Wha'choo lookin' at?


As I relaxed to Charlie Haden’s Quartet West on the stereo last night, I thought how much I enjoyed my view when sitting in my main listening position, and I got curious about what others’ eyes came to rest on when listening. My system is in the living room. Much of the front wall is a big picture window. If I want to, I can pull shades down and draw curtains to cover just the first reflection points behind the speakers and not cover up the center part of the window. The main attraction between the speakers, however, is a large floor-to-ceiling plant stand made of oak. (Equipment rack and TV are off to the sides.) It’s a very open affair – no large, solid surfaces -- and on it are a couple of large geranium varieties, an aloe and some other succulents, a cast-iron plant, and assorted other greenery. It’s a very restful composition for my eyes to look absently at and get lost in as I listen. Passive but full of depth, interesting shapes and subtle colors. I swear it enhances my listening experience, and I like it lots better than closing my eyes. I’m gonna call it a tweak. Have not, however, experimented with varying the mix and positioning of plants on the plant stand ;-) .
jayboard
No fair that Angela has an ocean!
I have a dedicated room that has french doors behind me to cut off the outside world. I have a fireplace, with my equipment lined up on the stone raised hearth. The fireplace takes up the full area between the speakers. I have a Charles Russell knock-off painting above the mantle with a great horned sheep scull next to it. I have my grandfathers 1890 wind up train in the center of the mantle and a couple nick-nacks that hold special memories. There is a bear skin rug (sorry peta, family airlum) between the speakersand me. In each corner 7' behind the speackers is a single small window. Inbetween the southeast window and the speaker is an 8' tree/plant. I love it but I've had alot of friends wonder why I don't use the fireplace. Simple, it would be really hard on the powercords.
Angela, the next thing we need to get the Audiogone folks hip on is HTML in the audiochathouse! Then along with our discussions we could include pics of our systems, etc. Now wouldn't that be cool! I promise though, when I get it done I will get you a picture. I wish I were lookin at the pacific though, that is too sweet. I am about 15 miles from the Golden Gate bridge. If I could build a small tower from my roof, say 20 feet, then I believe I could see the ocean, fog permitting:^) I'd also have to get a bigger amp so I could hear the system from up there!

Wow good responses. Never thought about getting into plants. Likely they would all die at my hand. I threatened the roses to bloom last year and it worked. "You think about blooming, or I got a shovel." It worked. Anyway, a large tapestry on the front wall might the TV screen if I could pull it up and down.

 Most of the time I am imagining the performance in front of me though.

I stare blankly at my stereo system, seeing everything, and nothing. Sometimes I experience synthesia (it comes and goes now) or I just come to, realizing that I've been half way into a trance of sorts. Very therapeutic.

Even without going full blown with the synthesia, those moments when I'm looking and seeing nothing and everything can be explained. My rig is just there but not really stimulating me visually. My minds eye, however is conjuring images of the performers with no real effort: it just happens.

All the best,
Nonoise