Words From the Wise

HAVE FUN! This hobby is a journey with lot's of adventure. Contrary to what is sometimes popular belief, the destination is beyond your lifetime. Plan and anticapate the road ahead but enjoy where you are now...it's really all you got and to miss it for frustrating anxsious envy is a waste and sad.

1> Importance of a powerful amp: At least 70 honest watts per channel. My reasoning is that human beings tend to get tired of any one thing - no matter how beautiful. So, beautiful smooth color of a speaker can seize to please at some moments. However, a powerful amp blows life to any recording you have - all in a deliciously different way. This way, you have "v a r i e t y", and will please you more of the times. I personally like NAD and old Marantz amps (2270) in affordable amps.

2> However, this power has tobe tamed by a soft sounding quality speaker. Not a pleasant thing to admit, but foreigners (Europeans and Canadians) do make better affordable speakers. I think emphasis on culture in their societies favor higher standards of art appreciation, and we Americans can learn from that - what's the use of being a rich country, if our citizens do not enjoy quality things in life? Athena, paradigm, missions are soft sounding speakers everyone can afford.

3> Spend 10% of your system's cost on cables!
Buying quality gears, and not getting quality cables, is defeating the purpose.

4> Some music is an acquired taste - give them a chance by listening to them a couple of times at length before making a judgement. Complex classical music is even good for the intellect, and is more lasting in enjoyment. Like an old friend, will be there to sooth our hearts - making the inevitable bumps in our lives, more bearable. We all heard of the Mozart effect - give them to children for their intellectual development, as well as for their bright disposition.

5> Give quality to our loved ones, including children. I was surprised when 7 year olds could distinguish between a fine musical instruments from the less so. Quality sounds adds something to our lives I believe, and we (audiophiles or nuts which ever you prefer) have the key to a beautiful heaven. Let's invite our loved ones to it.

Learn a little bit about typical male manifestations of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder.

Learn how to listen...listen with your eyes closed....music sounds better at night.... music sounds better straight...think 3-d when listening {imagine the appreciation of an abstract painting and how it flows through you and relate that experience while listening } ...have your ears cleaned occasionally , professionally...read as much about audio and music as you can as it excites you into the interest of listening... If your system ever becomes a chore , unplug it and make yourself wait exactly 30 days to fire it back up ... get used to a single sweet spot ...understand the importance of the midrange ...go to live, unamplified musical events...protect your hearing... its the room , the room , the room ; study its effects .... keep an open mind and remember its one day closer to your death every single moment that passes you , dont dare waste it being lazy...get a dog and give your heart to it.

As a musician I would suggest many audiophiles invest some time and money in some basic music theory instruction. Learn musical vocabulary, syntax and structure and truly hear the ideas being expressed through the language of music and not just the sound. Really understanding what is going on musically will enhance your listening experience more than any $600.00 power cable.