the process is more challenging than the result

there have been two classic studeis in stereophile, years ago, which indicated that sound quality and musical enjoyment were not highly correlated. the second part of the study appeared in the february 200 issue of stereophile.

it is my hypothesis that the enjoyment attained when listening to music is independent of the medium which delivers it. speaking for myself, i can gain the same benefits from listening to music in my car as i can from any stereo system.

as far as the quest and the result, we are all "wired" differently. i enjoy listening to different components and observing the affects upon the sound of a stereo system. it is an intellectual pursuit, in the same vein as doing a crossword puzzle.

hi shadorne:

you missed my point when i alluded to the "quest".

the quest implies a journey to achieve a sonic result.
the process of achieving the objective--a sonic result is more fulfilling than listening to music, once the result has been attained.

it does not entail never being satisfied, but rather, the opposite, namely, achieving statisfaction. there would be no reason to sell components which furthered one's sonic objectives.

hi shadorne:

you still miss the point.

the quest is the voicing of a stereo system to satisfy the preference(s) of its owner. this quest involves selecting components, and tinkering.

once the stereo system has been configured to satisfy the requirements of its owner, if it is feasible, the quest is over.

the quest may take time and is often difficult and challenging. my hypotheis is that completing the quest is more enjoyable than listening to the stereo system which has been voiced consistent with the deires of its owner.

i hope i have communicated to you my intentions of this thread and the basis of my position.

the quest is not to achieve a perfect stsereo system, as there is no perfect stereo system. the goal would be to achieve a particular voicing or tuning of the stereo system to suit one's taste. such a stereo system would be deliberately colored, in a way to please the listener.

there would be no reason to change any component, because the desired flavor would have been achieved.

it is like adding white to the color red, until the desired shade is achieved. there would be no need to change at that point.

the target is not moving. it is a fixed target, such as a particular frequency response.

hi mr_ man:

you have made my point. the purpose of voicing a stereo system to one's satisfaction is the enjoyment of the process of doing it, rather than listening to the result.

although i am not a hunter, the hunt may be more enjoyable than the eating. another example, is the chef who enjoys preparing food, but who has no interest in eating his creation.

its a matter of means and ends. in this case, themean is more interesting, than the end result. the process is achieving something, rather than reveling in the achievement.

one final example is in the area of sports. breaking the record is more satisfying than the award one receives for doing it.

i have maintained that you can just as easily enjoy music listening to a table radio as listening to an expensive stereo system. what can you do with a table radio , other than listen to it ? a stereo system is a collection of components wwhich can be manipulated to achieve a result.
the achieving is more important than the result.

the need for achievement is a powerful motivator of human behavior.

listening is not achieving. listening is passive. achievement requires that one do something, i.e, it is an active mode.

if someone else does it for you , you haven't achieved it.

i like challenges that i can overcome. thus, responding to a challenge and achieving a result is very satisfying.

what happens after a result is achieved is less important.

my purpose in this thread is to suggest that a brain needs to be used. doing crossword puzzles, helping someone setup a stereo system, catching a fish, and other activities are rewarding for their own sake. if you don't use your brain why have one ?

passively listening does not generally use one's brain. trying to determine why a stereo system doesn't perform according to your expectations and then doing something about it is a mental exercise. as a human being one needs mental exercises.

letting other people do things for you that you can do yourself, robs one of a sense of accomplishment.
too much passivity leads to undesirable consequences.