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The Next Level

What I am about to write is going to sound familiar to a lot of you in AudiogonLand. Let me first set the stage.

My wife and I both had another stressful, crazy work week under our belt and we settled in for a quiet, ‘ lock the doors and chill out with a great steak, a bottle of Bordeaux, and just kick back and enjoy the music ‘ night. Everything seemed excellent. Filet mignon wrapped in bacon, steamed asparagus lightly pan fried with bacon and garlic, then lightly covered with a dash of fresh Parmesan grated cheese accompanied with a nice bottle of a very smooth bottle of French Bordeux that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. Great conversion and we were both laughing and enjoying each other. Wonderful night.

We were listening to my newly reconfigured tube system in the basement listening room. As favorite pieces played, we occasionally closed our eyes and caught each other smiling and swaying with the rhythm of the music. It was the first time that we had both sat down to listen to the new combination of tubes and cables that we had recently purchased.

Then we put on Beth Orton’s Pass in Time and entered the next level…

Moving 3 dimensional sounds shot at us from all angles. This was much more than sound stage… we were IN THE MUSIC. I have never experienced anything like this with music in my life. Beth’s lyrics were very beautiful and her band was extremely hypnotic. I wanted to grab and hug the beautiful sounds that were totally filling our room. The pluck of guitar strings was right in front of me, the hidden texture of so many of the electronic effects revealed itself to me in the most crisp, clear, gentle, touchable, growing, moving …. words fail me now. We were on an indescribably pleasant trip for about 45 minutes.

I thought I had a great system before last night. I enjoyed it every day and never got tired of it. I always seem to be analyzing where I could make the next improvement. I have finally evolved to a new level where all I could do was let the music come and take me away and I was no longer in control, and I loved every minute of it.

Does anyone else have that memory of realizing that your system was everything and more than you had ever hoped for? For me, it was very punch in the nose obvious. I’d like to hear of anyone else that can remember reaching their next level.
mattzack2

Showing 5 responses by mattzack2

mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
It's funny, but I was so wrapped up in my analytical buying frenzy, that I was reading and buying and swapping things around every day. I was having a blast.

It didn't dawn on me that all the tweaking that I was doing was all heading in the direction of better listening.

The music that I now hear is so different in that it seems to be inviting me into it. I get seduced into listening to a guitar, or an electronic, or a vocal... just riding that portion of the music, when all of a sudden another interesting, beautiful instrument or something grabs my attention and invites me to drift with it.

So, now that my CD's sound exquisite, I have the challenge of trying to get my music from my hard drives to be as good. I already have some new caps coming and a super USB cable as well.

I love this hobby... yeah, I know, I still call it a hobby because I don't really have the right word to describe it.

Thanks to Audiogon and all of you that share this love we have in common.

Happy listening !
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
Eric -

The simplicity was something I noticed also... transport, dac. integrated amp, speakers.

My next appendage is my Mac Mini. That will only have to be optimized to my dac. I have 2 options to explore there, either usb or toslink. It should be easy, but only time will tell.

Do yourself a big favor and listen to Beth Ortin if you get a chance. It was her Pass In Time CD that made me realize I had reached the next level.
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
LOL...

I have a NOS Valab with toslink, coax and usb inputs. I just ordered a Ridge Street Audio Design Poiema USB From Robert Schutz, so I am walking dowm the music server highway right now also.

I am going to try to make my files sound as good as my CDs do, but I am just beginning down that path. Keep in touch on other threads. I could always use some great advice.

Your pedestal, huh ?
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
Thanks for the advice Schipo. I agree with you on the bacon. we just finished the last of it this morning .. bacon and eggs with potato pancakes.
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
No bacon tonight, but my wife did buy more at the grocery store this afternoon... so it's not over with the nitrates for a little while longer.

So I went shopping too. I found some nice Grosch beer with those fancy swing top caps. I bought a six pack of Peroni, a twelve pack of Miller Lites, and for dinner a nice bottle of Chateau Roquefort, another Bordeaux. Next time I'll try one of the suggestions you guys gave me.

More beef tonight, but kabobs this time. And she is making brussel sprouts fried in olive oil with garlic and more of the nice parmesan cheese on them.

A friend came over to hear my new setup and even though he said he had to leave in a hurry, he ended up listening to the Beth Orton CD and one of his favorite CDs which was loaded with a lot of love music. My wife said it was too much love for her.

So, I had to get back down in the basement and listen to more tunes and read all these crazy replies. This is great stuff. Lots of fun being here. I haven't written this much in years, but it really feels comfortable here.... maybe it's all the wine and beer. Will nitrates do that ?

I have to recommend Beth Orton again to anyone who wants to experience something really amazing on their system.

Happy listening !
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