Don't you just hate it when you cannot detect where the post ends and a signature line begins?
Alex.
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 9
I'm James.
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.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
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
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
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 9
I'm James.
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.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,519
I'm gone.
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.
.
Location: Sussex
Posts: 324
I'm Simon.
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.