Has Radicalizing the Rig Led to Revolutionized Listening?


As I have aggressively elevated my system over time, I find I’m drawn increasingly away from electronic instruments and toward acoustic. The unmatchable expression conveyed through acoustic instruments and unadulterated vocals is reinforcing the system gains reciprocally. 

Then again, it could be aging. ;)

Your thoughts and experiences. This is not competition. :)

Currently listening to Angelica by Monica Ramos.
douglas_schroeder

Showing 5 responses by douglas_schroeder

Vocals, too have changed for me, and now I tend toward less harsh, more nuanced songs. One of my great joyous discoveries in recent days has been the series of Voices Only and Voices Forte series of recordings of a cappella groups. I sang in choir in grade school, high school and college, so group vocals takes me back to some lovely times. 

I'm guessing much of this is a function of aging, but the equipment has solidified strong desire to hear it. 
It's such a rewarding experience to have a fulfilling listening session every time one sits down before the system. I couldn't relax and simply let the music wash over me when it had major faults as I interpreted them. But, with the elevation of the sound quality, I could relax and sense the reality in it. 

That level of quality is far higher than I dreamed it would be; i.e. the cost to achieve it was far higher than I had imagined. 20 years ago I never thought I would put so much into audio, but I wisely budgeted literally a certain amount each year to expend to build it up. That has paid of handsomely, and if not for that this discovery of the raw beauty of acoustic may not have happened. 

I concur that nostalgia can lead you back to other genres. I find myself listening to performances of 30 or more years ago with glee, as they are so well rendered by a good system. I hear, and appreciate so much more now than when I was young. The artistry is what shines through on such performances, and when it is rendered beautifully it touches the soul. 

Needlebrush, I tend to attack hobbies for advancement. Learned to ski downhill at 27 and was doing black diamond moguls in 3 seasons. My instructor, a Dutch, ultra-smooth skiing friend, upon request took me to increasingly difficult slopes.

One day I complained, "I’m doing a lot of falling." He replied, "If you’re not falling, you’re not learning. " I said seriously, "You will never see anyone fall more than I will!"

Pushing on the moguls I fell forward, backwards, sideways all day. That evening it became evident i had pulled all the muscles in my neck, and developed Wry Neck, which resolved with muscle relaxants.

I’m a bit more moderate in building audio systems to push performance.

Conversely, I prefer melodic, relaxing acoustic music.


needlebrush, I think you misunderstood my response. I did not take your post as any particular assault upon myself, and I was not attempting to put you in your place, or anything of the sort in my response. I was simply discussing an aspect of my personality that shows through in how I do interests, hobbies.  :)