Bob's Audiophile Madness and Kittens

[bobfa]

TLDR:  There is no cure; the Music helps keep me in remission.

 

 

 

"I MUST find some way to stop Christmas from coming!"

For Tomorrow, he knew, all the Who girls and boys,

Would wake bright and early. They'd rush for their toys!

And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise!

Noise! Noise! Noise!

That's one thing he hated! The NOISE!

NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

 

(How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss)

 

There is a constant noise in the back of our brains. I know that this can sound better (different). Somebody, someplace else, says that "IT" is better. Oh, the new USB in the new Norse God DAC is better. Or worse. We are like 10-week old kittens (I know I have two of them right now), SLEEP, RUN, Pounce on brother, meow for food, chase, dive, crash.  

 

 

The kittens have defined my audio journey perfectly over the last 50 years. My ears may be worse, but my sense of Music is a lot better; I still drive forward, my fingers dance over iPeng, and things are slowly calming down in general. But, FOMO hides in the shadows, waiting like that kitten to pounce. Will that Turntable sound better with a different phono stage? Do I even want the Turntable? What about a different AES cable? I am spending a lot more time working in my basement office. I need to upgrade the system down there. And so, it goes.

 

As I look back over the last five decades, I am slowly uncovering that I like where my music systems are today.

 

My anti-itch/anti-noise magic powder is the time and the money spent on the journey. Today, the total cost for three systems is less than one pair of speakers in the house two years ago.

 

I still have some things to do in the office: Speakers that can be closer to the front wall and an integrated amp of some sort are on the shortlist —replacing a relatively old set of powered little studio monitors.

 

The desktop system is now a pair of HomePod Mini's and AirPods Max Headphones, with a Mac laptop and Apple Music as the source. I am not convinced that I need anything more. Want maybe, but need or use, that is the question.

 

Yet, that noise, that itch, should I break out the Mojo or the Lyr 3? What headphones should I use? 

 

Oh, is it time for another Pi if I can find one to buy?

 

--------------------

FROM THE BEGINNING - Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP)

 

There might have been things I missed 

But don't be unkind 

It don't mean I'm blind 

Perhaps there's a thing or two 

I think of lying in bed 

I shouldn't have said 

But there it is 

 

You see it's all clear 

You were meant to be here 

From the beginning 

 

Maybe I might have changed 

And not been so cruel 

Not been such a fool 

Whatever was done is done 

I just can't recall 

It doesn't matter at all 

 

You see it's all clear 

You were meant to be here 

From the beginning

 

...

 

[AudioDoctor]

My SO insisted we would not get a cat no matter how many times the girls ask, no matter how much they promised to take care of it, and feed it, and love it. No matter how often they said they would clean the litterbox. We would take the girls to Cafe Meow (a local cat cafe) so they could get their cat fix. Each time I went my wife would tell me, DO NOT COME HOME WITH A CAT!

 

I was out of town and got a text from my wife, with a picture of the girls beaming while holding a cat at Cafe Meow. The text said, We have a cat now...

 

Cute Kittens Bob!

[Superdad]

The "Monster Energy" box you have their bed in is VERY appropriate! 

[We are a 4 cat household. They do keep us warm in be at night...]

[sphinxsix]

Zero cat household here but I think this will change to 1 cat this year, looking for a proper garden..

[DuckToller]

2 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

Zero cat household here but I think this will change to 1 cat this year, looking for a proper garden..

For your health's sake get a dog, seriously

[sphinxsix]

41 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

For your health's sake get a dog, seriously

 

I would die if I got a dog. I'm not used to walking anymore. I can ride a bike for 30-40km, no problem with that but after walking for 300m I'm almost dead, it's just too extreme exercise for me at the moment 

Beside that, I've always hated the idea of walking the dog. Seriously. Dogs are for the people who don't have better things to do!  Let's take cats into consideration - in this regard they are like self driving cars - waaay higher on the ladder of evolution! 

 

[DuckToller]

First time I used a D voluntarily...

However, not completely serious...

I had cats until I was 30 years old, loved them to bits.  Nonetheless, for your health Dogs are perfect companions - and you have chances to enhance your fitness levels

 

 

[GregWormald]

The saying goes that "Dogs have masters, cats have staff.

 

Being staff is much easier, that's why management get paid more. Ta-dah!

[Rexp]

1 hour ago, DuckToller said:

First time I used a D voluntarily...

However, not completely serious...

I had cats until I was 30 years old, loved them to bits.  Nonetheless, for your health Dogs are perfect companions - and you have chances to enhance your fitness levels

 

Having a dog is a bit like having a crap hifi.

[coot]

You're either a cat person or you're not. We decided to have cats instead of either dogs or kids. No regrets - except I want to get new speakers and can't find many that have metal speaker grilles. Our Ragdoll scratches carpet and furniture terribly. Never been able get him over it. Nope, not gonna get rid of him 'til he dies and we prolly die before those two pals.

 

In honor of cats everywhere ---

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Ever tried Music for Cats for your furry friends? 

 

 

My cat does not respond to it any differently than my usual playlists, but I find it relaxing! 

[stefano_mbp]

When I was young I had a boxer, his name was Jasper, and I always thought that I would never have cats.
Then in this new house in the middle of the woods I happened to adopt a kitten and  after three months she gave birth to three wonderful kittens, it was April 2019.
It was and still is an extraordinary experience.

Two of the three kittens are still here, their mother went away.
When there is a full moon they are out all night, it seems to live in "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd Webber…

Cats are very different from dogs, they are very independent, but they can also be very loving.

[RickyV]

Indeed cats are independent but they get bored too so cats need to be played with. Best imo is to adopt two siblings so they have each other.  Cats are awesome. 

[stefano_mbp]

In my home they can come and go whenever they want, at home to sleep and eat, out in the woods to hunt and ... when they want to be with you you can find them in bed or on you when you are on the sofa.
... cats need freedom and a lot of space ... they must be able to choose where to stay.

[RickyV]

16 minutes ago, stefano_mbp said:

In my home they can come and go whenever they want, at home to sleep and eat, out in the woods to hunt and ... when they want to be with you you can find them in bed or on you when you are on the sofa.
... cats need freedom and a lot of space ... they must be able to choose where to stay.

yes that is better but I live in house in a city center with a patio of 2m x2m so not much running room. 

[sphinxsix]

Dogs are obedient.

Obedient is boring.

In my case walking a dog is out of question. I don't like to walk. I like everything which makes my movement faster than walking. Except from jogging. Cats don't need to be walked. They also don't bark.

They are quieter.

I wouldn't go that far:

15 hours ago, Rexp said:

Having a dog is a bit like having a crap hifi.

but I think cats also sound better, less shrill, more musical..

I had only one cat in my adult life, I didn't choose to have it - she followed me from the street (was less than 3 months old) and after consuming a tuna and milk disappeared in my 'messy' room. Couldn't find her to throw her out. When the next morning she woke me up by touching my nose with her wet nose - I simply couldn't do it anymore.. 

But she remained under one condition - she adapts to me, not vice versa, so in many ways she was bred like a dog. 

I think the source of the popular theory that one cannot change or influence a cat's behaviour is simply deep conspiracy of cats who at some point came to the clever conclusion that if they stubbornly repeat their bahavioural patterns and customs, no matter what, people sooner or later will accept the situation in which their cats are their masters and they are servants (or as some say - simply can openers) 

Cats are also clever opponents. I respect them for that. 

And they don't eat.. you know..

[DuckToller]

20 hours ago, Rexp said:

Having a dog is a bit like having a crap hifi.

Ouch! Touché!
Your eloquent assesment really hurts!
Got a humble reposte for you:
Haters of dog owner's hifi sytems are a bit like the brainchild of Peter Veth.
I am out ...

[sphinxsix]

@Rexp @DuckToller

C'mon guys, we're not talking audio here, only cats and dogs, relax..

[RickyV]

48 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

@Rexp @DuckToller

C'mon guys, we're not talking audio here, only cats and dogs, relax..

cats, dogs it’s all good BUT what about bunnies??? Bunnies are the worst they just hop around and wiggle their noses as if they are constantly smelling something funny. Well they sure are smelling something, it’s their own turd beads they spread it al over the place and hop around in them, it’s gross. And they do not much either just hopping, wiggling nose and spreading their turds around, it’s boring and I do not like them. Oh and the worst of worst they nibble cables, did you know that??, that’s just a nightmare. BUNNIES are just demons from audio Hell yuck yuck I hate them!!!! 
 

😺

[AudioDoctor]

The real question is... what about chickens? We can't forget about them!

[bobfa]

8 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

The real question is... what about chickens? We can't forget about them!

We have to wait for @The Computer Audiophile to answer 

[sphinxsix]

2 hours ago, RickyV said:

cats, dogs it’s all good BUT what about bunnies??? Bunnies are the worst they just hop around and wiggle their noses as if they are constantly smelling something funny. Well they sure are smelling something, it’s their own turd beads they spread it al over the place and hop around in them, it’s gross. And they do not much either just hopping, wiggling nose and spreading their turds around, it’s boring and I do not like them. Oh and the worst of worst they nibble cables, did you know that??, that’s just a nightmare. BUNNIES are just demons from audio Hell yuck yuck I hate them!!!! 
 

😺

Bunnies are useless.

Beside that I'm somehow convinced that in one way or another they will be the cause of an apocalypse.

 

2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

The real question is... what about chickens? We can't forget about them!

 

2 hours ago, bobfa said:

We have to wait for @The Computer Audiophile to answer 

 

Don't forget guys, there is an ornitho-musicolo-gist here.

Chickens are ok. I recently met a guy who lives in the city center and who keeps two of them in his apartment as pets.

 

[AudioDoctor]

1 minute ago, sphinxsix said:

I've met a guy in the city center recently who keeps two of them in the apartment as pets.

 

WHAT?  Has everyone on this site gone mad from the stress of 2020 and 2021 and it's finally hit the breaking point today?  ;-)

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

WHAT?  Has everyone on this site gone mad from the stress of 2020 and 2021 and it's finally hit the breaking point today?  ;-)

 

I don't know anything on the subject of him being an audiophile.

Both he and his girlfriend made a good impression and seemed happy.

They even let me photograph them with the birds.

 

[Rexp]

5 hours ago, DuckToller said:

Ouch! Touché!
Your eloquent assesment really hurts!
Got a humble reposte for you:
Haters of dog owner's hifi sytems are a bit like the brainchild of Peter Veth.
I am out ...

Oops. Forgot to say why. Music from a crap hifi system is an assault on the ears, while dogs smell is an assault on the nose. In both cases, your guests will be too polite to mention it.