Winding down

[jep123]

Agreed but for some it's a very thin line and easy to rationalize spending more money.

So right. I just went through a winding down process myself and reduced the value of my system at about 50 %. This meant of course selling some pretty expensive equipment. I realized eventually that I do not need a USD 200 K system for enjoying music. It had gone to far and I was very close to beeing obsessed always planning my next purchase. Not good!

I am much happier now with my current system. It is still a good system by all means, but I am relaxed and enjoying it more than my large system. I do not longer listen to music and all the small details ( air, black backgrounds, transparency....) etc. I see many here on WBF that seems quite obsessed and people that are never completely satisfied even though they have fantastic systems and rooms. I realized that it could not be perfect no matter of how much money I was spending so I dediced to settle down and enjoy the music.

 

[sbo6]

Simple answer I think. It's never good enough. You always want something else because you are not happy with what you have.

In my world that's not how I experience it. I think many on this thread are missing the point - it's the joys of the journey not the anticipation of the destination.

 

[bonzo75]

In my world that's not how I experience it. I think many on this thread are missing the point - it's the joys of the journey not the anticipation of the destination.

+1. Marc, what are you going to do without the hobby now, sit home and drink?

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ked, that’s such a weird thing to say. But actually, yes, I will be drinking more at home. Nothing more pleasant and civil then listening to music for a few hours, and sitting outside next to the creek sharing a couple of bottles of ale w Ra.
I’ve been thru five major rounds of upgrading over two decades on analog, cdp, amps, spkrs, either new and pricier components, or modding existing units to gain greater performance. The components I acquired and modded over 2012-2015, I’ve stuck with, and have decided not to go further. This includes Vic’s Salvation tt/Terminator arm, and Straingauge cart, of which I’ve fully tricked out w psu changes, magnetic isolation to platter and feet, and top level spec cart uprate, on maxxed out Stacore isolation.
Having been to Munich, a few v well sorted systems, and perusing online, I realise to gain absolute advances over my current sound, I’d have to have spent £75k plus. I decided to put this sum into the room/isolated power grid itself. I’m not able to afford both. And now I feel vindicated I’ve made absolutely the right choice.
Ked, you should be proud of me, I inadvertently followed yr philosophy - addressed the weakness of the room, spent on the room not more circular gear chasing, put the system away to reset parameters listening to live unamplified. And made the right decisions.

 

[bonzo75]

Well... if you actually do wind down, time will tell, I will congratulate you two years later...till then, please don't give us a chance to wind you up

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ked, I’ll do my best not to disappoint you. I’m not quite ready for radical hifi detox just yet. I have a handful of RollerBlocks Jnr HDSE to order to complete out my Symposium isolation. Stacores staying put. My Zu subs Sablon Reservas pwr cords are due for upgrade to Elites spec. A beta test bespoke star ground is in the offing (very hush hush, designer wants no details revealed online yet), maybe those supertweeters, and GIK Gotham diffuser panels. High hopes for my beta tester ultrasonic lp cleaner, maybe an lp demag system, and lp flattener. U.K.-Paul will revisit w Z Axis spkrs platforms to try.
I’m viewing all these as gilding the lily, gear spoken for, the bulk of spend on isolation, cables, power etc, has all been completed. 95% done, I’m on my last 5% in effect.
My only area of absolute indecision, is streamer/server, that can wait until next year, and is only 50/50 likely to happen. There is a very interesting audio consultant not 5 miles from me here, who has an interesting portfolio of said components, I’ll see what he can offer as ideas.
Let’s see if I stop spending before you buy that tt. Who’s gonna lay odds?

 

[XV-1]

Marc

What new albums have you bought since your equipment winding down.

for me, just this week I bought the following


City Calm Down ?– Echoes In Blue

What So Not ?– Not All The Beautiful Things

The Breeders ?– All Nerve

Jack White ?– Boarding House Reach

Alison Wonderland ?– Awake

Vox Low ?– Vox Low

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hi XV
I’m on a bit of a classical drive atm.
Bought a couple of Planets Suite versions, Debussy, Ravel.
Also Tomita 70s keyboards cover of Rites Of Spring.
Re new music, I’m about to buy some Porcupine Tree reissues on vinyl, London Grammar, Marillion.

 

[bonzo75]

Which pressings of planets, Debussy, and ravel

 

[spiritofmusic]

I’ll check later.
Too busy drinking at the moment.
Tea, that is LOL.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ked, you’d despair of me.
I walk into a down at heel, dusty record shop locally, try not to trip over the owner’s dog, flick thru barely held together old record shelves, and just pluck out classical lps, at an average price of £6 each.
I’m really not too bothered to be too picky. So when I saw A. Previn conducts Planets, I just buy it. And also my knowledge on pressings is next to zero, I’m v happy to take a punt.

 

[Uk Paul / Z:Axis Audio]

This is how we all learn Marc

 

[spiritofmusic]

Paul, for me I need to just take punts on classical. I’ll read up about composers and conductors, and buy some revered pressings.
But I’m loving revisiting my youth and going to record shops. These old owners and their even older dogs need to be fed too.

 

[XV-1]

Hi XV
I’m on a bit of a classical drive atm.
Bought a couple of Planets Suite versions, Debussy, Ravel.
Also Tomita 70s keyboards cover of Rites Of Spring.
Re new music, I’m about to buy some Porcupine Tree reissues on vinyl, London Grammar, Marillion.

Cool, the more music the merrier. It's a lot more important than the HiFi.

 

[spiritofmusic]

XV, I’ve always kind of shied away from classical w my Zus.
They’ve always been more rock’n’roll than delicate transducer.
But the sheer transformation of them in my new room, where they still rock w the best of them, but now really draw me in to the inner beauty of acoustic instruments is one of the true joys of listening here compared to London.
Black Sabbath to Bach, Depeche Mode to Dvorak, Rush to Ravel, no problemo.
And indeed, slight smear and lack of transparency in mids, that I never sorted before, and was pushing me down the expensive comprehensive vibration isolation route per component, or even wholescale change to eg horns, has been as close to totally sorted, both by full optimisation of a very testing analog reinstall, getting the very best room/system optimisation balance, and an upgrade to totally upend my fears, doubts and need to keep spending big, an upgrade that took 5 mins to implement and literally no money spent. Handy when the budget for pricey upgrades is fast receding.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Winding down winding down???
The second hand top of high end doesnt have to be that expensive.
25 k in euro's would be a minimum,given the room to pressurize aint that big, large speakers do have a cost.
There is a lot of BS in audio, some induced by hifi mags

 

[spiritofmusic]

Andromeda, the point I’m making is that I realise:
1- the sound I had was underperforming in my old room
2- it’s over performing here
3- I love my sound
4- I cannot say w any certainty what I feel can/should improve
5- indeed to get a meaningful upstick, €15k needed on analog, €20k digital, €15k preamp, $20k pwr amps, €25-45k spkrs, €95-115k total.
Now if I hadn’t spent near to that sum on the room, and I was stuck being unhappy looking for a big system solution, I may easily have spent €100k in gear and not the room.
And as things stand, my blood runs cold thinking about how much of a mistake I’d have made, because a substandard room acoustics would still have intruded
It’s a mute point, I spent on the room, and feel totally vindicated, esp since domestic priorities mean big ticket spends from now on are never going to happen.

 

[spiritofmusic]

For Ked
Orff/Carmina Burana, DG 139 362
Debussy/Clair De Lune, Erato STU 71450
Debussy Preludes, RCA Victor mono RB 6658
Holst/Planets by Previn, EMI ASD 3002
Vivaldi/Concerto Oboe, Phillips 6514 167
Offenbach/Gaiette Parisienne, Decca JB12
Handel/Organ Concertos, EMI ASD 2662
Strauss/Also Sprach Zarathustra by Zubhin Mehta LA Philharmonic, Decca SXL 6379
Tchaikovsky/Sleeping Beauty by Andre Previn, EMI ASD 3370
Bach/Harpsichord Recital, Decca ECS 778
Holst/Planets Suite by Sir Malcom Sargent w BBC Symphony Orchestra, HMV ALP 1600
—
All awaiting ultrasonic cleaning, and then listening.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Hi XV
I’m on a bit of a classical drive atm.
Bought a couple of Planets Suite versions, Debussy, Ravel.
Also Tomita 70s keyboards cover of Rites Of Spring.
Re new music, I’m about to buy some Porcupine Tree reissues on vinyl, London Grammar, Marillion.

Porcupine Tree on SACD is amazing as that is Mr. Wilsons thing. He makes great MC music tastefully done.
I have since my winding down been rediscovering my SACD collection.
Will have to dig out my Tomita Planets on vinyl, been 20 or more since that one has been spun.
Have since been just listening and appreciating music instead of worrying about all the other stuff.
Have since been really enjoying pressurizing a bigger room.
Have since been drinking more Elmer T. Lee while enjoying the music.

There is a saying in Autosports "Some times you have to slow down to speed up". This metaphor has applied to this hobby, I am hearing more just by slowing down and listening instead of worrying about what I might be missing.

Marc, I really do appreciate you ruining Clockwork Angels for me however! Have you listened to the vinyl version? I was about to click on it to purchase and thought I would ask. The compression on the digital is horrendous now that I actually sat down and listened. Hoping its like the new Roger Waters album, which I dislike, but the vinyl is infinitely better than the disc.
Rush's performance on CA is phenomenal, yet the production is horrible.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, those are good considerations.
I really hope I’m not coming across as some sort of evangelical party bore anti-audiophile.
Had I stayed in my old room, I’d be musing on new gear more than ever.
But the colossal sum (money and mental strife) I put into the new room means by definition I can’t spend the same on yet another system.
The room is worth a million bucks to me.
And I’m still thinking about gear, I’ve just got v excited putting a new pwr cord on my tt psu to excellent effect.
But I’m v happy to hit the Slow Lane and watch the audiophile world go past for a while.
Re CA, the cd is dire. Not quite up
(down?) there w Vapor Trails and Metallica Death Magnetic, but just poor. It was sad to hear Neil Peart say it was his best recorded performance, and best recorded drums. It’s times like these you’re glad your idols are retiring.
Who thought it was a great idea to allow “deaf as a post” Pete Townshend to remaster Tommy? Not me. No sale.
Another poor effort (at least I have the original Track Records UK and Japanese pressings to listen as I grow older).
Mike, CA vinyl is ok, deffo better than cd, but not the greatest experience either.