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Restrictions, behind the 8 ball.

As a confirmed generalist I have determined there are 8 restrictions directly influencing one's direction in this hobby. It is however possible to either ignore them all or be paralysed by any, some, and/or all of them. If one chooses the first option...more power to you and by all means share the ride.

1. Economic- probably the greatest restriction or right next to....
2. Social- most of us have a significant other who plays a role. If not most of us have neighbors.
3. Philosophical- whatever baggage, assumptions,  experience, we bring to the turntable. It's there for most of us. It can also be an attitude of learning and humility. 
4. Spatial- where is all this stuff going to reside? The dreaded listening ROOM.
5. Aesthetic- very much a lurker; if not specifically you, and I doubt it, see number 2.
6. Auditory--how many of us know our range of hearing? You could even be an outlier and not have a clue.
7. Listening preferences- Metallica or Mendelssohn? Al Hirt or Wierd Al?
8. Choices- yes when you make a choice in this world it can lead directly to restricting your next decision, or distorting a previous decision. 

Joe

jpwarren58
jpwarren58 OP
675 posts
 
Yes very new here. Been putting a system together for the last 6 months. Lurking and learning.
What I wrote is obvious to most, just thought it would be useful to quantify. 
If I choose a 10 watt tube amp, I am limiting my speaker selections. Or should be. 
Maybe restrictions was a poor choice of words. Limitations? Both words may be an affront the ego. 
Choices are sometimes made with reasons. Is it worthwhile to examine those reasons? Is it so hard to place those in a context of limitations? 

Someone here began his system with a pair of 40k Wilson's, then powered them with a receiver. Interesting decision for sure, but I get it. 
bsmg
296 posts
 
jpwarren58, in this endeavor, economics is always the determining factor; unless you are good friends with, or related to someone who's involved in the manufacture of audio gear or who owns a stereo store. More than a few posters on here are self described experts with more than fifty years experience in audio, and some you could say have one year of experience fifty times. Bottom line; get what "you" think sounds good at a price you can live with. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead! Faint heart ne’er won fair maiden. Necessity is the mother of invention. 😛
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
number 8 is actually the number one critical aspect.

finding neutral and real gear...in the context of not being able to isolate that function or aspect in the given single item.

That is the heart of the entire thing, and where 99.99 percent (or higher) of audio folks screw up.

they buy out of kilter audio gear and each addition restricts quality and dynamics, like a chain meal of less and less making it to the final acoustic output into the room.

There is very high chance, as in about 100%, that anyone and everyone here...has dumped excellent, properly built neutral gear ... out of their system - and sold it off, as it did not fit with the other ’unrealized as bad choices’ audio gear.

There is NO center point or anchor point in any of it, for the individual... so this problem abounds, to an insane and ubiquitous level.

Measurements can’t fix it, nor have they shown that their framing of it is functional.

Step one: define the problem. spend the vast majority of your time here.

Searching for the correct audio gear: a few minutes compared to the lifetime of pondering step one.


glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,692 posts
 
I love AG Forms for taking the boring times during the day and making then interesting. 
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