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Habituation to system changes: the Audiophiles' curse...

I've made a lot of great upgrades to my system in the past year and a half and it sounds much more engaging, quiet, pure, and detailed than it used to.  But a little while after making any of these changes, I forget what it sounded like before!  For a perfectionist hobby like this, what a curse!  Always chasing that next noticeable sonic improvement, despite the diminishing returns...  

Who else struggles with this?
redwoodaudio
redwoodaudio OP
414 posts
 
@jond i wish that were true for me, but it hasn’t been my experience thus far. Maybe you’re less obsessive about it?

if you really like the sound you're getting you will be happy

jond's avatar
jond
5,893 posts
 
Not sure I'm less obsessive I just got to a point where I stopped flipping gear and worked with a local dealer and got great sound. Since then upgrades have been incidental, tubes stuff like that.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
But a little while after making any of these changes, I forget what it sounded like before!
No problem- take them out and refresh your memory.  

So here's one for you. Every night when you listen to that last song, do you notice it sounds much better than the first? Every night when you first turn it on do you remember it sounds much worse than the last song the night before? So there, you can work on your memory without having to change a single thing. 


russ69's avatar
russ69
3,523 posts
 
Always strive for improvement but don't forget to stop and just listen to the music.
audiodwebe's avatar
audiodwebe
244 posts
 
I'm the same, but I feel it a blessing.  I initially hear a difference.  Sometimes better and other times not, but my ears almost immediately adjust and I'm back to just enjoying the tunes.

That's why I don't tube roll.  
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