This is a fascinating post. This is an area that I have begun to give more thought to. I think it is a given that power quality is difficult variable to control despite all the conditioners that we employ to clean up the lines. Mood and mental state is an area which audiophiles have not seriously explored as a factor in audio enjoyment. I am becoming more and more convinced that we can increase our enjoyment by creatively improving our view and receptivity of the audio arts and music. I find that I have the best listening sessions when I am able to let go of the analytical/perfectionist aspects of the audio hobby and just let the music wash over me while my mind is clear. It helps to take a few minutes before the session to meditate in silence, focus on the silence and bring on a state of physical and mental relaxation. Then begin your session carrying that openess from your meditation. Over time you will see the attributes that you value in your system change. In my case, I have started to value components that let the artists and composers creative concept come through. Some examples;
>the color, balance and interplay of an instrumental piece by Bach
>the spatial interplay and textures of a well conceived percussion piece
>the sheer beauty and soaring spirituality of a rennaisance vocal performance
>the feeling of man's greatest aspirations that reside in Beethovens Symphonies
>the goosebump factor of a Johnny Hartman ballad
>the acceptance and elevation of human failings in a Junior Brown song.
You can go on and on with this. The point is that you start to transform your system based on higher levels of consiousness and corresponding enjoyment. You start listening to the whole and not the parts and the essence of the music starts comes through.
Another interesting thing for me has been that the opinions of the reviewers, ie, Stereophile and Absolute Sound, become less important. The politics of our audio hobby become more amusing and entertaining as opposed to a camp that you reside in. You start to shape your system in a way that brings you joy and not in the dictates of a camp.
Maybe I rambling too much, but the fact is that this listening approach has dramatically change my level of enjoyment of audio and music. For me, this has been the most important upgrade in my system, and all it costs is an investment in changing your values and attitudes and unlike electric power quality, you have it within yourself to enjoy your system always.
>the color, balance and interplay of an instrumental piece by Bach
>the spatial interplay and textures of a well conceived percussion piece
>the sheer beauty and soaring spirituality of a rennaisance vocal performance
>the feeling of man's greatest aspirations that reside in Beethovens Symphonies
>the goosebump factor of a Johnny Hartman ballad
>the acceptance and elevation of human failings in a Junior Brown song.
You can go on and on with this. The point is that you start to transform your system based on higher levels of consiousness and corresponding enjoyment. You start listening to the whole and not the parts and the essence of the music starts comes through.
Another interesting thing for me has been that the opinions of the reviewers, ie, Stereophile and Absolute Sound, become less important. The politics of our audio hobby become more amusing and entertaining as opposed to a camp that you reside in. You start to shape your system in a way that brings you joy and not in the dictates of a camp.
Maybe I rambling too much, but the fact is that this listening approach has dramatically change my level of enjoyment of audio and music. For me, this has been the most important upgrade in my system, and all it costs is an investment in changing your values and attitudes and unlike electric power quality, you have it within yourself to enjoy your system always.