And that's totally fine as long as it is for you and how you want to live. In fact you don't loose a card to let you into the site or anything like that. It's not a wast of time or money, it's no loss in anyway at all. Music is for enjoyment as many many other things in life.
Progressively better equipment is not increasing my enjoyment. Time to downgrade a bit?
- Thread starter Ohighway
- Start date
Well I've never considered myself an audiophile. I enjoy good sound but have never felt the need to pursue absolute perfection in sound....... precisely because that is futile.
Understood. Perhaps the only thing I feel a need to correct (in this case) is the surplus of equipment that graces my home.
grillebilly
Empty Head
Might just be you are bored, with the gear and your music, maybe your routine now that you have retired.. Most of us have times when we can't find anything we want to listen to. You are not enjoying the listening experience because you are not listening, even making an attempt to kick back and listen. It happens with a lot of things- relationships, hobbies, sports, etc. You're not feeling it. A music funk...no pun intended.
At this point the only thing I'll listen to is new (to me) music. All the classic rock and such that was a staple in the 60s and 70s ......(most of my vinyl) sits idle. I've tried to revisit that past, and I can no longer relate to it. It was great music by great artists but when I try to listen to it now....meh.
Rick,
My thoughts are it isn't anything in particular.
That is your equipment.
As someone who's been to the museum , you obviously don't need everything you have (quantity, variety)
I thought aside from the musical enjoyment you enjoyed being a collector (curator if you will).
Sometimes you just have to change things up. (I'm not referring to gear or music).
You've been cooped up all winter.
I don't know when you retired. Maybe you had plans to do something when you had more time and you do now.
I'd sleep on it a bit.
If you have stuff you know you'll never listen to (restore?), pass down?, assuming you don't have some attachment to it , there's no reason not to sell.
I've been pretty busy the past few weeks and really haven't had much time to listen. The stereo isn t like a child i neglected.
Sometimes absence makes the heart feel fonder
Do what you want. Be careful selling that you're not kicking yourself later.
You didn't fall out of love with music or gear.
You just feel like doing something else .
Sorry about the ramble
No ramble , some good points in there.
Yeah I do like to collect. I find the equipment itself technically and aesthetically fascinating. Maybe more than the music it plays. Agree some stuff can get passed on though.
Well put.
Was that directed at me, or Absolon ???
Um.... I buy what strikes my fancy. I couldn't care less as to whether its popular. Certainly I want something good....otherwise why bother?
Yeah different is easy, better is harder. Reminds me of sessions hooking up and comparing different speakers. Yes they all sound a bit different. But.....which is the better one? Seldom is there a clear cut winner.....and that ends up stressing me out
gslikker
Super Member
This reads as if you already found the real solution to your "problem", go outside and enjoy the weather and DO things.
Do not waste the days of your life "listening to equipment" if it is no fun.
markkb
Active Member
OP thanks for the thread. It's a good reflection, reading all the opines and suggestions. I like the downgrade idea, but in addition to your nice system. Somewhere in this thread was the mono tube amp with cheap speakers discussion, I can relate to that unhindered enjoyment from old Hi Fi approach futzing in the garage.
rxonmymind
Super Member
Kiss. Keep it simple sir. When I decided to get back I to this hobby I read a LOT of advice from the old gurus here and in other forums (like you!) who had made it to the top of the mountain in terms of equipment. The landscape is littered with tons of gear, more than I could aquire in several lifetimes in terms of cost no matter how hard I worked.
I decided then not to pursue that. Having owned separates this time I wanted simplicity.
One receiver, a tablet and some good speakers. Mission accomplished. Simple enough for the entire family to enjoy and we do. We enjoy the music, celebrate together as a family and not so much worship the equipment or tv/phone. Don't get me wrong, it's nice but at the end of the day I want to know when I hit the power button will it play? Nobody gives a rip if it's a Uber rare receiver or six figures amplifier on the ground. (The latter I don't have btw) But does the MUSIC sound good. Affirmative. Google play/Pandora/Spotify has helped me/us keep things fresh by introducing me to new artist & genre. Like food you don't want to eat the same thing every damn day. Lucky this is the golden age of music with so many formats available. Vinyl is back as bands are opting to record on it, CD's are cheap, digital music is here to stay etc. It's also fun to make little scores at estate sales or garage sales. Keeps the heart pumping for music. A $1 or $2 bet is worth taking a chance on a record or CD of an artist I know but never heard that particular "album" they had released.
Also, giving away a few albums or hunting for others has brought me enjoyment as well. Mainly my daughters.
Because I've kept it simple and allowed the entire family to access the audio gear the kids have gone to three concerts in six months and my wife and I will be going next month.
Keeping the music fresh is the key to enjoying the equipment you've worked so hard to aquire. It's not the rarity or expense of the equipment that makes it better. I like my Sony str 7055 & 7045 very much thank you.
So treat yourself and get out of the rut. Hear music a different way in different settings/venues.
Cheers.
I decided then not to pursue that. Having owned separates this time I wanted simplicity.
One receiver, a tablet and some good speakers. Mission accomplished. Simple enough for the entire family to enjoy and we do. We enjoy the music, celebrate together as a family and not so much worship the equipment or tv/phone. Don't get me wrong, it's nice but at the end of the day I want to know when I hit the power button will it play? Nobody gives a rip if it's a Uber rare receiver or six figures amplifier on the ground. (The latter I don't have btw) But does the MUSIC sound good. Affirmative. Google play/Pandora/Spotify has helped me/us keep things fresh by introducing me to new artist & genre. Like food you don't want to eat the same thing every damn day. Lucky this is the golden age of music with so many formats available. Vinyl is back as bands are opting to record on it, CD's are cheap, digital music is here to stay etc. It's also fun to make little scores at estate sales or garage sales. Keeps the heart pumping for music. A $1 or $2 bet is worth taking a chance on a record or CD of an artist I know but never heard that particular "album" they had released.
Also, giving away a few albums or hunting for others has brought me enjoyment as well. Mainly my daughters.
Because I've kept it simple and allowed the entire family to access the audio gear the kids have gone to three concerts in six months and my wife and I will be going next month.
Keeping the music fresh is the key to enjoying the equipment you've worked so hard to aquire. It's not the rarity or expense of the equipment that makes it better. I like my Sony str 7055 & 7045 very much thank you.
So treat yourself and get out of the rut. Hear music a different way in different settings/venues.
Cheers.
SteveA
Super Member
Years ago I won a national sailing championship then promptly lost interest in sailing. Turned out that racing was more the draw then just sailing a boat (catamaran) and when I decided that I had reached as good as I was going to get, or was prepared to invest in, that was it.
The audio system has been slightly similar but on a much lesser scale as I have reached a point where I cannot get it better without spending what I consider to be silly money, many here would say I am well into spending silly money already, so while I still listen to music and enjoy it just as much I just don't find I am devoting it as much time as before.
So I think part of the joy of audio systems is the challenge of trying to improve them so when you reach a point where you cannot realistically improve it any more you are left with the music or starting all over again.
As other have said, interests also change, and I have discovered the joys of an electric mountain bike which has kept me out on the trails way more than the old bod would have allowed with my old bike. So now free time at the weekends is spent out on the bike rather than sitting in front of the system - but winter is coming on down here so I see more music in my near term future.
But then I have somehow managed to acquire some 1/32 scale model aircraft kits that need building......... cant do everything.
The audio system has been slightly similar but on a much lesser scale as I have reached a point where I cannot get it better without spending what I consider to be silly money, many here would say I am well into spending silly money already, so while I still listen to music and enjoy it just as much I just don't find I am devoting it as much time as before.
So I think part of the joy of audio systems is the challenge of trying to improve them so when you reach a point where you cannot realistically improve it any more you are left with the music or starting all over again.
As other have said, interests also change, and I have discovered the joys of an electric mountain bike which has kept me out on the trails way more than the old bod would have allowed with my old bike. So now free time at the weekends is spent out on the bike rather than sitting in front of the system - but winter is coming on down here so I see more music in my near term future.
But then I have somehow managed to acquire some 1/32 scale model aircraft kits that need building......... cant do everything.
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I believe I can relate.......... many years ago I beat a computer game and I am not nor was I "a gamer". From the very night I beat it onward I lost all interest in that game as well as any other ones. I could never understand how I could buy my kids an expensive video game only to have them lose interest in it once it was conquered. I found out for myself and I'm betting the same thing is going on here. Time to move on to something different that holds your interest.
If you are buying what you are truly desiring, then you should have no complaints if that object is performing exactly as you want it to.
Not so sure what else could be the problem if everything is working. What I have experienced, though, is the decelerating of the rush or excitement from pursuing objects of desire. Things get hot and heavy when you are shopping and/or waiting for your purchases. Once you get them then the rush is over, and sometimes you are left wanting that rush to be there. Even that depressed state goes away once you start using your items and (big if) they are performing exactly like you want them to.
soundmotor
super modified
I try to do that (go to lesser equipment) occasionally and I almost always within a few minutes shut if off and go back to my main system. My lesser gear would make a lot of people smile so it's not like it's a crap system. If your hearing music in your mind more then enjoy it as it's free, no need to upgrade. When you feel like turning your system on again, you will. Until then, do what you do
I don't think even that mole would spoil it for me on Cindy Crawford
Sandstrom
Seldom turns out the way it does in the song
^^This^^ quiet mornings are one of my favorite listening times. Sometimes the time has to be right and you have to be in the mood. I think we all fall into "dry spells" from time to time where we don't fire up the system for a month or so...
soundmotor
super modified
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