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Thread: Should You be Seeking Better Sound or Better Enjoyment?

  1. #21
    Join Date: May 2010

    Location: Vancouver, Canada

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    I'm Alex.

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    A thought crossed my mind. What was the most satisfaction I'd had from my Hi-Fi?

    I think back to my first 'proper' Hi-Fi system, bought around 1972 and I was over the moon with it at the time.

    It was a record playing system only, all bought new and comprised of a Thorens TD150 turntable with a Decca International arm and cartridges were a choice of Decca London Blue or ADC 10E Mk.IV. Amplifier was a Rotel RA-611 (settled on after a couple of disappointing Ferrograph F307's) and this drove a pair of Tannoy IIILZ speakers.

    I kept this setup for quite a few years and drew great pleasure from it and don't think anything that has followed has improved on the level of enjoyment it gave me.

    Is the constant search for improvement in sound really a sign of dissatisfaction? We all know that nothing is perfect, so are we chasing up a blind alley by seeking better sound?
    I find myself chasing after better sounding pressings of the LPs I already have. And I'm finding better enjoyment in that activity. But it has nothing to do with my sound system.
    Don't you just hate it when you cannot detect where the post ends and a signature line begins?

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  2. #22
    Join Date: May 2017

    Location: Melbourne, Australia

    Posts: 9
    I'm James.

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    For me it's all about the music and enjoying the music.

    Sure good gear is nice, but whats the point of spending all your money on gear if you don't have any left to buy music to actually play and enjoy with all the gear?

    I'd rather have a decent sound and enjoy my music rather than chase the perfect sound because there is no such thing. No matter how good your gear is it could probably always be better, there will probably be something that you don't like about it. Why not just appreciate what you have and enjoy it?

    It's analogous to Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) that some photographers suffer from. They search for the perfect camera, the perfect lens, the perfect tripod, lighting setup etc... thinking that it will make them a better photographer or make their photos better. But it doesn't and they just buy more and more gear chasing elusive perfection and end up as sad sacks instead of learning to use and appreciate what they have already got.

  3. #23
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jingles View Post
    Sure good gear is nice, but whats the point of spending all your money on gear if you don't have any left to buy music to actually play and enjoy with all the gear?

    Sensible philosophy, that I think most of us have.

    Although, there are those who will spend every spare penny on the next 'upgrade'. Or those who accumulate and hoard gear, just for the sake of possession (I'm a little bit guilty there ).
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  4. #24
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: London

    Posts: 4,419
    I'm Robert.

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    It's the pleasure of music that makes this passion / hobby worth while - hifi and music interlink.

    One thing that has become very apparent to me is that there can be a lot of pain for the pleasure.

    It's taken me a number of years to get to where I want to be and I'm almost there BUT it's come at a cost as my system has spent more time down than up and running as a result.

    It's been a personal project and an absolute labour of love.

    The last phase has been particularity long and painful but I'm almost there now.

    Once she's back up again I've promised my self it's music music music and the pleasure there of, no more down time - mission accomplished

  5. #25
    Join Date: Jul 2016

    Location: Welsh Borders

    Posts: 283
    I'm Gary.

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    Having and owning gear can be nice in itself, quite aside from its purpose of playing music. There can be a lot of pleasure had from the ownership of something beautifully designed, or terrifically well-made, a design classic maybe and something that speaks to you from a different time or place. It's the same with many interests - whether it is classic motor bikes, vintage fountain pens, furniture - anything. It's a separate and distinct pleasure from the music you play on it, but a perfectly legitimate source of enjoyment in itself. No need for shame!
    IB

  6. #26
    Join Date: May 2017

    Location: Melbourne, Australia

    Posts: 9
    I'm James.

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    Or those who accumulate and hoard gear, just for the sake of possession (I'm a little bit guilty there ).
    I'd be lying if I said I wasn't guilty of that too, except I do it with cameras. I have 6 of them, mostly different cameras for different jobs. I have my Nikon D600 and D610 backup body, a Nikon D3200 that I have had converted to IR, a Fujifilm X100F, a Minolta X-570, and a Voigtlander Bessa R4A. Plus an assortment of lenses. My photography hobby isn't going to let me hoard audio gear, except for maybe headphones I do have a bunch of different IEMs.

  7. #27
    Join Date: Apr 2011

    Location: London

    Posts: 4,419
    I'm Robert.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Infinitely Baffled View Post
    Having and owning gear can be nice in itself, quite aside from its purpose of playing music. There can be a lot of pleasure had from the ownership of something beautifully designed, or terrifically well-made, a design classic maybe and something that speaks to you from a different time or place. It's the same with many interests - whether it is classic motor bikes, vintage fountain pens, furniture - anything. It's a separate and distinct pleasure from the music you play on it, but a perfectly legitimate source of enjoyment in itself. No need for shame!
    IB
    +1 Full pleasure indeed - sounds great, built and looks great. Doesnt get better than that .....

  8. #28
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Bristol

    Posts: 6,843
    I'm Justin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    A thought crossed my mind. What was the most satisfaction I'd had from my Hi-Fi?

    I think back to my first 'proper' Hi-Fi system, bought around 1972 and I was over the moon with it at the time.

    It was a record playing system only, all bought new and comprised of a Thorens TD150 turntable with a Decca International arm and cartridges were a choice of Decca London Blue or ADC 10E Mk.IV. Amplifier was a Rotel RA-611 (settled on after a couple of disappointing Ferrograph F307's) and this drove a pair of Tannoy IIILZ speakers.

    I kept this setup for quite a few years and drew great pleasure from it and don't think anything that has followed has improved on the level of enjoyment it gave me.

    Is the constant search for improvement in sound really a sign of dissatisfaction? We all know that nothing is perfect, so are we chasing up a blind alley by seeking better sound?
    If you had it back I:m betting you'd hate it now.

  9. #29
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    For me it's the journey that's fun - I don't worry about the destination, I don't think I even have one.

    Do I get more enjoyment out of my current system than I did out of my first ever? Damn right I do, it's far more musically rewarding.
    Part of the thing is that my musical knowledge and depth and breadth of taste has increased vastly since I was a spotty teenager. In a way, and thinking about it now, I guess my system evolution has been about keeping pace with, as well as to an extent driving, my musical explorations.

    Like Justin just said, if I went back to my 1st ever system I feel sure that it would be very unsatisfying indeed.
    I enjoyed it muchly at the time, though, and it initiated and fed my desire to get more out of audio systems.
    .

  10. #30
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 324
    I'm Simon.

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    I don't think the two questions are mutually exclusive as posed by your thread title Geoff. For me better sound is better enjoyment as it's more faithful to how the track really sounds.

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