Hi Fi burnout.


Are you a victim of Hi-Fi burnout? A friend of mine who is "Into hi fi" recently called me to tell me he was selling all of his high end audio equipment! He was simply tired of keeping up with all the latest and greatest equipment trends. In his quest for the "Ultimate sound" he had upgraded several times at great expense. Sales people were only to happy to sell him what he "Needed" to "Really" improve his system. I think all told he accumulated some 150k in equipment!! What he forgot and lost sight of in his quest for the ultimate stereo, was to listen to the music!! Instead he would take pride in how great his speakers tweeter's sounded, and the the pages clipped out of various audio magazines that showed charts on his equipment and it's performance. He now owns a little Sony do it all portable stereo, and says he's happier for it because he's not so stressed about keeping up with all the new equipment. It's easy to see how this could happen. I look at my stereo equipment as a tool made for the extraction of music from vinyl or cd or tape. The music IS what matters and shall remain with us forever. In this day of hi tech accomplishments and super materials, you have to be very careful not to get sucked into the equipment junkie bottomless pit. Otherwise you could be spending some time at the Betty Ford Centre for recovering Audiophiles. What say you?
nocaster
Gthirteen is so right!!! By all means avoid the second system!!! Trust me on this one, I know what I'm talking about. You get a main system that you're happy with, and your wife is tired of the changes anyway, then suddenly you think, oh, I'll start a small second system in the home office. It may start that way but the itch is there. Soon you end up with tube monoblocks, digital separates, and no room for the actual office. You'll want to maximize the hi-fi potential of that second system too. It will never end and you will burn out, twice, cause you've got two systems running!
I made myself a promise that i would never spend more than 1k on any single piece of gear.

My system is pretty modest, but i feel im definatly on the way to getting where i want to be. All i need is 5 speakers for the HT setup (probably mirage Omnisats), then a good pre/amp for the 2ch system and a good CDP. then i think i will be done.
hello

That being said, I think Audiogon has totally revolutionized the Hi-Fi market, and I'm sure that it has changed the way that I go about approaching a possible purchase. GOod for me, good for others like me, bad for Retailers.

I'm using the quote as a general statement ...no direct comment on our mutual friend , Gthirteen,

Yes audiogon has changed the way we do things hi-fi...the Bad retailers will pay a price...The reason however is not to be blamed on the retailer...he is doing his job...it is the manufacturers that have let you down...YOU are constantly changing them and they constanly let you down...you burn out chasing nirvana....hey if they build you a car that doesn't rust....,so keep on buying they'll keep on improving as long as your chasing they will put a carrot for you...just wanted to tickle your minds...

Thanks
Sorry, I need more than just the music.

If personal finances are a problem, then indeed wise spending is in order. However, if you have the money and are going to blow it on something anyway, it might as well be your audio system.

Those that have experienced their version of sonic nirvana will remain haunted from that point on. Yes, you can fight it. There is medication, therapy and (my favorite) denial.

If you are one of the lucky ones that can remain satisfied with MP3 and headphones...God bless you. For the rest of us, there is the abyss to ponder.
Go buy a Tivoli radio and you might sell your stereo. I am not kidding, when listening to my local college radio station (which has a very good sounding signal) I am very satisfied. Maybe it is because it only cost $100 but it can make you respect things like system synergy when they can match that little 3" driver and a cheap solid state amp and tuner and you hear the body and intent of the instruments better than most main stereos...

BTW the more I buy Audio Note products the more I am happy with my stereo. I am letting someone else do the matching from now on. I just want to listen to music too!