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How does one get off the merry-go-round?

I'm interested in hearing from or about music lovers who have dropped out of the audio "hobby." I don't mean you were content with your system for 6 weeks. I mean, you stood pat for a long time, or--even better--you downsized...maybe got rid of your separates and got an integrated.

(I suppose if you did this, you probably aren't reading these forums any more.)

If this sounds like a cry for help, well, I dunno. Not really. I'm just curious. My thoughts have been running to things like integrated amps and small equipment racks and whatnot even as I continue to experiment and upgrade with vigor (I'm taking the room correction plunge, for example.) Just want to hear what people have to say on the subject.

---dan
drubin
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
It is a cry for help! Donate you gear and records to a worthwhile charity and find peace. Join a Buddhist monastery and contemplate the sound of one hand clapping.
Or realize to tweak is humanly audiophile
and to kick back and just enjoy the music is divine. Cheers!
phd
1,332 posts
 
I agree with Hbarrel's post as well, very well put! I am taking a hard look at what I'm trying to do and staying with a good simple system, I must conclude as well, is the ticket to get focused on the music, not the gear.
artmaltman
769 posts
 
The Shure E3 seems to me to be more efficient than other small light headphones or earbuds I've tried. I play it at around 80% of volume on the iPod and it sounds fine. However I find I don't use it often on the iPod, for two reasons:

1. I mainly use the iPod on cardio machine, where ear buds or in-the-ear phones fall out, and

2. I use standard bit rate on the iPod and the E3 is quite revealing of the limitations. With cheaper headphones and running on a cardio machine, 128 is fine.

I mostly use my E3 on the airplane to play a DVD movie or watch a DVD concert on my laptop. Awesome!

Art
bruce30
12 posts
 
Are you a modernist/minimalist? The tone of your question reeks of it;) I think you are not alone and I know you can most definitely achieve the ridiculously resolved/detailed hi-fi sound with one. Go to the Manley Labs site and check the design/layout of Eve Anna's Stingray. Also, notice that it's actually a dual monoblock sharing an extremely high quality balance and volume control with totally seperate unbalanced inputs for left and right channels.
mint604
59 posts
 
The only way to escape is to ignore the audio reviewers (such as 6 moons) and their idiotic comments and do your own research. Forget ALL gear made for the home consumer and use only top grade pro and studio gear, from the top names in the sound industry.
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