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Those simpler times.....

Ya' know, it's kinda funny. We're all spending a great deal of time concerned about tables, arms, cartridges, phono stages, cables, impedance matching, amps, pre-amps, speakers, etc. etc. Whatever happened to the simpler times ?.....I am all of a sudden fondly remembering my first college dorm room system, freshman year, 1973. An all-in-one Panasonic receiver, 8-track tape player/recorder, and turntable, with matching speakers. I think I paid all of $260 for the whole set-up (hard earned bucks, back then). I never even thought about my system. All I ever did was cue up the records.....Doobies, Allmans, Dead, Cat Stevens, Led Zep, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Loggins & Messina, Stevie Wonder, whatever.....and simply LOVED LISTENING TO THE MUSIC !!! No stress over all the stuff we seem to be stressing about today. Only the music mattered.

Don't get me wrong......it's a lot of fun researching, buying, and enjoying all our "audiophile stuff," and I totally enjoy conversing with all you guys on these forums,.....but, do yourself a favor, grab one of your favorite old LP's, sit back, and think about those "simpler times." After all, isn't it all about the music ? Happy listening, my friends.
adam18
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
I would move to a log cabin in the mountains and live with no luxuries or modern conveniences...except my system and music has to come with me. And I'm not willing to downgrade either.....
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
724 posts
 
Yes, it's hard to go back (system-wise), but at the same time, I agree with everyone on this thread.

If my hi-fi can't convey the passion and emotion embodied in American Beauty, Live Dead, and Bless It's Pointed Little Head (listen to Grace sing "Bear Melt"), then there's something seriously wrong, and it's not about dollars spent.

I've gotten this out of $500 rigs as well as $50,000 rigs, as well as failing to get it out of much more expensive ones.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
mr_man
72 posts
 
I truly think it's more a matter of perspective than anything else.

As music lovers, we enjoy music and simply didn't know enough to be critical of the equipment/recordings earlier on. Since we have learned more, we HAVE acheived better sound, but also an ability to be critical of our systems weaknesses.

As Lindisfarne said, he got more pleasure out of his high school system than any since, but I'll bet if he had that same system now he wouldn't be so pleased.

What do they say? .....Ignorance is bliss.
adam18 OP
670 posts
 
This is a nice discussion...... Please don't get me wrong.....I love my present system, and am in no way suggesting that we go back to our audio systems of "those simpler times." Heck, after living with my Rogue tubes and Vandersteen speakers, my ears, mind, and heart are extremely happy. Our shared audiophile hobby is terrific, and long may we wave !!

My point is that every once in a while we should take stock of where we are, and where we once were, in terms of our systems. As phenomenal as all our gear sounds now, let's not forget "those simpler times," when only the music mattered. Let's all remember why we enjoy our hobby as much as we do.............it's the music !!!
Stay well, my friends, and Happy Listening !!!
markphd
667 posts
 
Reading your post was like reading my own thoughts. My freshman year was the same as yours and I too had a simple system, minus the 8-track. What were you thinking? :) The music was paramount. The equipment didn't seem to matter. And I think that's what underlines the post. People get so caught up in the equipment that they forget what the equipment is for.
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