How Things Change

Trelja,

Thank you for your kind words. I also consider this a journey -- with a steep learning curve, excuse the pun. I started off with one box and lamp cord 8 years ago. Although I had my first system in 1967 it was only in recent years that I overcame health and financial challenges to be able to put together a wonderful system.

Of course, you are right. It is not so much a matter of being misguided as it is not having the experience under one's belt.

Onhwy61,

Thank you for your kind words.

I don't alway agree with myself either -- sometimes even after only a short period of time, alas. It's this darn learning curve. I sometimes get it in the neck way before I am even expecting it.

And, frankly I don't always understand why some of the things I do end up working. I let me ears be the judge even though logic or conventional wisdom say that what I am doing must be wrong.

For me, as well, the journey is ultimately about my relationship with the music. This is far more than a hobby for me. It is a passion. I studied classical piano at the Conservatory of Music for 12 years start at age 7. But much earlier my parents recognized that I was a "musical child". My piano teacher said I should have been a singer when I did my solfege exercises for her. Singing has always been my real love in terms of performance choices. But my life went in a different direction professionally. Nevertheless, music has always been an irreplaceable part of my spiritual life -- a constant and very close companion throughout my life.

For me, the journey also made it clear that I would have to develop a relationship with the equipment if I wanted to be able to appreciate the music more deeply. The bottom line always remains the music, of course. I just had to learn how to fix a flat and read a dip stick to make the journey possible.

Nonoise,

I know what you mean about latitude. There are so many factors to be considered. The wiser approach seems to be to allow for more options than one might have thought necessary and to learn to step back and reconsider things when new information arrives. It often takes a much more open mind than one might have thought to arrive at one's hoped-for destination.

Dweller,

How true when you said you "see a previous road traveled in a new light". It is all about growing.

Rodman99999,

How true when you said "Many things that we don't know
how to quantify or explain(YET)." As I am wont to quote whoever it was who said "Not everything that can be measured matters. And not everything that matters can be measured". This is so true regarding high end audio, IMHO.

Timrhu,

We never do know where all the changes will end until we finally get there -- and then more changes often arrive, unexpectedly.

Mapman,

I could not agree more with your post. It is all about learning and choices.

Sufentanil,

My music preferences have also broadened significantly in recent years. Many more jazz and classical recordings have found their way into the collection -- as well as a serious amount of blues.

Dopogue,

I have had the experience more than once of reading through old threads and thinking, "What an odd thing to say." When I checked the member's ID I found my own name appended to the post.

I have even gone back and forth in a seemingly confused manner with some of the things I have done over the years. A recent example is my use of cables in series that I started experimenting with a few years ago. When I had my Joseph Audio Pulsars some cables in series improved the SQ. But when I got my Raidho C1.1 monitors and introduced David Elrod cables into the system those cables in series sounded absolutely awful. They came out fast. But when I started introducing Shunyata cables into the system I was hearing a leanness in the tonality. So, I took some Furutech DIY cables that I had made up and, once again, started experimenting with series cabling. I had not used these particular cables in series before.

By golly, I was bowled over by the great synergy. Leanness gone -- glorious sound with no anomalies. Both cables feature OCC cryo-ed copper so maybe that's why. At any rate, my Furutech DIY cables are all back in the system now with SQ far superior to using the Shunyata cables on their own. By the way, the synergy created with my Furutech DIY cables and David Elrod cables is awful. Go figure.

I posted to another forum about how I was using these Furutech DIY cables in series with Shunyata cables. The silent response was deafening. I guess this was their polite way of saying I must be out of my mind. Well, so be it. But my ears are still intact -- tested recently and capable of hearing 16,000 Hz. So, I trust my ears and let others think what they will.

Schubert,

You make an interesting observation.

If you are talking about audio systems, then striving for improvement is very important if you are interested in getting closer to the music. But, at some point, most people reach a point where there are no more improvements to be made.

If you are talking about life in general, then I think it's a bit more complicated. When I went through health crises worse came before better. And we are all getting one day older as each day passes. So, it is a challenge to keep getting better through the aging process. With a deep understanding of factors that create pathology a lot can be done. I have written two books on the subject. We can also improve our health through staying fit. But, of course, there is no such thing as stopping the aging process itself.

Schubert,

I agree, one day at a time is best. When we were youngsters my father used to say "Make haste slowly". Dad was right. Of course, it is in our nature to look ahead and plan and try to push the river. But if you get too far ahead of yourself you may find yourself retracing some steps. This has happened to me more times than I would like to admit. The best laid plans of mice and men ...

Tmsorosk,

I am on board with your statement that "I'm not done upgrading, never will be, so I'm not done learning about audio and music."

Just when I think I am done tweaking and tinkering another idea or product or opportunity presents itself -- and there I go in pursuit. Not everything works out but each successful step takes the SQ to a higher level.