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The Next Level

What I am about to write is going to sound familiar to a lot of you in AudiogonLand. Let me first set the stage.

My wife and I both had another stressful, crazy work week under our belt and we settled in for a quiet, ‘ lock the doors and chill out with a great steak, a bottle of Bordeaux, and just kick back and enjoy the music ‘ night. Everything seemed excellent. Filet mignon wrapped in bacon, steamed asparagus lightly pan fried with bacon and garlic, then lightly covered with a dash of fresh Parmesan grated cheese accompanied with a nice bottle of a very smooth bottle of French Bordeux that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg. Great conversion and we were both laughing and enjoying each other. Wonderful night.

We were listening to my newly reconfigured tube system in the basement listening room. As favorite pieces played, we occasionally closed our eyes and caught each other smiling and swaying with the rhythm of the music. It was the first time that we had both sat down to listen to the new combination of tubes and cables that we had recently purchased.

Then we put on Beth Orton’s Pass in Time and entered the next level…

Moving 3 dimensional sounds shot at us from all angles. This was much more than sound stage… we were IN THE MUSIC. I have never experienced anything like this with music in my life. Beth’s lyrics were very beautiful and her band was extremely hypnotic. I wanted to grab and hug the beautiful sounds that were totally filling our room. The pluck of guitar strings was right in front of me, the hidden texture of so many of the electronic effects revealed itself to me in the most crisp, clear, gentle, touchable, growing, moving …. words fail me now. We were on an indescribably pleasant trip for about 45 minutes.

I thought I had a great system before last night. I enjoyed it every day and never got tired of it. I always seem to be analyzing where I could make the next improvement. I have finally evolved to a new level where all I could do was let the music come and take me away and I was no longer in control, and I loved every minute of it.

Does anyone else have that memory of realizing that your system was everything and more than you had ever hoped for? For me, it was very punch in the nose obvious. I’d like to hear of anyone else that can remember reaching their next level.
128x128mattzack2
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newbee
4,768 posts
 
I can recall two times when I reached the plateau you have described. The first was when I was driving towards my career apex but had a very mundane system (I don't even remember what) because who has time for that 'audiophile stuff'. I was just beginning to explore classical music. I came home from a particularily stressful day, put on earphones and listened for the first time to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto by Heifitz I think. It really pulled me out of my real space and was right up there in life shaping events with my first photograpy journey on pot. Revealatory! Both! Laughing as I type, I'm listening to that Concerto on my little desk system. A walk down memory lane. :-)

About a 18 months ago I brought some new speakers home, and for the first time in many years I found it possible to listen and appreciate the speakers BUT at the same time to fully listen to the music without being distracted by audio(phile) considerations. I'm really in a good place now. Its good to be home again.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Sounds like a great night. It also sounds like a Penthouse letter...with a different kind of final paragraph. Glad you had a great experience, but it makes me wonder a bit about this whole audiophile thing.

Marty
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Yep, those who escaped the merry-go-round know exactly how you feel, every day, day in day out, hour after hour. For those who haven't got there yet - keep trying- as this place does exist.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Very nice story, I'm happy for both of you. You enjoyed the music, and not the system. A lot of systems sound good, but for one reason or another,they are not always musical...and that is a big distraction from the music that is playing.

I expect anyone who manages to put a musical system together like you have, will experience the same feelings you have arrived at, and thats nice....because it was really about the music in the first place, and sometimes it takes a while to get back to that part.

Dave
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