Strange phenomona this hobby.


I can't help but be competetive, that's just me. Not so much with others, but with myself.
Thats why when I heard the MBL system I told myself "self", I have to have that sound in my home.
And I agreed with myself. That was about the jist of the conversation. That kind of realism one does not hear too often or some never hear it.
So where do I stand now?
My system does not scream out "realism realism" like the MBL does. It's quite neutral though, I can play music all day long with out getting fatigued. Merlins are just that type of speaker-great design.
I just recently was forced to change my favorite cartridge, and the sound is different. The sumiko was closer to life-like, but the grado is more engaging.
I am willing to bet the cognoscienti here will agree that live music will not be found in our homes with playback systems that easily.
But I heard it once at the show, actually twice.
So is there a class A++ for those systems that recreate the live event and do I really have to have it. I just went from sumiko to grado and I am enjoying myself more-so.
I am willing to bet that as I gain more experience I will find myself picking up cartridges and cables that don't necessarily cost the most but just work better with the rest of my equipment, no?
Another example is my phono stage the EAR834p. No where near the same price as phono stages in class a , but I would say in the same league with the right tubes and mods.
Now as before I really understand the goners (good way to describe the nuts on this site including myself) owning multiple tt and arms. I was hoping to find one rig that can do it all, but also my intentions from the very beginning were to have three tables at least, for comparisons of arms, cartridges, p. stages and tables. I can't wait to get there, all I need is time because I will catch up to you nuts!!!
I would like to hear your stories or interpretations of vinyl play back. There is some mysticism to this, that may not be understood but is felt like no other thing.
I have had fun hobbies before but this takes the cake!
pedrillo
..sure is strange. What sounds like music to one person (MBL) sounds like the arrival of the German Panzer division to another. There are no absolutes in this hobby - just nurturing ones' prejudices.
I can see your point. This quest ís made of true improvements, parallel moves (from A to B you can go by car but the train ís good as well)and real step back. When almost reached nirvana financials grab your shirt and selling one component makes you restart having fun!(or pain). At the end what ís not killing u biild experience. Imho, of course. Good luck!
There is definitely some mysticism to vinyl reproduction (and plenty of ignorance). If I had the time and money, I'd like to audition several turntables/phono preamps/tonearms/carts/etc...

It's sad that my generation (late-twenties) don't have the exposure to high-end audio, particularly in regards to vinyl, and probably never will. I love digital, but there's something inherently pure and natural about the sound of the LP. Vinyl may not offer the dynamics of digital, but the sound can be breathtaking.
Pedrillo said:

"I am willing to bet the cognoscienti here will agree that live music will not be found in our homes with playback systems that easily.
But I heard it once at the show, actually twice.
So is there a class A++ for those systems that recreate the live event and do I really have to have it."

Well, many of us do indeed have live music in our homes, like guitars, pianos, keyboards and, in my case, trumpets, flugelhorns, cornets and related instruments.

For those of us that hear a lot of live music it can't help but be part of our reference.

If you've only heard live music once or twice then it can't possibly be part of your reference. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just where you come from. If you like music despite the lack of hearing it live, then just listen to it a variety of ways and go the way that pleases your ear.

I'd dare say that most people here on A'gon are aiming for as close an approximation of live music as they can achieve within their budgets and space. That doesn't have to be your goal, but I think you'll have people argue with you on this aspect of your "audiophiluousness". Don't worry, just please yourself.

Dave