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Is it ever enough?

It strikes me that continuing to tinker can be either positive or a negative for a given individual. When I make changes intending them as a remedy for something deficient, I don’t always know if that emerges from an inability to be satisfied and happy with what I have, or as a legitimate process of improvement.
For me, the question of when is my system excellent enough to simply sit back and listen to it for the rest of my life is difficult to ascertain.
Obviously, a lot of people don’t care about this and simply enjoy trying to perfect their sound, independent of any such concerns. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with that, or it’s opposite, which I would call being satisfied on a budget, or perhaps having the benefit of less discerning ears in terms of budgetary effect.
Anyway, I’m curious, if anyone else is interested in this topic, to hear what they think. If the topic doesn’t interest you, you’re probably better off responding to someone else’s post.
128x128m669326
erik_squires
16,197 posts
 
I think the need to tinker is an important part of your quality of life!

The secret IMHO however is to build instead of buy.  Get your hands dirty.  Play with parts.  Solder something.  Glue a speaker together.  You'll be able to tinker a great deal more and get hands on experience.

Best,

Erik
danager's avatar
danager
955 posts
 
It's a passion, it's a way of life, it's an illness.

I haven't figured out how to "critical listen" without comparison. With comparison comes judgement and with judgement comes change.  No mater how good it is, it can always be better.  My current system is good enough but not perfect and never will be but I'll get closer,  There may not be a single current component left but It'll get closer.  Some day I'll be able to tell whether the guy covered his mouth when he coughed in the audience. 
Thank you lord for an understanding wife.
m669326's avatar
m669326 OP
330 posts
 
Ray, I agree. Perhaps it’s because the topic is personal and non-empirical, and therefore doesn’t foster contentiousness. After all, who has an objective reply that they want to stand behind and get others to believe also?
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
Mike - congrats on thinking about retirement, it’s a transition. I spend wayyyyy more time on music and giving back than gear. I have had a lot of stability in my core reference system. The churn and itch is in another system.

Best to you

Jim
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@knotscott,

Ah, the one and only Harvey Rosenberg, or to give him his full title:

Dr. Harvey "Gizmo" Rosenberg  Guildmeister, The Triode Guild  Thermionic Techno-shaman.

Perhaps the most original writer on audio we have yet seen, and the doyen of the audiophile tinkerers worldwide. However in his case the experimenting was never without a clear purpose or aim.

Harvey had strongly held opinions about audio and he stuck to them.

Harvey probably also did more for the cause of the Tannoy Dual Concentrics in the modern era than anyone else.

Who else but Harvey would dare to mod a Tannoy Westminster?


https://www.meta-gizmo.org/index.html


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