Just wondering what makes people tick in regards to determining when things sound "good enough"?
For me I have a vision in my mind of how things should sound based on what I have heard over the years. Once it sounds that way, I am done. I can still enjoy listening to other sounds or sounds that omit some things I might want otherwise but if I do not get regular samplings of "that sound" I probably start to wonder.
The audiophile challenge is to get the most music (synergy) out of your system regardless of its price point. So, to the OP’s question, how do you know when you’ve done that? To me, you’re done when the big changes no longer result in a more musical experience. I’ve auditioned a number of different H/W changes that either didn’t make any difference in my system or the differences did not result in a better sound - just a different sound.
Of course, if you have endless time and money, you could start the whole process over again at a significantly higher system price point. Although, I agree with williewonka. A reality check is a good thing.
I read somewhere that audiophiles that DON’T hear significant differences in H/W are more immune to upgrade-itis. They tend to keep their systems for a long time - decades even and focus on the music. Maybe those with the best ears are cursed to relive the audiophile equivalent of “Ground Hogs Day”.
Just listened to the remastered Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits during a longer-than-normal lunch break. Thanks to the room treatment from Primacoustic, I was: Looking forward to listening, Insanely happy whilst listening, Not thinking about upgrading, Full of peace and joy. I am blessed to have a dedicated room, a dedicated AC line, the aforementioned room treatments, and an understanding wife.
Hi czarivey! I don't know about tabs or chords, but I hate typos. Re-reading my post it should have said "It does", instead of "I does" at the end of the second sentence. I hate typos, even more so when they're mine...
When I look forward to listening to it. I do. When it makes me happy to listen to it. I does. When I've stopped obsessing over the next "upgrade". I have. When listening to it brings peace and joy. It does.
I found that Disney's World's Magic Kingdom Planetarium had apparently the best sounding room. Wonder how much is it? What kind of amp/preamp over there?
When recording engineers realize that once you remaster a great analogue recording, you digitize away the inner detail and with it the beauty of the music.
1- it’s good enough when you’ve spent more on your system than you did on your Benz 2- it’s good enough when your naked wife or girl friend walks over to you and you ask her, politely, to wait until the album side is over 3- it’s good enough when someone just walking into your home asks who’s playing the sax 4- it’s good enough when an audiophile buddy says "now I understand what people mean when they talk about soundstage width and depth" 5- it’s good enough when you have zero interest in purchasing any more gear and only want to put your hard earned money into more music
For what it's worth, my system is by most accounts, good enough
Oh how I wish I was where my system was "good enough" for my liking. That's not to say I don't enjoy what I have but I'm always pursuing something better it seems. I'm sure I can get there with unlimited time and budget.....is that asking too much? :) Like many, my goal is to duplicate live music.....or as close as possible. I'm loving my tube amp but think I need move to a turntable and dedicated sound room to get to where I want to be. For now I'll continue with the Irish method of sound improvement.....consume more alcohol until things sound REALLY good ;)
I have currently have 9 different main listening configurations available in my house in most any room (including outside). They are all "good enough" on their own in that I very much enjoy using each as is, but only one is the best among them that brings the most frequent and biggest smiles. There are ways to make them all even better I’m sure, but hey there is only so much time in the week to sit and enjoy music and maybe dabble here and there once in a while just to try something different if not necessarily better. Too bad!
I agree room is the biggest factor and matching speakers accordingly. Then a well suited amp to drive them and lastly a good quality source which is not hard to find these days, at least with digital.
It all works in the end as long as system (including room) integration and synergy is high. Many ways to get there, some faster than others perhaps.
After that, I think the more minor tweaks that might be done often come down largely to personal preferences.
Any system is more than enough AND no system will ever be enough. Music is our joy and makes us jump, sing along, dance and play air instruments; Any system is enough to discover new music or to enjoy our favorite songs - I remember listening to cassettes on my Walkman and how effusively happy I was! But curiosity and knowledge lead us on an endless journey through infinite possibilities where no HiFi system will ever be enough. In the end I guess it all depends on some factors that change from person to person: are we in the quest for all the music we can absorb in our short life? Or are we giving full attention to equipment instead of music? And also: how deep is our pocket and what are our priorities in life? I have a nice system and I'm quite happy with it; I now favor music over gear; BUT still plan to improve the system. It's a never ending story...
"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be audiophiles" or "Women don't let your husbands become audiophiles"
I had to return my music server back to the factory to have the hard drive re-imaged (corrupted OS). I have a laptop streaming Tidal, but they don't have many of my favorite albums. One of my buddies turned me on to the virtues of a dedicated "CD transport", so I snagged one and it has put a wide smile on my face.
I was toying with replacing my music server (in the event my existing one needed a new hard drive, power supply or motherboard), and found that Aurender has a very nice unit (my guy sells those). But I think I'll hold off for a while.
I can't believe I'm saying that, "I think I'll hold off for a while"...I guess my wife's eyes won't roll for a while...
It's kind of like falling in love. You realize that you have something very good...not perfect, but probably better than most and you're happy with it.
When I travel, after a while I start to miss listening to my system and after returning and do so, I realize how much I enjoy it, good enough!
When I have been to a dealership listening to a system far more expensive than my own and return to my system and think ‘this is special’, good enough!
Like Chayro, my upgrades stopped when the money ran out, or rather, I retired. You can always improve on a system, but if you have chosen wisely, then I believe in the old rule, that you need to double the cost of a component, to really improve the sound. A little very basic maths tells you, that soon gets very expensive.
A general guide is, that you can go to a show and all but the uber expensive rooms, sound worse or no better than your gear. At a recent show with Wilson Alexias and D'Agostino Pre and monoblocks, sure I could clearly see what I was missing.
Secondly, do you count a day not hearing some music on your setup, as a day wasted somehow. My 2 cents worth
"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be audiophiles"
or "Women don't let your husbands become audiophiles"
2015 was a year of upgrade after upgrade for me, after we decided to have me migrate the audio system from the living room, to my "man cave", a much larger room. After installing my sixth bass trap (to control the boominess in the room), my wife said "I've unleashed a monster". But I'd say I'm about 95% of the way there now. Oops, just ordered a new headphone amp...
For 30 years my receiver based system was good enough. ....then I discovered Audiogon and the word 'audiophile'. I've been pursuing the elusive holy grail ever since.
"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be audiophiles"
Just got through 1812 Overture on Mercury Living Presence cranked to fairly realistic volume. I am just getting of my knees where I was crying and sobbing. 😩
Its good enough. Blew me away and nothing blew out in the process. 😗
The best measure for me I can come up with for if my hifi is good enough or not is how much time I spend listening and how much I look forward to the opportunities.
If my interest wains its usually an indicator that something is not right because I have always looked forward to spending leisure time just listening to music.
It depends entirely on the individual. Some people are always on the "hunt," while others find a comfortable patch of audio goodness and stake their claim there for the long haul. I used to belong to the former camp, but for the last five years or so, I've been firmly in the latter. I know my system can be improved, and I may make a few small tweaks here and there to get me a little closer, but for the most part, the rig does the trick for me, and I haven't felt the need to make a big change in a long time. I think I got the fundamentals right, and that's a big step. If something blows up and I need to replace it, then that's a different matter! :)
When it's ten at night, the lights are out,[the little LEDs on the equipment and the tubes on my Mac MC60s are enough]-and I don't have to get up the next day. I don't have an uber expensive system, but it blows me away. Good enough!
Doesn't it depend on what your objective is in having the system? If it is to have the "best," I think it is an endless pursuit. Like the saying that one can never be too rich, too thin, or too good looking. (I disagree about the 'too thin' one, but you know what I mean). If the aim of having the system is to listen to music, rather than music being used as a reference to judge system quality, I think you can reach a 'good enough' point that makes sense, whatever your budget. It doesn't mean the quest stops, but the focus changes- more interest in hearing different (and new to you) music and recordings, rather than using the same set of references, more interest in exploring different pressings and masterings of favored recordings (a factor that makes a significant difference, sometimes more than a gear upgrade) and more focus on non-gear aspects of the system when listening to it. Does that mean that one becomes complacent? I don't think so. I can still hear the shortcomings, the weaknesses, in my system and others, but often, those shortcomings are in the recording itself, and throwing money at gear and tweaking will not do much to change that. It is nice not to be on the merry-go-round, but I also understand the thrill and challenge of the gear pursuit. The problem, in my estimation, is that if the objective is largely if not entirely on the system's performance and possible improvements, that's where you stay focused. I know, from hanging with the "audiophile" crowd for a long time there is this belief that, if only I get to X place, I can then enjoy it. And that X is never achieved, because it is a moving goalpost- some audiophiles do have the time, energy and resources to constantly tweak, upgrade and reassess-- and are deep into musical enjoyment of their systems. Some of those audiophiles are on this board. And to them, I tip my proverbial hat. Because they can pursue more than one goal at a time. That isn't so easy, is it?
"Targets"...??!!! It's always about the music &, as chayro mentioned, while funds & interest allow. I suspect we will always be curious... (For some that may also be in a sexual sense...)
it's never good enough and it's always more than good enough...can always be improved, but as long as that doesn't distract my total enjoyment at what I have, all is well...
When it's a quarter to 11:00pm, you're listening, thinking..."just one more" and you know you have to be up at 5:00am. If this becomes a regular occurrence, I'd say you're there. 😊
"As long as I can listen to a poor-quality recording, and hear through
the flaws, and instead feel like I am hearing what the artist and
recording/mastering engineers were trying to accomplish, I am happy."
That's a great one. Spoken like a true OHM man, B.
There is not much progress without obsession. Obsessing on something good or positive that is. There is always the opposite. Any obsession can probably go out of control and become detrimental eventually if allowed.
Good sound has a physiological effect on me. It relaxes me and makes me feel good. Then I know. I'm not a doctor so would not even attempt to explain how this works. Its a kind of love I suppose.
As long as I smile when the music plays, I am happy.
As long as I don't feel like doing something other than listening, I am happy.
As long as I have other financial burdens in life that take priority over indulging in new gear just for the sake of upgrading, I am happy.
As long as I can listen to a poor-quality recording, and hear through the flaws, and instead feel like I am hearing what the artist and recording/mastering engineers were trying to accomplish, I am happy.
As long as any music I want is available in at least one format that my system can play, I am happy.
And, yes, I am happy right now, and have been since my last audio purchase in 2013.
When You start listening to the music and simply enjoy it. When you stop obsessing and nit picking and or run out of money and come to your senses. After realising you have spent more on equipment than your car.
My system has for the most part been good enough but it's like that guy who keeps banging his head on a wall: when asked why he does it, he replies that it feels so good when he stops.
A system is good enough for me (as for others who have said the same here and elsewhere) when I find myself completely absorbed, consumed, and inhabited by the music---becoming one with it, rather than thinking about the sound of it. Good equipment, and even good sound, is only the means to an end---more appreciation and enjoyment of, and deeper connection with, music---God's greatest gift to mankind (followed closely by dogs ;-).
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