Being alone with your music

My first experience of a dedicated audio equipment was most likely a solitary experience.

My first experience of Live Music has been a Crowd Experience and one that proved to be a very stimulating and to be revisited occurrence. I am still quite happy to experience a Live Performance more than 40 Years on.

My interest in experiencing music on Audio Equipment run parallel with my planning to see Live Performances, where Audio Experiences were the secondary of the priorities.

Listening to Audio as a Small Group experience was quite popular as a occurrence in my Teens to Early 20's.

When I got my first home, I took investment in Audio Equipment seriously, where more monies was spent on this entertainment for a period of time than any other form of entertainment.

When first building a Audio System many periods of listening were a solitary experience or with my Partner and on occasions with a few friends.

Another period had the use of the Audio System pretty much a form of entertainment for myself, and this was a situation I did come to learn was not able to provide any form of enjoyment, as it was also a time when Audio Equipment Obsession was a very controlling element of the maintaining the interest.

Quite a few years past, I was very fortunate and changed, I restructured myself, taking on the view of the Audio Equipment being merely a Tool and a means to an end.

The end being able to listen to recorded music, what ever the chosen medium is with a embedded content.

I become actively Social around Audio Equipment and ventured out to meet others with a similar interest in the equipment and replaying recordings as my own.

I have met some who like Audio Equipment and cherish their owned recorded media. These individuals are from all walks of life are now friends and very much appreciated. 

Additionally, these friends have introduced myself to music, that I am glad to have experienced, and would most likely never have experienced it under any other circumstances.   

I have met some who are now friends, that through their Careers, have received training that enables them to be very creative with Audio Equipment, there is a pleasure in experiencing the work produced.

In more recent times, I have extended my Company that shares in listening to my home system, my Grandchildren are becoming listening companions. 

I certainly am not to return to a lone listener, until the time becomes for me, the only option.

When I'm serious about listening to my favorite music; it's by myself.  I truly enjoy how music makes me feel and where it takes me emotionally.  I love that I can change the artist or type of music on a whim without having to worry that someone else may not enjoy it or even want to hear it. 

I have friends that I discuss music and audio equipment with a lot.  When it comes to actually listening to my favorite music, it's a private affair.

I’m old enough to say, for me that was an 8 track player. Heck, I remember when there were car turntables. Those were the days. But I love being nostalgic, for our generation grew up in the age of real musicians and real music. We didn’t know we had it so good. We never thought there’d come a day when the music industry would stop producing real music. But fortunately, we can find almost anything ever produced, on vinyl. Thank goodness for vinyl!

I love this common experience of the transistor radio under the pillow, late at nite.  My grandparents bought it for me Christmas’63.  Loved it so much I actually would polish it.  Home was an unhappy place.  Grim for a 10 year old.  BUT……at nite, that happy music, the happy DJ’s.  So cool.  The world out there was calling.  I remember one nite thinking, there’s nothing wrong with me,,nothing wrong with the world out there.  Right here was bad, but this is temporary.  Part of why I’ve had a wonderful life when others didn’t.  

 I remember one nite thinking, there’s nothing wrong with me,,nothing wrong with the world out there.  Right here was bad, but this is temporary.  Part of why I’ve had a wonderful life when others didn’t.

@george53 ,

Your attitude at that young age is an inspiration. Such strength and wisdom at such a young age I am sure served you well in life. I admire your courage and hope you've led a long life filled with joy and happiness.