I see it from both sides. I've built up several setups that allowed me to critically listen with careful gear and speaker selections and have now reverted back to a system that ultimately brings my musical experience back to the basics. I think I've touched the edge of what I'd call a true "audiophile" system in my own house, and I became fixated on hearing minute details, listening for correct tonal and timbral accuracy, high frequency extension and all that in between. For a while it was fun, and I enjoyed hearing what was to my ears, the highest resolution system I had ever heard, both mine and what's available locally. Until I realized that I was merely playing music on the system JUST to nitpick the sound.
That's when I decided to take a step back, sell it all, and start over. This time with a different agenda. I wanted to have a setup that allowed me to just listen to the music and enjoy it for what it is. Every time, tearing me away from fixating on specific details every time I try and transporting me to a place where sound rules over time. I'm after that foot thumbing, emotion inducing sound that just gets my heart beating. Sometimes I've found that for me, the sound that gives me the most pleasure isn't the most accurate, nor does the recording have to be perfect, and that's what's strange. It's as if I'm transported back to my childhood when I could just turn on my little stereo in my bedroom and enjoy the sound, living in the moment and care free.
Though the path I walk has changed, I embrace it as it's my own and it's very special to me. I hope we can all enjoy our setups and be happy listening to music, no matter what stage we may all be in.
Live and let live, my friends.
-Steven
That's when I decided to take a step back, sell it all, and start over. This time with a different agenda. I wanted to have a setup that allowed me to just listen to the music and enjoy it for what it is. Every time, tearing me away from fixating on specific details every time I try and transporting me to a place where sound rules over time. I'm after that foot thumbing, emotion inducing sound that just gets my heart beating. Sometimes I've found that for me, the sound that gives me the most pleasure isn't the most accurate, nor does the recording have to be perfect, and that's what's strange. It's as if I'm transported back to my childhood when I could just turn on my little stereo in my bedroom and enjoy the sound, living in the moment and care free.
Though the path I walk has changed, I embrace it as it's my own and it's very special to me. I hope we can all enjoy our setups and be happy listening to music, no matter what stage we may all be in.
Live and let live, my friends.
-Steven