Good wires are less expensive than a good psychiatrist. Cheers. Craig.
Psychological audio, proceed slowly
I just have to take a moment to tell you of the scariest experience in my life.
I went to my shrink last Friday and we spent a great deal of time talking about how I've been imagining things lately. I was concerned that I was paranoid or something so we talked about what was going on lately and what might have contributed to this anxiety. Well of course Audiogon came up and the fact that I was hearing differences in power cords and the like, and that it was explained to me that this is all psychological. Well, talk about opening the proverbial can of worms! After a lot of tears and major confusion, he sent me away with the suggestion of how I could use this phenomenon to my benefit and not let it destroy me any more. I got on my left knee and kissed his hand thanking him for again saving me from my intense insanity.
Well tonight was the night to try out or plan. I went into my listening room, unplugged all my fancy wires and expensive snake oil and got back to the reality of life. I picked up some brand new interconnects from "the shack" on my way home from the Doc's and used these beauties along with my stock power cords that have been in storage, some since they arrived in my house. I was most excited by the piece of equipment I got today, following Stevemj's lead, I bought a Carver 1000w amp knowing that Bob Carver is the most underrated audio mind in the business I felt this was a steal! Well given the facts as told to me here at Audiogon, amps of similar specifications all sound the same, wire doesn't matter and I took the final step concluding that heck, speakers, must fall into the same category. I already have a SACD player so I'm covered there and in that I've been told distortion is good, my tube pre-amp will fill out the system perfectly. So as directed by the good Doctor, I hooked up the system and plugged it in.
Now is were things get a bit tricky, so please pay attention, I'm only going to say this once. Psychology tells us that our surroundings and our experiences in those surroundings are complete fabrications of our minds. If I believe in it, then it's true. That's how the mind works and I have a note from my Doctor to prove it!
So when the power came on, I was amazed, dead quite, not even the smallest of hiss from the speakers. This was going to be cool, I could sense it now. I pulled out my favorite SACD, Duke Ellington, "Blues in Orbit" and cranked up the volume. WOW, the detail was perfect, it was as if Duke was sitting in my livingroom cranking on the bones. The entire orchestra was there in full 3-d imagery, and my God I had no idea the depth could be so finely focused. It was like the cymbals were floating in space with multi-colored tone radiating from all 360 degrees. I was completely entranced in the holographic presentation taking place in front of me. I closed my eyes and let my imagination run with the sound. My system had been transposed to among the best. I thought of the great systems I've read about, focusing on one from Stereophiles V0l.19, No.6. Then something all together unexpected and actually quite frightening happened. I saw myself with long straight sand color hair, down to the middle of my back. My rippling muscles were defined even through the frilly shirt I had unbuttoned to my navel. I think I was Go... no I was FABIO! My system was comprised of the special order Martin-Logan "Statement" speakers with Krell KIS Reference A monoblocks at 1800 watts of pure class A. this was incredible, I saw myself sitting in my "loft" in Manhattan, sitting back in the ribbon chair" as my wife K-10 brought me another drink and my servant K-9 brought a pillow. There I sat in all my arrogance and all my greatness when the door bell rang and there at the door were my best audio buddies, Steve, Jostler and 70242.241. They brought over some new electronics text books for me to check out.
It was at about this time in my neurosis that I began to feel very paranoid. I realized I was in a major hallucination, but I could not get out. Somehow, in all this delusion I remembered something from my childhood. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, it's only a movie, your father is sexually attacking you, you are a worthless waste of a human life..."
I jumped to my feet, standing shaking in a cold sweat. HELP! I ran over to the outlet and pulled the plug on this hated experience. I was O.K., I'm in my own house and that's my family behind me, looking at me with fear and concern. I told them I was fine, just a bit overwhelmed by the system. It was that moment I replaced all my old designer cords, my old inadequate amp and left the room.
God I hope I get the courage to walk in there again someday. I can tell you one thing for sure, this psychology stuff had best not be underplayed, it's powerful stuff! Unless your fully prepared to act like Jonathan Scully, look like Fabio and have your friends become electro nerds, I'd recommend proceeding slowly on your upgrades. And be sure to understand the extent you mind can play tricks on you! I wish you all a good day, and be sure to visit your shrink soon! J.D.
I went to my shrink last Friday and we spent a great deal of time talking about how I've been imagining things lately. I was concerned that I was paranoid or something so we talked about what was going on lately and what might have contributed to this anxiety. Well of course Audiogon came up and the fact that I was hearing differences in power cords and the like, and that it was explained to me that this is all psychological. Well, talk about opening the proverbial can of worms! After a lot of tears and major confusion, he sent me away with the suggestion of how I could use this phenomenon to my benefit and not let it destroy me any more. I got on my left knee and kissed his hand thanking him for again saving me from my intense insanity.
Well tonight was the night to try out or plan. I went into my listening room, unplugged all my fancy wires and expensive snake oil and got back to the reality of life. I picked up some brand new interconnects from "the shack" on my way home from the Doc's and used these beauties along with my stock power cords that have been in storage, some since they arrived in my house. I was most excited by the piece of equipment I got today, following Stevemj's lead, I bought a Carver 1000w amp knowing that Bob Carver is the most underrated audio mind in the business I felt this was a steal! Well given the facts as told to me here at Audiogon, amps of similar specifications all sound the same, wire doesn't matter and I took the final step concluding that heck, speakers, must fall into the same category. I already have a SACD player so I'm covered there and in that I've been told distortion is good, my tube pre-amp will fill out the system perfectly. So as directed by the good Doctor, I hooked up the system and plugged it in.
Now is were things get a bit tricky, so please pay attention, I'm only going to say this once. Psychology tells us that our surroundings and our experiences in those surroundings are complete fabrications of our minds. If I believe in it, then it's true. That's how the mind works and I have a note from my Doctor to prove it!
So when the power came on, I was amazed, dead quite, not even the smallest of hiss from the speakers. This was going to be cool, I could sense it now. I pulled out my favorite SACD, Duke Ellington, "Blues in Orbit" and cranked up the volume. WOW, the detail was perfect, it was as if Duke was sitting in my livingroom cranking on the bones. The entire orchestra was there in full 3-d imagery, and my God I had no idea the depth could be so finely focused. It was like the cymbals were floating in space with multi-colored tone radiating from all 360 degrees. I was completely entranced in the holographic presentation taking place in front of me. I closed my eyes and let my imagination run with the sound. My system had been transposed to among the best. I thought of the great systems I've read about, focusing on one from Stereophiles V0l.19, No.6. Then something all together unexpected and actually quite frightening happened. I saw myself with long straight sand color hair, down to the middle of my back. My rippling muscles were defined even through the frilly shirt I had unbuttoned to my navel. I think I was Go... no I was FABIO! My system was comprised of the special order Martin-Logan "Statement" speakers with Krell KIS Reference A monoblocks at 1800 watts of pure class A. this was incredible, I saw myself sitting in my "loft" in Manhattan, sitting back in the ribbon chair" as my wife K-10 brought me another drink and my servant K-9 brought a pillow. There I sat in all my arrogance and all my greatness when the door bell rang and there at the door were my best audio buddies, Steve, Jostler and 70242.241. They brought over some new electronics text books for me to check out.
It was at about this time in my neurosis that I began to feel very paranoid. I realized I was in a major hallucination, but I could not get out. Somehow, in all this delusion I remembered something from my childhood. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, it's only a movie, your father is sexually attacking you, you are a worthless waste of a human life..."
I jumped to my feet, standing shaking in a cold sweat. HELP! I ran over to the outlet and pulled the plug on this hated experience. I was O.K., I'm in my own house and that's my family behind me, looking at me with fear and concern. I told them I was fine, just a bit overwhelmed by the system. It was that moment I replaced all my old designer cords, my old inadequate amp and left the room.
God I hope I get the courage to walk in there again someday. I can tell you one thing for sure, this psychology stuff had best not be underplayed, it's powerful stuff! Unless your fully prepared to act like Jonathan Scully, look like Fabio and have your friends become electro nerds, I'd recommend proceeding slowly on your upgrades. And be sure to understand the extent you mind can play tricks on you! I wish you all a good day, and be sure to visit your shrink soon! J.D.