contentedness antithetical to audiophiliac mind?

[photonblur]

hmmmmmmm...........

[DanRubin]

You need to specify a time frame. I can't tell you the number of times over the years when I've read someone on Audiogon or wherever declare that they've finally finished their search, they are done, couldn't be happier ... only to have it all up for sale two months later.

[gmgraves]

You need to specify a time frame. I can't tell you the number of times over the years when I've read someone on Audiogon or wherever declare that they've finally finished their search, they are done, couldn't be happier ... only to have it all up for sale two months later.

 

 

Yeah, That's about right. I've often wondered about whether, when and if, we get to the point where reproduced music finally sounds exactly like the real thing, so that no one can either hear or measure the difference, many audiophiles won't still insist that they still aren't there yet and continue to obsess over equipment.

[Booster MPS]

While your post was directed at equipment, the same point probably applies to some when it comes to music and collectors of a particular artist or genre. That is also very much a part of being an audiophile (the music that is).

[esldude]

Certainly antithetical to the audiophile marketplace.

 

Once saw for sale a system from the 60's. All Marantz tube gear in a custom designed housing in a very expensive house. Connected to similarly housed K-horns. Fellow had apparently used it contentedly for more than 30 years until his death as this was an estate sale. That fellow contributed not one damn thing to companies moving forward, innovating and improving audio. But that fellow may have enjoyed wonderful music for nearly a couple generations without any concern. He had updated his TT at least a couple times over that period with a Linn in use upon his passing. The equipment was beyond my means at the time, and the few records I purchased were very well worn.

[davidbeinct]

Certainly antithetical to the audiophile marketplace.

 

Once saw for sale a system from the 60's. All Marantz tube gear in a custom designed housing in a very expensive house. Connected to similarly housed K-horns. Fellow had apparently used it contentedly for more than 30 years until his death as this was an estate sale. That fellow contributed not one damn thing to companies moving forward, innovating and improving audio. But that fellow may have enjoyed wonderful music for nearly a couple generations without any concern. He had updated his TT at least a couple times over that period with a Linn in use upon his passing. The equipment was beyond my means at the time, and the few records I purchased were very well worn.

 

The Acoustats I recently purchased came from an estate with a similar story. The heir brought a local pawn shop some old expensive electronics and two sets of speakers, K-Horns and Acoustats. The K-Horns went first and for a lot more money, because everyone knows what they are and even K-Horns are easier to get past the wife than the giant black monoliths that are Acoustat Model 3 speakers. Both sets of speakers were ca. 25 years old.

[Jud]

The Acoustats I recently purchased came from an estate with a similar story. The heir brought a local pawn shop some old expensive electronics and two sets of speakers, K-Horns and Acoustats. The K-Horns went first and for a lot more money, because everyone knows what they are and even K-Horns are easier to get past the wife than the giant black monoliths that are Acoustat Model 3 speakers. Both sets of speakers were ca. 25 years old.

 

Even though, as I recently told a dealer friend, you would have to pry my Vandersteens from my cold dead hands in order to get me to give them up, I can't help feeling a little envious about getting a great deal on the Acoustats.

 

While I believe I'm very open to experimentation and new ideas, for whatever reason my system tends to be very stable, with very little turnover. My most recent equipment replacement was a new turntable about 6 months ago (Pro-Ject RPM 1.3), replacing one I'd had for almost 35 years (Systemdek IIX). Before that it was the Vandersteen 3A a year ago, replacing the Vandersteen 2Ce I'd had for almost 25 years. I intend to keep these for as long as I had their predecessors, if not longer (though in the case of the turntable I might be shuffling off this mortal moving coil before another 35 years comes around). I would think my next equipment change would be a semi-DIY version of Miska's DSC DAC at some point after he publishes version 2 (it's currently DSC1). But I would likely keep my current DAC as well.

 

Re accessories and cables, I have cables nearly 25 years old in my system, and the newest cable is a couple of years old. I don't see any of them going anywhere, barring some technological breakthrough. My newest accessories are a couple of Regens, and they aren't going anywhere either. When the new power supply gizmo comes along from the people who make the Regen, I'll very likely get one. And that's about it for breathlessly exciting new equipment news.

 

I'm extremely pleased with the sound of my system (there has not been a time I can recall in the past 25 years or so when I haven't been happy, but especially so now), and listen to it as much as I can each day before my lovely wife absolutely must see what's happening on HGTV.

[davidbeinct]

Even though, as I recently told a dealer friend, you would have to pry my Vandersteens from my cold dead hands in order to get me to give them up, I can't help feeling a little envious about getting a great deal on the Acoustats.

 

...

 

My brother, who told me about them, finally got to come for a listen and was also a little envious. He doesn't have the room or the wifely permission though. :-)

 

I have always been very interested in hearing Vandersteens, so there is always a little grass is greener going on in audiophilia.

 

As far as the topic goes, I have only been back into this hobby in a serious way for a couple of years now. In that time I've gone from Signets speakers with a receiver, to building a new serious system around Parasound pre and amp with Alon Model iv speakers, to finding the Acoustats and bringing my old Acoustat TNT120 back into my system.

 

I'm pretty happy now with speakers, amp and pre. I think I want to do a little work on digital front end (replace Parasound P-5 built in DAC with something else) and Frankenstein my Thorens TD150, but overall I have something to really build on and I don't foresee making any changes after that.

[gmgraves]

The Acoustats I recently purchased came from an estate with a similar story. The heir brought a local pawn shop some old expensive electronics and two sets of speakers, K-Horns and Acoustats. The K-Horns went first and for a lot more money, because everyone knows what they are and even K-Horns are easier to get past the wife than the giant black monoliths that are Acoustat Model 3 speakers. Both sets of speakers were ca. 25 years old.

 

 

How do the Acoustats sound? I seem to remember that they were very shy of bass and somewhat unreliable. I had a pair in the late '80's and the transformers in them were too small and would saturate easily; meaning that the louder the music got, the more "squashed" dynamically it became. At some point it just started to get very nasty sounding without getting any louder. I sincerely hope the ones you bought don't exhibit that characteristic!

 

But back on subject. I had a friend (now deceased) who stuck with his early 50's mono system for more than 55 years. It consisted of all Heathkit electronics. A WPA-2 preamp with a bilious gold-colored case with gray knobs, an FM-4 tuner, a Heath W-6M 25-watt Williamson amplifier and a Heathkit mono half-track tape deck. His speaker was an Electrovoice three-way in a huge "Karlson Kabinet". I never thought it sounded very good (almost NO bass from the EV 15" woofer which always surprised me) but he loved it. Kept it till his death in late 2013.

 

 

 

At some point he did buy a "modern" turntable, an AR with a Audio-Empire stereo cartridge (with the outputs paralleled).

 

He was very happy with his system for his whole life, oblivious to it's faults, but not oblivious to what he found to be faults in his friends' more "state-of-the-art" systems (like mine, for instance). I always found it humorous that he installed an aftermarket FM stereo radio in his car, but never upgraded his home system to stereo ("a passing fad", he used to jokingly say).

[joelha]

Me? I'm perfectly content with my system . . . for about one week. And then invariably I'm changing a software setting, moving or switching a cable or something else to cause a problem . . . I mean to benefit my system.

 

Joel

[gmgraves]

Me? I'm perfectly content with my system . . . for about one week. And then invariably I'm changing a software setting, moving or switching a cable or something else to cause a problem . . . I mean to benefit my system.

 

Joel

 

 

Audiophilia Nervosa, perhaps?

[davidbeinct]

How do the Acoustats sound? I seem to remember that they were very shy of bass and somewhat unreliable. I had a pair in the late '80's and the transformers in them were too small and would saturate easily; meaning that the louder the music got, the more "squashed" dynamically it became. At some point it just started to get very nasty sounding without getting any louder. I sincerely hope the ones you bought don't exhibit that characteristic!

 

...

 

You may have had one of the earlier transformers. The 'medallion' version supposedely are much better. The version I have are three panels wide, or almost three feet. They have plenty of bass, volume and soundstage. I am enjoying them immensely.

[shum3s]

"listten to it as much as I can each day before my lovely wife absolutely must see what's happening on HGTV.

 

Jud like your wife, my wife only watches HGTV. The result is constant up grades to our humble home, which I end up doing all the work. This correlate with my constant fight against upgrading my system or room. This comes from spending way to much time reading audio forums regarding others latest audio purchases and the latest reviews. I know that if I cut off the source I could probably be mostly content with what I have. But I just can't help myself from reading most of the guys post on this forum; it' all their fault. ��

[gmgraves]

You may have had one of the earlier transformers. The 'medallion' version supposedely are much better. The version I have are three panels wide, or almost three feet. They have plenty of bass, volume and soundstage. I am enjoying them immensely.

 

 

Great! I'm a big lover of electrostatic speakers. I own a pair of Martin-Logans, myself, and if I could afford them, I'd have a pair of the big Sound Labs ESLs which I think sound magnificent.

[gmgraves]

"listten to it as much as I can each day before my lovely wife absolutely must see what's happening on HGTV.

 

Jud like your wife, my wife only watches HGTV. The result is constant up grades to our humble home, which I end up doing all the work. This correlate with my constant fight against upgrading my system or room. This comes from spending way to much time reading audio forums regarding others latest audio purchases and the latest reviews. I know that if I cut off the source I could probably be mostly content with what I have. But I just can't help myself from reading most of the guys post on this forum; it' all their fault. ��

 

 

At the risk of being painted as a "sexist" or some other politically correct label, one of the things that I have noticed about ladies (especially of the 'wife' sub-species) is that even the very best of them use a very interesting ploy to get the lion's share of the spare resources in the household. No matter what the husband's hobby is, spending money on that hobby is "for him". On the other hand, spending that disposable income on new curtains, a kitchen remodel, painting the bedroom, etc. is always "for us". Never mind that the husband is usually content with the curtains they have, the kitchen as it is now, or the color of the bedroom walls, it's "for us". Of course the truth of the matter is that "the house" is the wife's hobby, and when she wants the place upgraded, that's HER new amplifier, or new carburetor for the sports car, or new set of gold clubs.... IOW, it's not "for us" it's for her. I wonder if the dears even realize this when they use that guilt projecting ploy on the husband? Let the cries of "misogamist!" begin!

[sdolezalek]

From the following post: Neuroscience To The Rescue | AudioStream

 

"Neuroscientists are beginning to look at how the brain responds to compressed mp3s as opposed to the higher-resolution digital. Early results suggest that with high resolution, the brain's emotional activity is the same as with live music, while less dopamine, the chemical behind such pleasures as sex, is released when the music files are highly compressed."

Read more at Neuroscience To The Rescue | AudioStream

 

Can't wait to see what the bits are bits and sex is sex crowd does with this..

[toddrhodes]

In total fairness, George, I prompted a kitchen upgrade two winters ago I cook all the food in the house, so our cooking apparatti mirror my audio system. Excessive, but with purpose - I bought a stove that has no electronics in it and is basically a restaurant unit "detuned" for the home. It should be an heirloom kind of thing. Anyway, I basically decide, when purchasing new gear - what is this going to cost me on the other side? A wise man once told me - when you're married, whatever you're buying for yourself, make sure you can afford double that. Because you'll be buying something of equal or greater value to keep things in balance And my wife is completely reasonable, but she's still human. And I love her for it!

[Audio_ELF]

At the risk of being painted as a "sexist"

You're sexist George :-)

[bluesman]

I've learned the difference between being happy & being satisfied. I'm very happy with what I have, but I'd love to try some new things too. There's always something "better".

 

I'm very happy with my '68 Thorens & SME, my '60s RayBans, my '75 LS3/5as etc. I'm satisfied with them & many other things for which there are "better" substitutes. But if a windfall came my way, I'd grab a new tt, a few pairs of Persols and some Sonus Fabers in a flash. Happy but not satisfied.......

[Jud]

 

No matter what the husband's hobby is, spending money on that hobby is "for him". On the other hand, spending that disposable income on new curtains, a kitchen remodel, painting the bedroom, etc. is always "for us".

 

I don't so much hear that, because we do decide jointly on home improvements. My wife's favorite hobby is clothes shopping, but fortunately for both of us she takes great pride in getting the best deals, waiting for things she has her eye on to go on clearance, or for multiple coupons, etc.

 

What I do hear along those general lines is that "we" have to mow the lawn, fix the fan in the bathroom, plant a tree, etc., though only one of us takes part in that activity; but when my wife speaks of the household chores she does, then it's "I have to start dinner." Sometimes this might be confusing if you didn't know how to translate: "We have to set the dishwasher to run this evening" means I'm supposed to do it; "I have to run the dishwasher" means she's going to do it; "Remind me to set the dishwasher to run this evening" means I should say "That's all right, dear, I'll take care of it."

 

Let the cries of "misogamist!" begin!

 

You hate marriage? ("Misogynist" is someone who dislikes women.)

[Jud]

From the following post: Neuroscience To The Rescue | AudioStream

 

"Neuroscientists are beginning to look at how the brain responds to compressed mp3s as opposed to the higher-resolution digital. Early results suggest that with high resolution, the brain's emotional activity is the same as with live music, while less dopamine, the chemical behind such pleasures as sex, is released when the music files are highly compressed."

Read more at Neuroscience To The Rescue | AudioStream

 

Can't wait to see what the bits are bits and sex is sex crowd does with this..

 

This from the comments was great fun but also cautionary about the use of fMRI:

 

Scanning Dead Salmon in fMRI Machine Highlights Risk of Red Herrings | WIRED

[gmgraves]

You're sexist George :-)

 

Probably, Eloise, probably! But my powers of observation tell me that I'm right about wives and their ploy to get their husbands to fund their "nest building"

 

"You want to spend that kind of money on a record player, when we need new carpets in the den, a bigger refrigerator, and reupholstery for the couch?"

 

He-he-he!

[Audio_ELF]

Probably, Eloise, probably! But my powers of observation tell me that I'm right about wives and their ploy to get their husbands to fund their "nest building"

 

"You want to spend that kind of money on a record player, when we need new carpets in the den, a bigger refrigerator, and reupholstery for the couch?"

 

He-he-he!

Was teasing George think you realise that...

 

I'm content with both my Naim and my kitchen ... But that doesn't stop me lusting over Meile appliances and the Naim Statment amplifier :-)

[gmgraves]

I don't so much hear that, because we do decide jointly on home improvements. My wife's favorite hobby is clothes shopping, but fortunately for both of us she takes great pride in getting the best deals, waiting for things she has her eye on to go on clearance, or for multiple coupons, etc.

 

What I do hear along those general lines is that "we" have to mow the lawn, fix the fan in the bathroom, plant a tree, etc., though only one of us takes part in that activity; but when my wife speaks of the household chores she does, then it's "I have to start dinner." Sometimes this might be confusing if you didn't know how to translate: "We have to set the dishwasher to run this evening" means I'm supposed to do it; "I have to run the dishwasher" means she's going to do it; "Remind me to set the dishwasher to run this evening" means I should say "That's all right, dear, I'll take care of it."

 

 

 

You hate marriage? ("Misogynist" is someone who dislikes women.)

 

 

No, by no means do I "hate" marriage, but it's something that I've never personally wanted any part of. And I'm certainly not a misogynist. I love women and have always enjoyed the rush of starting a new relationship. But live with anybody? No thanks. I've lived alone all my adult life and I find it a rewarding lifestyle for me.

 

When I said "Let the cries of misogamist begin!", what I meant was my anticipation that half this forum would descend on me and accuse me of being a misogamist

[Jud]

Was teasing George think you realise that...

 

I'm content with both my Naim and my kitchen ... But that doesn't stop me lusting over Meile appliances and the Naim Statment amplifier :-)

 

My wife and I were amazed by Harrod's, where you can see Miele appliances and Naim amplifiers on the same floor (Apple stuff, too). I don't know of any store like that in the U.S.