing out by not owning _____" etc. Sometimes I wish I were more like my wife who just bought a cheap shelf unit to listen to her CD's and is perfectly pleased with what she hears.

Anyone else find themself at this point sometimes?

craigvmn

No regrets.

I am a lover of music, though not a musician.

The better the quality of the sound the closer I am to the performance.

In rural VT I rarely get the chance to listen go to the concert or recital hall, and, indeed, the behavior of audiences in NYC concert halls increasingly detracted from the experience.  People on their phone during the performance, and ALWAYS applauding before the piece finishes.  A particular way to piss me off.  I wish people would abide by the rule that when the conductor is facing the orchestra you are silent.  You applaud when he/she turns round to face the audience.  The decay of that last note is a meaningful part of the experience, and something delicious to be enjoyed.

It has been worth it for me.  Although early in my audiophile journey I did a lot of upgrading, about 40 years ago I assembled a core system that has proven satisfying.  I've had to upgrade parts of it, and particularly I have had to upgrade the digital side of my system, but now even that is quite satisfactory.

I can simply listen and enjoy the music without having to be critical about this or that detail.  I really believe that for my system the biggest shortcomings are in the recordings themselves--I have found few convincingly realistic recordings, but the difference between them and the rest have convinced me that one's reproducing gear can only go so far--you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

But if the acoustics of your room are not good, you either need to address that or focus on headphone listening, which I can enjoy while realizing it misses some of the elements that loudspeakers provide.

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@craigvmn 

My older brother thinks I’m out of my mind for having the rig I have.  He’s very happy listening to his music from the 1/4” speakers in his phone. While I do listen the same way from time to time, I truly enjoy listening with my main system a lot more.😃