This may hit home with a few that are of the "Boomer Generation"
Of all the very good to "state-of-the-art"(or near) systems I have had, I did have one I remember most fondly. My thoughts on that system over time I have realized was most likely impacted by what was likely my best time of life. This is not crying in my soup, just my reality. My three very best friends have all died, two from cancer. I had my best house and room at that time and set the room up with a system based on the Magneplaner MG-20 speakers. Other items in that system varied a bit except for the Conrad Johnson ART pre-amplifier. My best of times listening to that system were with my best friend and some of the best wines from Bordeaux and California. In retrospect those were not the good old days, simply hitting a high point, much like my physical health, cars, mates, travel and other parts of life can have moments that in retrospect become those "fond memories". Part of my success in life has been having moments that do become fond memories.
I'm 68 and recently moved to the mountains. Our small cabin is solar powered and my old stereo system (posted here) will never function up here. I have put together a small system: Spica TC-50, Pioneer VSX-522, Jolida JD-9, SL-10 and Mac Mini. I'm surprised how much I enjoy it. No, it can never replace my old rig but the change of life, from over crowded city to very rural, has been well worth it.
I turn 70 next week and wear hearing aids in both ears - I've been upgrading my headphone and my speaker system and I'm enjoying listening to music more now than I ever did! I'm a big fan of Steven Wilson, too!
I appreciate all of your thoughts. Memories are part of written and studied history. As has been said, if you're not a student of the past you are doomed to repeat it. With my sons, friends and family, we live in the present and have shared wonderful memories of our lives and adventures together. My brother was a history major, I had a successful business that I started with 10K and sold for well over 1M....and none of that business was about money. I donated to many, many civic/social groups including 25K to Women's Transit Authority which gave women in a dangerous situation safe rides to safety, and that is another good memory...which is not living in the past, simply part of my history. Harry Truman and Adolf Hitler both are a part of history, but greatly different impacts on history.
@mitch2 , you bring a very interesting question. When is it time to stop?
We evolve our systems over time and many of us have been doing it for many decades, trying to climb the tree of audio performance with whatever funds we have available. The top of the tree is an illusion, an unknown. Aside from running out of money or hearing is there a time to stop climbing? (other than routine maintenance, the occasional cartridge)
I'm feeling extremely guilty. I'm truly enjoying life. I truly enjoy listening to my stereo and discovering new stuff via streaming. I hope I haven't jinxed anything with this Pollyanna post.
Great thoughts about life and looking forward @mijostyn and @roxy54
I was on a ride last week and stopped at a store for a water refill where a spry old woman approached me and said,
"you are so smart to ride a bicycle - I rode one my whole life until I had to stop 4 years ago when I was 88, but I still walk as much as I can."
She had driven herself to the store at age 92 and was outgoing enough to approach me for an interesting 5 minute conversation.....never once was I bored as I found her outlook to be both positive and relevant.
Regarding systems and time of life, a few years ago I realized that I was spending way too much time tweaking, making cables, building stuff, and thinking about how to make my system sound better. I cut way back and enjoy both my system and my life more now.
mijostyn, I align more with your view. It is certainly pleasant to visit the past occasionally, but not good to live there. The miracle of life and consciousness is not only for the young. We are all alive until we die.
If you get stuck in the past the future does not look very bright. Fond memories are one thing, living in the past another.
Between 10 kHz and 20 kHz is one octave. There are nine far more important ones below. Just because your highest frequencies are rolling off above 10 kHz does not mean that you cannot appreciate the highest quality of audio and if you have digital signal processing you can always boost the high end a little.
Technology advances although there is the occasional retro swing. The best modern systems are handily better than the best systems of 70's and 80's. I do remember one old system with fondness because it was so trend setting but current systems are handily better.
I watched my father (passed away last November at the age of 92) ruminate over the loss of his friends and the sorry state of his health so much so that he entirely forgot how to enjoy himself. He was miserable to be around so people avoided him making things worse. I think that if you are lucky to make it that far you do your legacy a great favor by remaining as chipper and cheerful as you can which, can be very difficult at times.
Not many old friends left. BUT I got the dog and the rabbit.. I’m pretty sure they will be in heaven
FWIW, John Wesley believed the same, saying that he believed he would see his horse in heaven As for life & good times, I had the great fortune of having cancer when I was 29 yrs old. Looking death in the face is a wake up call. I learned that the things we often value most are the least important.
I learned to live life daily because we are not promised a tomorrow. Choose the right destination for the hereafter. I have lived life to the fullest. I’ve often stated that even if heaven & hell is a myth (Which I don’t believe) and we go no further than the ground, living a life as Jesus Christ would have me live as best I knew how was/is worth it. Life owes me nothing.
Its been a great journey with lots of good friends along the way. My brother from another mother that I have known since second grade died 2 yrs ago. Others have passed along the way. But I'm going to see a friend that I have known since I was 14 or 15. He's 73. I'm 70 (just a pup). Unfortunately I never had much family but the new generation has taken to me and make me feel like family & friends. I'll see them too very soon.
FWIW I hope to meet many of the posters here and elsewhere in heaven. Enjoy life today. Tomorrow may not come. Be ready.
Too bad about your buddies, I lost my best buddy 16 years ago.. 50 years old.. I think about him every day.. Yup, me mums my buddy, my dogs and cats.. Every day..
The best times were the new times. It always seemed that way to me.. A new song, new tune and sometimes a different or a new piece of gear..
But it was always an old friend. Not many old friends left. BUT I got the dog and the rabbit.. I'm pretty sure they will be in heaven too, when I take my final journey HOME.. I have a reason for my hope.. something I have in common with of a lot of folks..
@jusam--I’m 72, and my most memorable system is the one I have now. Finally, I’ve got a good quiet room . . . not ideally sized, but constructed for the purpose and better acoustically than most I’ve had or heard. I’m reasonably happy with the gear, too. I’m still perfecting around the edges, perhaps will add a fourth sub and a few more acoustic treatments.
But I now suffer from tinnitus and hyperacusis, so I’m listening less. Also, as my wife’s tinnitus is worse than mine, she can’t listen often at all, so time in the audio room is always time away from her. Sometimes we both appreciate that, but life is short.
At 72, I know that a single-family house won’t be doable for us forever. So as I think about adding a sub, I consider that within 10 years, I’ll probably be selling it. One more piece of stuff to deal with.
And I have no more friends who enjoy an evening of simply listening together. It seems those experiences were in my 20s and 30s, before we all got families, promotions, houses, pets, and so on. Though, come to think of it, I hosted musicians after a chamber concert in my 60s, and they stayed, listening, until 2:00 a.m. A cellist became a bit of an audiophile from that experience.
Life goes on -- if we are lucky -- nothing lasts forever, and at different life stages, we have different resources. Energy abounds when we’re young, and hopefully we have better finances as we age. As the energy declines, the fond memories, as you put it, become more important.
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