I am a good example of changing things and many times not improving anything, Part of the process, I guess. One needs the skills, the funds and the time to make meaningful improvements. Maybe that's why the majority in this hobby is people with time and money.
How you know your system is improving?
Fellow Audio Junkies -
Over the last few years, I've invested in my first high end system. It's been a far costlier affair than I'd initially conceived. I started off simply wanting to listen to music in my home. At this stage of my life, I was fortunate to have some resources to invest which led me down the path of reading forums and reviews, while also having the opportunity to visit a few audio stores to demo equipment.
And down the rabbit hole I went... Once I realized all the nuances of equipment and their impact on the listening experience, I became fascinated with creating the most satisfying musical experience in my house. I ended up purchasing several amps, three sets of speakers, NOS power tubes, and a myriad combination of power cords.
With each investment, I would often remark to myself "yes - I hear an improvement..." But sometimes a doubt would cross my mind. Is this some sort of confirmation bias I've got going? Am I just throwing money away? Do I need to see a shrink?
Admittedly, I was largely convinced things were improving, but a small part of my brain recognized I might be have been chasing windmills...
Which brings me to this question: "How do you know your system is improving after you've made a system change or hopeful upgrade?"
For me, a moment came last night when I put on a piece of music - Beth Orton - and played a track that a year ago sounded muddy or poorly recorded. There have been several system changes since I last played that Beth Orton track. As I began streaming over Quboz, I could hear details in the music which had been previously fuzzy and hidden. The tone of her voice was more real. Guitar strings came out of the fog...
I guess the concept I often read about here, "using a test track" had become my new litmus test on whether my system was improving. It was inadvertent, but I think I'll default to this approach more consistently moving forward, going back to a few tracks that have proven to be challenging with the current system and giving them a go when a new component gets added.
Yes, I know... nothing radical here. But would welcome how many of you benchmark improvements in your own systems!
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I'd like to add that your senses, mind and attitude are all part of your endeavor. Sounds cliche but your mind will expand and learn over time, your senses will become more acute because you're are focusing your energy on them. Your attitude or self may change based on how thinly you are stretching yourself, continued interest in the hobby, support from those around you (WAF), etc.
Try to figure out what you like, read about what others like on forums, etc, and see if you can bridge the gap and narrow your path. Jump paths occasionally (go from single ended to 250 wpc ss) mix it up. Learn the different types of drivers (compression, horn, etc) and give them a listen.
Be careful about reviewers and some types on this site that feel like everything they get is "the best ever," they don't explain themselves well and should generally be ignored. It's fun to be excited but when they start drooling at the mouth you kind of wonder who they are supporting or what else might be lacking up there.
Move slowly in and out of gear unless you don't want to turn on the power. If that's the case start a forum thread of research what could be missing in the synergy of the system. Don't spend your mortgage payment on a box with holes in it or trade you Porsche for a 6 foot pair of speaker cables. Not yet anyway.
Enjoy yourself that's the only reason to be in this unless you are making money. Making money in this business is good but they have their influencers, scotch buddies, flaws, families, beliefs, etc just like everyone else. They have to pay the electric bill same as you, so as you love or hate gear try to keep an honest perspective and don't go renegade on some guy just trying to make a living making his art. Probably not a terrorist.
Good luck, interesting thread. |
@baylinor +1 Bluethinker - I tried to look at your virtual system but it is blank. That might help with getting advice here from those way more knowledgeable than myself. I learned the hard way that the wrong tube amp paired with a non-tube friendly speaker (or vice-versa) can be an expensive mistake. Be wary of the cable-chase - you need decent cables to progress, but significant gains can be made without spending silly money on the right used cable (safest bet in used audio IMO, pretty hard to destroy cables). As a recent example (only), a used Voodoo power cable and Acoustic Zen speaker cables bested all previous purchases. Both examples were from recommendations by fellow AG members. (thank you!) Lastly, use good reference material - tracks you know well, and don't rely on a quick a/b test. Take time - 3 days later you might just turn your head and think wow, never heard that before, and I like it...that's a good indication you are going in the right direction.
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Changing one gadget at a time is probably the definition of a rabbit hole and it’s what I have done. Every change sounds better but I would argue that the best way to approach it is to go to a high end shop and try to identify the sound you relate to and not necessarily the most expensive. For me I like a warm sound so my speakers are updated 40 year old McIntosh and amp and preamp Conrad Johnson. Everything else is new and clean sounding so I can pick up the clear signals. Was that the right approach? Probably not. Better is to identify the sound you want to achieve and target it. Otherwise you’re probably chasing rabbit holes. |
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