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How does one get off the merry-go-round?

I'm interested in hearing from or about music lovers who have dropped out of the audio "hobby." I don't mean you were content with your system for 6 weeks. I mean, you stood pat for a long time, or--even better--you downsized...maybe got rid of your separates and got an integrated.

(I suppose if you did this, you probably aren't reading these forums any more.)

If this sounds like a cry for help, well, I dunno. Not really. I'm just curious. My thoughts have been running to things like integrated amps and small equipment racks and whatnot even as I continue to experiment and upgrade with vigor (I'm taking the room correction plunge, for example.) Just want to hear what people have to say on the subject.

---dan
Ag insider logo xs@2xdrubin
electroslacker
375 posts
 
Drubin, I got off the mgr by going VAC integrated and decoupling the word, "new," from "better," or magic." Usually, "new" is "a little different," and rarely better. It's true that integrateds tend to defuse the "weakest link" obsession, and with VAC I have a sense of a great musical instrument, and my upgrade path is to A/B what I have with the next VAC integrated. Of course I had to love the VAC sound as a prerequisite.

Another twist is to go "classic," and choose the items that have earned a consensus of "great," which also defuses the marketing hype of "new" that gets to feeling like Lucy and the football.

Or 12 step.
cdc
1,852 posts
 
Sure, the merry-go-round goes in circles with no end. We need an "audiophile highway" with a destination.
How do you know you've gotten there when you don't know where you are going? HHhhhhmmmmmm;)
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
04-23-15: Cdc
Sure, the merry-go-round goes in circles with no end. We need an "audiophile highway" with a destination.

There is no destination, an audiophile never finds the end of the highway. It goes on until one loses interest in audio for other reasons (health, wealth, death). A true audiophile is never done experiementing, so the journey continues even when one finds sonic bliss, as the possibility of improving upon "amazing" to "more amazing" will always exist.
It is this assumption that drives the glossy rag business.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,522 posts
 
Isn't it a little crazy to go on a journey with no destination?

Experimenting and trying different things alone can be a destination just as can a particular desired sound.

Or you can have dual destinations/goals sometimes as well, especially if one runs more than one system, one for reference and one for experimentation.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
All I know is that in the last five years, I have achieved more realism than I ever thought possible. But you are right as I'm about to try a new rack and will soon get a music server capable of play quad DSD.
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