Critical listening can if you are not careful develop into audiophilia nervosa, the inability to turn off the evaluator in order to relax and enjoy what you have put together. There was a phase where I was so obsessed I was changing the metal studs that connect the Cones to the speakers. Not the Cones, the metal studs inside the Cones. Called a friend up to say you know the effect demagnetizing has on CDs? Yeah. Did you notice it slowly fades away within about 8 to 10 minutes? What the..? (It does.) On and on like that.
What's funny is around this time I was also beginning to seriously question whether it was worth making any additional improvements, as it seemed there was nothing more there in the signal to be recovered. From here on out it was bound to be ever more depressingly revealed recording flaws.
Could laugh myself silly thinking about that. Because this was 20+ years ago, my system now is so much better it blows my mind, and far from being depressed by flaws I am continually amazed how much better everything sounds.
There's definitely nights when the stars align, the mood and the vibe and the system and I somehow automatically know just the right one to play next. Those moments remind me of the old VISA ad: priceless.
What's funny is around this time I was also beginning to seriously question whether it was worth making any additional improvements, as it seemed there was nothing more there in the signal to be recovered. From here on out it was bound to be ever more depressingly revealed recording flaws.
Could laugh myself silly thinking about that. Because this was 20+ years ago, my system now is so much better it blows my mind, and far from being depressed by flaws I am continually amazed how much better everything sounds.
There's definitely nights when the stars align, the mood and the vibe and the system and I somehow automatically know just the right one to play next. Those moments remind me of the old VISA ad: priceless.