The Vain Pursuit of Excellence - Discussion.

[DaveK]

If we don't try to achieve audio nirvana we may as well give up and stick with an 80's midi system......or an iPOD........ Striving to achieve the best pushes the boundaries and increases ones learning and knowledge. I've been very happy with my system for a few years now but it does not stop me from trying things and learning and as of today I've just made another step forward.

Hi Neal,
Don't think anyone would disagree with anything you said, other than the first sentence - Nirvana don't exist (at least not in a reproduction of music context - don't want to offend anyone's religious sensitiities). By all means keep going after excellence, but stop when you've got it, after that the law of false returns applies - you begin to confuse different with better, IMHO.
Cheers,

[Barry]

Dave, before I expand on my reply to you question (and the parallels with the Buddhist concept of Nirvana are in some ways aposite), can you explain how and why your user name appears to have changed from 'DaveC' to 'DaveK'?

Regards

[jandl100]

By all means keep going after excellence, but stop when you've got it, after that the law of false returns applies - you begin to confuse different with better, IMHO.
Cheers,

Nope, I don't agree with that.

For me, different can be just as much fun as better. And if you are swapping on the used market it needn't cost you very much at all.

I work on the principle that nothing is perfect, and decent but different components at a given price level have different pro's and con's. Changing to 'different' can give you just as much more musical insight as going to something better (whatever better means!).

I feel no need to get trapped on the upgrading escalator, with ever-increasing cost. I have a tremendous amount of fun swapping around at my chosen cost level. There is just so much kit out there with different perspectives on the music that you needn't mortgage your soul or sell both kidneys to explore it.

[Varun]

While Still waiting for the Erudite exposition from Barry D. Hunt on Buddhist something!

Tannoy Non-Fan Boy:- that is the point. If swapping boxes gives you the pleasure then that is great- the thread was about enjoying music-Music for Music's sake and not for Box's sake and not for Old Vs New's sake.

The other question was will you ever stop swappig boxes? I buy my records from an antiquarian book shop in Liverpool called Henry Bohn books. This man has an obsession with collecting books and records and goodness he knows a great deal about both. For instance I bought Schubert's 9th symphony yesterday- EMI 1972 for one pound. Very good and still not as good as the Krips on Decca. He knew that too.

I sense you are talking of an obsession- then that is also great.

[jandl100]

No, I'm not obsessed. I just like trying different things. No, I'd hate to have to stop swapping boxes. A different perspective on the music every time! - that's what it's about.

Actually, Varun, I think the thread was originally about swapping boxes and where/when to stop! Whatever ....

I agree about the Schubert 9 - was the EMI with Adrian Boult conducting? If so, it's good, but no-one is quite as good as Krips!

[Marco]

Actually, Varun, I think the thread was originally about swapping boxes and where/when to stop!

Of course the really smart people keep the boxes and swap the components inside...

Marco.

[jandl100]

Of course the really smart people keep the boxes and swap the components inside...

Marco.

Ah, that explains it! I thought everything was sounding the same as before the last box swap .... so it's the equipment that I should be changing?

[Marco]

Hehehehe...

Obtain high quality kit you like the sound of, and then 'race-tune' its ass until you've got something that's pretty much unbeatable. That's what I do

Marco.

[Varun]

Hi Marco,

Can I please ask-how long do you think your Sony CD system is going to last-can it be modded endlessly?

[DaveK]

Nope, I don't agree with that.

For me, different can be just as much fun as better.

I work on the principle that nothing is perfect,
I feel no need to get trapped on the upgrading escalator, with ever-increasing cost. I have a tremendous amount of fun swapping around at my chosen cost level.

Hi Jerry,
I'm going to be really obtuse here - I think that we are disagreeing whilst actually agreeing with each other, if you can follow that.
My original premise, although badly/wrongly stated, was that the pursuit of audio Nirvana was futile 'cos it don't exist, and you are in fact agreeing with that, not getting trapped on the upgrading escalator. As I understand your position, you enjoy box swapping for it's own sake, for the differing musical experiences that it offers, and not in the constant and futile pursuit of something perfect, just the 'to be enjoyed' experience of something different. Put another way, swapping your boxes ultimately rewards you by broadening your experience of the music reproduction scene, whereas swapping boxes in the pursuit of audio Nirvana ultimately disappoints by never achieving it.
Cheers,