How do you negotiate a cure for wrong audio view

Chashmal, I understand your perspective and agree with it in part. I was a music lover long before I was an audiophile. But, when I'm listening, I'm not confused about the objective. I really have not experienced this problem.

The thing is, there are many who really, really are fascinated by the gear, and assembling/tweaking it. I'm one, and I buy it to see how it differs from other gear, and take it apart (sometimes) to see how it works. I enjoy this as a hobby. IMHO, there's nothing slightly problematic, much less sad about that. (ok, insert your geek, or propeller head joke here). Maybe I don't see the problem, because I don't see playing with my hobby (the gear) as a distraction from "appreciating the art". When I'm listening, I am listening.

The fact is for some, Gear will indeed MAKE YOU HAPPY!

And, for those who don't like gear because it interferes with your listening experience, well, you should just get off the merry-go-round.

I think it is highly doubtful that audiophiles can ever reconcile the audiophile and the music lover within themselves. Having said that, I believe the audiophile and music lover functions within our minds are a continuum rather than a static function. Therefore, some may be more audiophile than music lover, and vice versa. These predelictions are also subject to change over time, ie. we can become more or less an audiophile or music lover over time (either short term or long term).

I think we audiophiles have to accept this conflictive process within our minds, only then can we learn to accept both of our natures. You need to feel free to be the music lover or audiophile, not muck it up by feeling guilty about audiophile concerns while listening as the music lover, or vice versa. If you listen with this attitude perhaps you can relax your mind enough to let it go where it will go. You take your chances this way, an audiophile listening session when you planned on being a music lover, a music lover on a night you intended to listen as an audiophile.

I now listen with this attitude, it helps me be more relaxed about things. I still have frustrating listening sessions, especially when introducing something new into my system, but I now also have more listening sessions with the music lover in control of my mind.

This is what “we” are. It's part of the obsession. Audiophiles represent a very small portion of the music-loving population. Think of the millions of people around the world who enjoy music (who doesn’t to some degree), indulge in it, pursue it with passion…But do they obsess about the equipment? I love the gear. I like to look at it, read about it (“lust” after it). To me, being an audiophile has a lot to do with just the equipment. I was a lover of music long before I ever became an audiophile. I am a lover of music AND I am an audiophile. Obviously there is a very strong correlation between the two.

There are those who love music. There are those who love music and love the associated equipment. There are variations in between. My wife thinks it’s odd that I “obsess” about equipment. My best explanation to her is that it is a hobby. But really, that doesn’t explain it…does it? Is it just a hobby? I don’t think so. The word “obsession” doesn’t really convey the true reality either…does it?!?!

There’s a lot at work here. Do you think visiting this site and participating in the forums is all about music and equipment? I got news for you! We’d have to revisit our sociology, psychology and human behavior studies to gain a better insight into the entire equation. Let’s just call it entertainment. I didn’t hang out here when I had more freedom. I devoted my free time to other endeavors – my still single friends would say, “back when I had a life.” Let’s see, now I have mowing the lawn, keeping up the house, taking out the trash, picking up dog poop, wiping up baby poop, paying the bills, paying for softball, paying for soccer, paying for diapers,…mowing the lawn, keeping up the house, taking out the trash……Yea, for me, going online to Agon, going downstairs to listen to music, limiting myself to that one (okay two) (okay, maybe three) glasses of medicinal, oh yea...and lusting after the gear...these are my little excursions into non-reality! Of course this theory has holes because if I was rich, had time to pursue other endeavors and didn’t have to deal with poop so often, I would still be an audiophile. Go figure.

After the gear/music conumdrum is settled one then goes on to is it the recording or the conductor or the interpretation. Then is this or that soloist doing damage or unimaginable creativity and beauty to the music, such as the difference between Richter and Giles on any given piece. Then there is the hall, the studio, any artifacts, and on and on. Is it better live in a poor venue or from a fair studio but wonderfully recorded? We perceive what we do, gear can only take us so far, and the same is true of conductors, soloists, groups, and halls.
First and foremost enjoy the music all else is nitpicking.

Hi-fi is an expensive drug and we are all addicts forever in the clinic, trying to achieve the unobtainable, so just sit back and enjoy the music with whatever sound system you have at the time.