For sure I thought I was a loyal die-hard 2-channel guy. In my mind I was kind of smug, thinking that a 2-channel devotee was more serious about hi-fi than those home theater guys, and I could never be one of "them"....they just didn't seem to be purists like the 2-channel guys. But it seems I've been smitten by another pretty girl, a mistress....and her name is home theater. Maybe it's just an infatuation, but I'm loving it. Amazingly, I once viewed high end audio stores that started catering primarily to home theater enthusiasts as "sellouts". Now I understand. Over the past few years I've seen guys selling their equipment here saying that they're moving to home theater....and I thought that they must have been crazy.
I am spending much more time doing home theater now than 2-channel. The time I have to spend for home entertainment is not very much and HT is crowding out music listening. With Netflix providing so many movies, I can't seem to get enough. I have been trying to catch up on movies that I haven't seen over the years and I'm having a blast enjoying them. Watching movies doesn't leave a lot of time for 2-channel critical listening. I listen to my 2nd system during the day (mainly the tuner tuned to the local jazz station) while I work as background music (I work at home)and I barely listen to my main 2-channel rig at all any more. It has been months since I've plunked down in my listening chair and let the music take me away.
I have no plans to unload my 2-channel stuff, but I do feel kinda weird walking past my vinyl and cd's that has been my main source of home entertainment for decades. I feel like I'm cheating on someone that has been good to me.
Careful, or you may find yourself voting for Hillary. You need a little mid life crisis to bring you back to reality. Any seeds stashed away in the little hand carved wooden box? Plant them...and after the harvest, see if you don't return to your true love.
Mitch, HT is indeed another great entertainment option. No reason to feel bad there. But, dont give up on your music. Blockbusters and 5.1, 7.1, etc come and go but 2 ch music is timeless...like an old reliable blanket that you an always go back to and curl up with...
Be careful what you say. My thoughts mirrored yours when I initially fired up my 1080p projector with BluRay and sat back in awe.
What time revealed for me is the utter lack of quality films out there. Sure they sound great, look great, but leave you with a shrug at the ending.
As opposed to an emotionally engaging session listening to a stellar performance.
Don't get me wrong. The HT is not much short of awesome and awe inspiring... especially with dual JL Audio Fathom F113's as a foundation. However, to me it is more entertainment.
The soul of music will still engage me unlike any movie has yet...
Sounds like some of you are telling me my mistress is young and pretty, has a nice body and voice, but only intermitently intellectually stimulating. Whereas my older longtime love never failed me and actually did get better with age.
Well, I'm 54 years old, and in male humans....we have been known to stray around that age...often times with no real logic. But hey, the mistress is looking pretty good right now and I'll deal with reality later. Besides, the number of available suitors for my longtime love are dwindling....I think she'll take me back.
John, I'll petition the Approved Audiophile Assn to make an exception and allow me to keep my card on a probationary basis. I'll ask them to review my status in 6 months.
Yeah splitting time is tough, but don't get ahead of yourself:-)
Movies are fun and take actually less thought most of the time vs engaging 2 channel... Most of the imagination is made up for you.
But anyway I found myself in this situation about 3 years ago and finally figured out in the end selling all my costly HT stuff going to just fun more compact HT stuff was as much of a thrill and felt better to having much less investment in it, but then I ended up spending more on the 2 channel and figured out nothing can replace the 2 channel hobby and quality. Although in todays atmosphere it is far easier to get really great quality HT for pretty cheap as long as you know what to buy, cause now you can get basically the best picture available with a 200 dollar DVD player, and about 3000 invested in a projector and screen, with about a 2000 dollars worth of used surround equipment and speakers.
Oh, come on and fess up to us all? You KNOW what it is that you REALLY like about the mistress and not the loyal one? The MISTRESS.....will not just give it to you from the FRONT, but from the REAR too! And on the SIDE too....SHAZAM! On the RIGHT side AND the LEFT side! And if you've got 7.1 (mistresses REALLY like 7.1) they'll give it to ya from the rear TWO times, and at the SAME time! YeeeeeeeeeHAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
I think life is full of many excellent bottles of wine and we humans only get to open a few real treasures. Enjoy the taste while it lasts and remember wine always tastes better with a great music! Cheers Dennis
I go through cycles as well. I am a projector fanatic so there were times in the past I hardly ever listenened to music.
WIthin the last 2 years or so I have comepletly upgraded my system piece by piece, and HD DVR projection has taken a backset.
Enjoy the cycle you are in now. Get a projector if you dont already. Then in 6 months maybe upgrade a component or cables. You'll be back into 2 chan. again, maybe relegating the end of an emotionally draining and ear splitting session to half a film or Big Love.
I love my HT system and movies are just like being at the theater. However, as much as I love my HT system, my 2 channel is as solid as ever. In my system, my HT just can't do what my S.E.T amp can do. And when it comes down to it, when I want to just listen and relax, I want my warm, musical, and beautiful S.E.T. sound.
I have an HT setup and audio setup in the same room...the only thing they share is the equipment rack. I love my stereo and just don't really care about audio too much in my HT setup. IMHO the importance of components in HT is Display 70% center spkr 15% sub 10% surrounds 5% I just don't really care of the sound quality in the surrounds isn't perfect,,,,who cares if bullit or jet doesn't have the right timbre as it whizzes past??
Want to really feel it? Hook up the horns to a tight SET. Close your eyes...the music will be playing inside your head. The SET gives better head that your mistress.
In the end, you will look like an idiot, and become overwhelmed with guilt and shame as you wonder why you spent so much money when you had something better all along.
Interesting thread. I agree with Audiofankj. I bet I can't come up with 10 movies that I would want to see again. I am also not a big fan of action movies. I also can't afford to do 2 channel right. For the past 8 years I think really good movies are next to non-existent.
I bet in the end you will be very happy to return to your old faithful 2 channel.
No problem Mitch4t! we'll wait, you'll be back!!! :-)
You have cited you age so you have been around the block a time or two. So, you should know how to keep old faithful & the young butterfly happy at the SAME time! :-))
Nothing wrong with favoring whichever ebtertainment format your life situation dictates. Actually Mitch4t's honest observation is a pretty common trend in the US now, and is probably part of the reason that new music, as well as music systems don't sell as well as they used to. Given the hours many of us work in the States, finding time to listen can be difficult. Playing a movie typically doesn't involve all of the "ritual" time that music does. I haven't listened to vinyl on my system in about a month, even though I know it sounds great, because I don't get those long periods of time to listen lately.
Had to laugh, I used to think those guys with lawn tractors were wusses. I pushed my mower without rear or front wheel drive (I was the drive!) for ten years cutting on a decent hill. Wusses... A guy gets a riding lawn mower right next door, cutting 1/3 of acre, just like mine. Wuss. I'll never get one of those things. Wusses...
Then I moved to an acre. Huh. This was different, however. Now I NEEDED a tractor. And Not one of those simple trashy ones with no tight turning radius and manual transmission. No way, that's for suckers. I've got a lot of trees and NEED a good tractor! Gotta have a zero turn tractor! I got it.
Hey, I didn't change. The situation did. ;)
Further, never marry anything electronic. Then you won't have these problems. Oh, and by the way, your HT doesn't love you. Told me so herself!
Seriously, there's always infatuation with a new aspect of audio/video. Horribly sad, but you might have the HT mutation. My HT gene is recessive.
Anything else you want to confess, Mitch? No, on second thought DON'T! :)
Mitch4T, you are not cheating. Your an audiophile first who has discovered or rediscoverd another enjoyable media, movies. Music can transport you back in time but a good movie is an excellent distraction from daily routines. You can enjoy both music (2 channel) & movies (HT). If you get tired of one than go ahead and enjoy the other but I wouldn't sell your 2 channel gear just because you may regret it later on. My little secret is I have always maintained both, separates for two channel (music only) and a separate Home theater setup (movies only).
MP3 Mistress and conversation at my July 4 party: For music at the party I put out an old 300 CD jukebox that was connected to my system that was locked/hidden in an all out media-communications closet. A cutie said that I should get an Ipod dock, "They're Much Better, ya know". After the next date with her I swallowed my pride and purchased a silver reference neutrik - IPod interconnect
The humor and wit here is priceless. Reading a thread like this makes up for all the sniping, snarky threads one sees here every now and then. Bravo to all the respondents! Now let me try to add my two cents of wit: who was it that said that a relationship isn't real until you've had an argument? Or that the bond isn't real until you've seen your new love interest sick? So Mitch4t, have you seen the ht mistress sick yet? ... No complaints at all about ht? ... Don't worry: they're coming.
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