2. misc-audio
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Mid level listening

I think that when listening to music it’s best to intently listen for the music rather than to the beauties of the sound production. In my opinion that is the most enduring pleasure you can get from your system. Unfortunately, for whatever reason it doesn’t always happen.   When you can’t seem to get fully into the music there’s something I’m calling mid level listening where you listen for the enjoyment of both SQ and the music itself.  I know ideally that should always happen to a great degree but it doesn’t always, which leads us to be dissatisfied with our rig.  
What do you think?

rvpiano

Showing 2 responses by jsalerno277

jsalerno277
374 posts
 

@rvpiano You have published before on critical listen vs music appreciation as well as becoming dissatisfied with rig sound quality over time.  I will respond in a similar way as before.  An audiophile should first and foremost be someone who appreciates musical composition and performance quality over reproduced music sound quality, even though the latter facilitates the former.  An audiophile should be able to develop a musical appreciation mode where the composition and performance engage emotions and a critical listening mode to evaluate equipment and setup to the individual’s ideal sound.  Ideal sound is subjective, and that’s OK.  Developing this ability to have a critical listening mode and a musical appreciation mode, or a between state has nothing to do with becoming dissatisfied with one’s system.  
The psychology of becoming dissatisfied has many causes. 

jsalerno277
374 posts
 

Sorry, nimble fingers hit send by mistake.  

The psychology of becoming dissatisfied has many causes including, without limitation, reward processing (constantly seeking reward pleasure), hedonic adaptation (diminishing joy over time), consumerism (market psychology - there is always something better you should want; FOMO), and Diderot effect (since one item is new I need another new item).  Goal setting can help.   As a music lover, establish your ideal of how acoustic live music should sound.  Evaluate your system against your ideal, determining where you want to improve.  Audition alternatives and only change when your goal is reached.   I have used this approach and have been satisfied long term, not changing often.  
 

I love the sound of my system.  The only time I become dissatisfied is a few days after I attend live acoustic music performances.   The dynamic bloom, the way the imaging and staging develops, and the liquidity and sweetness of the instruments in a large hall makes me think we are far from this ideal.   My system is close on well engineered recordings, but not there.  Then after a few days, I am back to reveling in musical composition and performance as reproduced by my system   

 

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