1) Learn what real music sounds like. Attend live, un-amplified musical performances in order to hear what instruments and voices sound like in real acoustic spaces. If you don't have access to a world class ensemble, you can still hear some quality music at student recitals at your local college.
2) Don't read equipment reviews. The only reason any magazine or website publishes them is to attract readers who will then attract advertisers. Reading equipment reviews only brings on distrust and doubts about both your system as well as your own hearing and listening abilities. Remember, the only qualification any critic of anything ever had is the fact that he got the gig. Trust your own ears because you are the person who will be listening to your system, not the reviewer.
3) Go and listen to some quality made in the early and middle 1960's tube gear, like Marantz, McIntosh, Scott, Fisher, Harmon Kardon, etc. You will realize that over the last fifty years, the audio industry has not made the quantum leaps in performance that it likes to think that it has. After a listen, you will most likely feel that you do not need to have the "Latest and greatest" gear in order to have a pleasurable listening experience.
4) Listen with your heart as much as your ears. We listen to music in order to have an emotional connection with the performer. They are playing or singing about something that we cannot necessarily say for ourselves. Does music played on your system move you emotionally? If a piece of music affects you in such a way that you are physically moved to tears, then your system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. When that happens on a regular basis, don't change a thing!
5) Do maintain your system and find out about inexpensive tweaks. Keeping all of your electrical connections clean and tight, keeping your cables tidy and off of the floor and cleaning your LP's and CD's will enhance the quality of your listening experience while maintaining the value of your investment.
Also:
6) The room is the most important part of the system.
7) The quality of the recordings you play is the second most important part of the system. However, you should keep in mind that a great recording of a poor musical performance is just that.
8) Your mood is the third most important part of your system. If you are in a great mood, then music on a boombox can be thrilling but if you aren't in the mood, the greatest sounding system in the world will be of no help.
9) Share your music with others.
10) It doesn't hurt to learn to play a musical instrument and to play it with other musicians. The more you know about music, the greater its impact will be when you listen to it.
2) Don't read equipment reviews. The only reason any magazine or website publishes them is to attract readers who will then attract advertisers. Reading equipment reviews only brings on distrust and doubts about both your system as well as your own hearing and listening abilities. Remember, the only qualification any critic of anything ever had is the fact that he got the gig. Trust your own ears because you are the person who will be listening to your system, not the reviewer.
3) Go and listen to some quality made in the early and middle 1960's tube gear, like Marantz, McIntosh, Scott, Fisher, Harmon Kardon, etc. You will realize that over the last fifty years, the audio industry has not made the quantum leaps in performance that it likes to think that it has. After a listen, you will most likely feel that you do not need to have the "Latest and greatest" gear in order to have a pleasurable listening experience.
4) Listen with your heart as much as your ears. We listen to music in order to have an emotional connection with the performer. They are playing or singing about something that we cannot necessarily say for ourselves. Does music played on your system move you emotionally? If a piece of music affects you in such a way that you are physically moved to tears, then your system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. When that happens on a regular basis, don't change a thing!
5) Do maintain your system and find out about inexpensive tweaks. Keeping all of your electrical connections clean and tight, keeping your cables tidy and off of the floor and cleaning your LP's and CD's will enhance the quality of your listening experience while maintaining the value of your investment.
Also:
6) The room is the most important part of the system.
7) The quality of the recordings you play is the second most important part of the system. However, you should keep in mind that a great recording of a poor musical performance is just that.
8) Your mood is the third most important part of your system. If you are in a great mood, then music on a boombox can be thrilling but if you aren't in the mood, the greatest sounding system in the world will be of no help.
9) Share your music with others.
10) It doesn't hurt to learn to play a musical instrument and to play it with other musicians. The more you know about music, the greater its impact will be when you listen to it.