the process is more challenging than the result

When you read the interviews in Stereophile of well known people in the music industry, either performers or production people, it is notable how many of them do not have audiophile systems as we might describe it.

If you make or record music it likely changes your perspective. The equipment you are using at work is often so good that you would not dream of trying to duplicate this at home. Although some of the wealthiest (those most likely to be interviewed) have built their own studios so they can work at home in a palatial surrounding. Often these stars will rely on an army of pros or techies to handle these projects for them - acoustic technicians and such - the equivalent of Rives but for the pro studio market.

So you can see their approach will be completely different.

hi shadorne:

you missed my point when i alluded to the "quest".

the quest implies a journey to achieve a sonic result.
the process of achieving the objective--a sonic result is more fulfilling than listening to music, once the result has been attained.

it does not entail never being satisfied, but rather, the opposite, namely, achieving statisfaction. there would be no reason to sell components which furthered one's sonic objectives.

the quest implies a journey to achieve a sonic result.

Some people may describe it that way (implying they have somewhere in their mind's eye what is "perfect sound"). When in all honesty, it often looks like a random walk. The quest is not actually to go anywhere - but to enjoy each leg of the journey and to take a turn and stop for a while whenever the view takes our fancy or a direction seems promising.

hi shadorne:

you still miss the point.

the quest is the voicing of a stereo system to satisfy the preference(s) of its owner. this quest involves selecting components, and tinkering.

once the stereo system has been configured to satisfy the requirements of its owner, if it is feasible, the quest is over.

the quest may take time and is often difficult and challenging. my hypotheis is that completing the quest is more enjoyable than listening to the stereo system which has been voiced consistent with the deires of its owner.

i hope i have communicated to you my intentions of this thread and the basis of my position.

A few scattered thoughts reading this interesting thread thus far;

The "quest" you've described has no end. There is no system that could possibly satisfy all requirements for all program materials. Unless the owner just listened to a few CD's/LP's over and over again, one system will always fall short somewhere, in my experience. My experience has also reflected that the "better" my system reproduces music "accurately" (this seems to be at least part of the results of moving in a "high-end" direction), the more resolving it becomes, the more ruthlessly revealing it is of poorly recorded music, and the more difficult it becomes to listen to that music with the expectations of the "quest" (yet some of this music is music I'd otherwise love to listen to). For me enjoying the music is the reason I've assembled the system in the first place. If I didn't enjoy music I sure wouldn't spend the time, effort, and money I have on building the system I have simply as a "project" or for pride of ownership. I can relate to those concepts and do experience them to some degree but they are far from supporting motivators for me.

To reflect on some of the comments on audiophile marketing and motivational seduction of getting the latest and greatest; That's no different than any aspect of advertising in general. It's all geared toward convincing us that we need something other than what we've already got in order to have it better. Can you imagine any other way to get a large number of customers to purchase your product?

Of such quests in general, and becoming anxious about actual "results" or an end in sight, I take some comfort in the words of Don McLean from the song, "Crossroads":

So there's no need for turning back
'Cause all roads lead to where we stand.
And I believe we'll walk them all
No matter what we may have planned.

Make your choices and just keep putting one foot in front of the other one. Where that takes you is more often than not, pretty amazing.

I digress (so what's new?!).