The Biggest Upgrade Possible?
It is taken for granted, assumed automatically that greater expenditure results in greater satisfaction but, as many of us may have found out the hard way, this is rarely the case. Then they're doing it wrong. Because every time I have spent more money its been a great big, often times huge improvement. Every. Single. Time. OR I DON'T BUY IT!!! |
Great topic to contemplate. In the mid 80's My first stereo at 23 was pretty good. 400 watts of SAE power, Technics SBE 200 speakers, Thorens TD 124 TT. All vinyl. For me and my friends, it was unbeleiveable how good it sounded. Fast forward 30 years.... I now own a $40,000 Audio Note system. It may "technically" sound better but it doesn't make me any happier on MY happy Scale. My friends don't talk about my present system but they sure talked about my system 30 years ago. I was the guy with the stereo. It felt good. Rich or poor keep searching to achieve those 10/10 happy scale moments. Happy is just plain happy. Period. It's what we live for. |
I suggest for you to read my last few posts on my thread : Miracles in Audio, by luck, by good choices,by design or by tweaking... Perhaps you will discover some bits from some wise tree of reflexion among the mountains of my erroneous affirmations... :) |
cd318, well said and it could not be more true. Human brains are far more variable and uncontrollable than the systems we listen too. One day things sound great, the next day lousy. Same system, same room. What changed? Some people might blame it on the recording or maybe a bad tube but mostly it is just the psychological state of the individual. I don't even listen now when I am mad or in a sour mood. It works the other way around. You just spent a lot of money on a new piece of equipment with the expectation that it will sound better, So it does until you get pissed off at the world. Then it sounds like crap and you go out and spend more money when all you needed was (fill in the blank) and everything is all right in the world again:) |
Our brains are wireless recievers. We need to shut down all the other processes in our heads to get into the listening-mode. Typically 15-20 minutes listening before we are "on", on a good day. One of my weirder "tweaks" is to apply some lotion on my ears (backside is important) if they feels dry from soap and showering. Not only do this echo (yes) but the ears likes some massage now and then. And off course, I like to have a single malt in reach from my (velour-)chair, Bomore 12yo right now. |
unfairlane Our brains are wireless recievers (sic). We need to shut down all the other processes in our heads to get into the listening-mode. Typically 15-20 minutes listening before we are "on", on a good day. >>>>That’s an interesting point! And I agree the brain 🧠 is like a wireless receiver. But the brain 🧠 receives not only conscious information, and holds over conscious information, but also receives and holds over subconscious information. You can sometimes block out “bad” conscious information that interferes with listening enjoyment or decreases hearing acuity, but it might not be so easy to do so. There are obviously lots of emotionally disturbing things going on in the world non-stop 24/7. I suppose you could cut yourself off completely from the outside world, I realize some people do. But how do you block out subconscious information? And what is the “bad subconscious information” I’m referring to? That would be a good place to start, no? Here are some random examples of what I mean: pictures on the wall of military aircraft, a bookcase filled with books, cellphones, piggy 🐷 bank filled with coins, Bookcase filled with LPs or CDs 💿 clocks ⏰ batteries, wire that carries AC, including floor lamps, air humidifiers, computers and even audio equipment (!) and barcodes on CD jewel cases, books, etc. |
@pkvintage, "Rich or poor keep searching to achieve those 10/10 happy scale moments. Happy is just plain happy. Period. It’s what we live for." Good advice, so so easy to forget. Memories are always important to sustain us as we go forward. It would be heartbreaking to not have enough happy ones. Like yourself, my happiest audio memories go back decades too. I’m pretty sure no amount of upgrading can change that, but it would be fantastic if my kids ever got into audio the way I did. @mijostyn, "One day things sound great, the next day lousy. Same system, same room. What changed? Some people might blame it on the recording or maybe a bad tube but mostly it is just the psychological state of the individual." My first audio dealer (Linn, Naim, Rega etc), who I looked upon with awe once said something very similar. I’ll never forget thinking ’Oh my God, if he with all the high end stuff he has can say that...? Magical times. @unfairlane, "Our brains are wireless recievers. We need to shut down all the other processes in our heads to get into the listening-mode. Typically 15-20 minutes listening before we are "on", on a good day." Time for me needed depends upon what kind of day I’ve had but yes I couldn’t agree more. The right song at the right time can turn things around wonderfully. As GK mentions, unconscious processes are also important. So much so that I sometimes wonder whether our ’unconscious lives’ are not in fact our real lives. Especially so when it comes to important relationships. Who doesn’t have that special song that reminds them of that special person or special time? Some people sure have a way of getting into your head that they seem to be living in there (whether you actually ever see them or not). Not many things in life worse than relationship problems, are there? Thankfully they eventually do hurt less in time. My guess is that it is in dreams (when/if the everyday residual noise finally quietens down enough) that we usually might get to ever seeing what’s really going on in there all the time. I don’t believe we ever stop dreaming, or ever can. Having said this it’s hardly surprising that the mood altering/inducing industry is the biggest in the world. The pursuit of audio nirvana is just one tiny part of it. |
There is no times for the unconscious; complete musical melody are like a note, the unconscious is tapping in the entire body and in the entire universe... The creative composer start with only a note and create a melody with that one.... Each sense, be it hearing or tasting, smelling, recreate like that the entire cosmos in a single fractal sequence, but perceived consciously only in a small part...(in neurology that fractal is called synesthesia) To be happy all times with your audio system , you can empty all the old around you to welcome all the new that’s coming... It is called Self-upgrading, the big upgrade there is indeed.... I apologize for my indulging in words.... My best... |
Be it sight, sound, the smell, the touch. There’s something, Inside that we need so much, The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound, Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground. The wonder of flowers, to be covered, and then to burst up, Thru tarmack, to the sun again, Or to fly to the sun without burning a wing, To lie in the meadow and hear the grass sing, To have all these things in our memories hoard, And to use them, To help us, To find... God... - The Moody Blues |
Words are flowing out Like endless rain into a paper cup They slither while they pass They slip away across the universe Pools of sorrow, waves of joy Are drifting through my opened mind Images of broken light Which dance before me like a million eyes They call me on and on across the universe Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe Sounds of laughter, shades of life Are ringing through my open ears Inciting and inviting me Limitless, undying love Which shines around me like a million suns It calls me on and on across the universe |
I think I prefer your poetry to the prose of any audio thread, but wait a minute, what will be the consequences of my compliment for your humility increasing virtue? Anyway thanks much... As you know this world really need more poetry than science …. Prose is to science what poetry is to language, its beginning and its end... |
