How Things Change

Since there is little concrete right or wrong in audio, it is hard to be purely misguided other than in the sense that we all learn about new things and options as time goes on. More knowledge means more choices, more choices means better results sooner. Its all about knowing what your target is and when you are able to hit it or not and why.

Trelja,

Thank you for your kind words. I also consider this a journey -- with a steep learning curve, excuse the pun. I started off with one box and lamp cord 8 years ago. Although I had my first system in 1967 it was only in recent years that I overcame health and financial challenges to be able to put together a wonderful system.

Of course, you are right. It is not so much a matter of being misguided as it is not having the experience under one's belt.

Onhwy61,

Thank you for your kind words.

I don't alway agree with myself either -- sometimes even after only a short period of time, alas. It's this darn learning curve. I sometimes get it in the neck way before I am even expecting it.

And, frankly I don't always understand why some of the things I do end up working. I let me ears be the judge even though logic or conventional wisdom say that what I am doing must be wrong.

For me, as well, the journey is ultimately about my relationship with the music. This is far more than a hobby for me. It is a passion. I studied classical piano at the Conservatory of Music for 12 years start at age 7. But much earlier my parents recognized that I was a "musical child". My piano teacher said I should have been a singer when I did my solfege exercises for her. Singing has always been my real love in terms of performance choices. But my life went in a different direction professionally. Nevertheless, music has always been an irreplaceable part of my spiritual life -- a constant and very close companion throughout my life.

For me, the journey also made it clear that I would have to develop a relationship with the equipment if I wanted to be able to appreciate the music more deeply. The bottom line always remains the music, of course. I just had to learn how to fix a flat and read a dip stick to make the journey possible.

Nonoise,

I know what you mean about latitude. There are so many factors to be considered. The wiser approach seems to be to allow for more options than one might have thought necessary and to learn to step back and reconsider things when new information arrives. It often takes a much more open mind than one might have thought to arrive at one's hoped-for destination.

Dweller,

How true when you said you "see a previous road traveled in a new light". It is all about growing.

Rodman99999,

How true when you said "Many things that we don't know
how to quantify or explain(YET)." As I am wont to quote whoever it was who said "Not everything that can be measured matters. And not everything that matters can be measured". This is so true regarding high end audio, IMHO.

Timrhu,

We never do know where all the changes will end until we finally get there -- and then more changes often arrive, unexpectedly.

Mapman,

I could not agree more with your post. It is all about learning and choices.

In the 10+ years that I've been on Audiogon, I've observed myself evolving to some extent. My tastes used to be described simply as "lean and detailed". I still do appreciate that, but now it's something much more complex like, "Musically involving, incorporating inner and outer detail with spacial realism/imaging and depth". But the gear that I liked back then I still like, and the stuff that I thought was overpriced and not worth it is still, well, overpriced and not worth it. In fact, I haven't purchased any item in several years, so I must have it dialed in OK.

What's changed most about me, though, is my musical library. I've created a nice music server full of music that I'd never heard of back then. I used to listen to classical, rock, and pop. Now New Age, Bluegrass, and Jazz are some of my favorite genres. This has changed so much more than my choice or preference for certain types of gear, or tubes vs solid state, etc.

Looking back at my older posts, I'll stick by them as still relevant and appropriate opinions even today. To me, the fundamentals (speaker/room interface is VITAL, amp/speaker matching is significant, and preamp/amp matching is important as well) haven't changed.

I guess the executive summary of all of this is that for me, anyway, it's the preference for the music and not the audio gear that has changed the most.

Michael

My biggest change in recent years here is also probably the diversity of music I listen to and in my music library. I also manage to carve out at least a few hours a week to listen no matter what.

Sufentanil,

My music preferences have also broadened significantly in recent years. Many more jazz and classical recordings have found their way into the collection -- as well as a serious amount of blues.