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Where are you at on the curve?...

I feel I started my journey or "quest" for audio satisfaction around 1990. Although I was "interested" in quality sound reproduction since the mid 70's. It's been over 10 years now, and I have learned so much, and soundwise have met or exceeded my desires and expectations.
My journey started when I could not understand why, when I played a CD, it sounded great, but would essentially "chase me out of the room". I could not fathom why I could not enjoy the CD for more than a few minutes, but with a record
I would want to sit, or stay and listen. A lot of the progress I made was pure luck, other things came from constant research, reading, listening and asking questions.
Before AudiogoN I would actually call some of the people selling equipment in Stereophile before they charged for classified's and ask them questions. Most any audiophile would want to tell me everything they knew, and that was a big help, as where can you go for education in this field?
Circuit City, Magnolia Hifi? Not. I did not know a single person in which to confide in my need for the things of which I read about in Stereophile. I am not asking what equipment one might have that has brought musical enjoyment or satisfaction. One can browse around here and get an idea of musically satisfying components. I feel on the "contentment" or "musical satisfaction" curve, I have reached somewhere in the pinnacle of the curve. Not to say that I will ever reach the pinnacle. Nor have I reached a "plataeu". I would love to get and try more things I can not afford. But, I have never been at this level of satisfaction before. I love this stuff, and will always be interested in it. Learning-wise, I will always be on the lower end of the climb, as I feel I am of average intelligence, and have much more to learn. So, how about you? Where are you at in your quest for "satisfaction"?
pelv

Showing 2 responses by tubegroover

tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
I'm with Subaruguru, go to a concert and realize how far off the illusion really is. The answer is when the performer(s) venue and room become one and there are no electronics or transducers evident to remind you. This is the reason we keep on searching. Not to say that there haven't been some heroic efforts by some to get closer. It takes time, money, committment and continued tweeking and at the end of the last tweek or component change when you think you're almost there something else will remind you that you're not.

Symphonic music lovers realize the truth, a great recording, large room, large system, loads of power is the starting point. There is no compromise for recreating an 80 piece orchestra in a home environment. I surmise by the question that the pinnacle of the curve equates to believing you are there?
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
I agree with so much of what is important to you Judit, instrumental timbre being natural, first and foremost towards realizing long term musical satisfaction.

Beyond that there is recreation when walls really do dissappear and you are there. A small system is unable to do this on large symphonic music, at least I haven't personally heard one. My criteria is based more on an absolute reference of what is attainable more so than general enjoyment. To me there is a BIG difference between a large soundstage and recreating the soundstage of the venue. Another aspect of a great system approaching the pinnacle *the absolute sound* ?, is the ability to convey the space, dynamic shadings and image focus of individual instruments as we hear them in a live venue. To do this effortlessly and convincingly requires a large system.
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