In my case, I've got 'champagne taste' with a 'cool water' budget. So I fart about with what amuses me, rather than chasing the diminishing zeros behind the decimal point or perceptual differences 'twixt this 'n that...because it All sounds different to me...
...and I get gifted with 'orphans'...I returned Monday from a 3 month installation 600 mi. away to find a receiver, 2 bookshelf and a center channel speakers outside my abode without a clue as to who, why, or when. Those questions have been answered....and I'm now the owner of 5 discrete audio systems...and limited square footage to put between them... None of which would put the gathered audience here in any sort of state of envy, nor are any of any great worth. I'm tempted to treat one or the other shamelessly, driving them to heat death or protracted clipping just for the demented amusement of it....much like the YT vids of cinder blocks flung into washing machines on a spin cycle.
Now....when queries of sanity arise, well....I gave up on the concept a long time ago. I've wanted off the planet not long afterwards, but the saucer's broke. The part itself is cheap, but the service charge to come out here on the periphery is astounding...;)
is this just for philosophical fun? or is it just that you guys don't have a good sounding audio system? the never ending journey can end just there. Sell it and forget about it. Or maybe you can learn to separate the often more expensive but worthless commercial stuff from the real brain and hand manufactured audio gear, and start some serious joyful listening...
I virtually stopped on-line explorations of my possible future upgrades. Unless suddenly I become a rich man, it is quite clear what I would like to do in the next five/seven years. And after that - it's too premature to even think. Except for cartridge and probably couple of cables, everything is going to be used so I can look at it now. I would get cables used too but suspect I won't find them.
I am certainly insane. I spend 2 to 4 times more hours on-line shopping for and investigating audio gear (today it's speaker cables and SACD players) than I do listening to music. And the original point was.....I seem to have forgotten.
Understanding the addiction would give us no joy, unlike not understanding it and continuing as we do. As for superficially controlling it to a degree, that could be helpful. One way to try and do it can be to buy the most expensive best equipment possible in the hope that the urge to upgrade will not be too demanding for a while. I’ve been saying it all along - the biggest mistake some people make is not to spend enough. Recently when I wanted to upgrade my RCA cables I planned to spend about $600 for a pair, then I thought - no way- and spent over $1k. This made me happy because in the next five or more years I won’t have to upgrade them, I might still have the wish to but it won’t be strong, what I have now is already very very good. They will also work very well even if I upgrade the components they connect. And those $600 cables, as good as I suspect they are, would’ve been upgraded much sooner, probably to what I have now. However, with cables it is easier, with active components we are usually talking thousands of dollars difference not hundreds.
Audio is one of the many things that keep me sane. And the money I spend on it; I could do worse things with it. Besides, my mom always told me; you can't take it with you, but you could leave it for your kids to do insane things with it.
Inna, I hear ya , I guess part of my post was referring to some of the bizzarre and winded comments made by certain members . I believe anyone can do whatever makes them happy . Although myself included have become quite obsessive at times . Like i said it was just a joke ..😁
Oleschool, I meant my current system and particular cable brand. I keep an open mind to this. Silver/Gold/Palladium alloy by Echole is said to sound great. Very unusual alloy indeed. Yeah, we are a little bit crazy but not insane. I was thinking the other day.. Who would make me a custom outboard playback head tube preamp for my Nak deck? Vladimir of Lamm or Ralph of Atmasphere perhaps? No, this would not be insane, just expensive.
My unobtainium cables add such a richness and depth to my gear that I'm literally besides myself...although we can't come to any sort of agreement whether or not a gold, silver, or platinum stylus in the gramophone's arm is of any consequence. Perhaps the VIC20 DAC is the culprit....
We'll speak of this anon....an' on, an' on, an' on.....
Hmmm....I suspect it's too late for a 'sanity test', whatever that might consist of, much less indicate. Damage control may be the best solution, although it will vary widely with the extent of the 'infection'. Seems like a great opportunity for an entirely new therapeutic clinic coming to a strip mall near you.... Just think; interventions, complete with straitjackets and ear plugs. You might return home to find your equipment gone, the family gathered with the therapist to earnestly 'talk to you' about your 'problem'. A whole new 12 step 'solution' for you to be subjected to. All your vinyl recycled, your computer formatted, the 'man cave' caved in and redecorated in 'pleasant' florals....and way too much light....
Me? I'm not paranoid...I know *they're* after me...the cow-eyed bewilderment I can see on their faces when I talk to them about The Hobby. You should see what They have got planned for the 'Bass-ers'...you know, the ones with the insanely loud cars and trucks, all amps and woofers, setting off car alarms 2 blocks away. Inverse waveforms, fighting loud with 'negative loud'. They turn it up, wondering 'WTF?' Then shut it off and the car explodes...messy, but effective...
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