This forum made me stop listening to music
Posted by: Thorsten on 09 October 2002
The subject is somewhat exaggerated. However, there is some truth in it and this is meant to be the last post on this amusing and informative forum. I hope I will be able to withstand the temptation to lurk into this forum.
Let me explain.
When I joined the forum in April I was a very happy Naim-User. I had reached my personal hifi-nirvana. I did not care anymore. I did not give a damn if there is better equipment around (I am sure there is), I had no wish for an upgrade. I switched on the gear and simply used it. I listened to my old favourites and the new stuff that comes in quite regularly. And I had fun. The better the music, the better the enjoyment.
Than I read a few things, wrote a few things. I encountered contributors who seemed to be able to draw conclusions from my system about my approach to music. A mullet=hifi freak versus source first=music lover. I belong obviously to the former category. I do not audition very often, in fact it's been quite a while. (Apart from a small attempt at the Allaes for the wish of more appropiate veneer to my floor). I do not read hifi-mags for a couple of years (anymore, I even used to write reviews for one). I do not change cables. Nothing in my mind was nagging if there was a way to make my system sound better. Til April.
Since then I found myself more often than I ever wanted sitting on my couch and wondering if Naca 5 is worth a try? Can I audition mana somewhere to find out what all the heck is about? Can I afford a cdx? Do I need black snaics? The answer until may was a clean no. Since then I was distracted while the music was playing and concentrated more than is healthy on aspects of prat and timing. I even checked out if my hicap was of better use in my 102 or my 3.5. I was listening more to my system than to my music.
What Naim can do (namely making listening to music enjoyable without fussing about tweaks) it did to me before I joined this place. This heaven of hifi-nirvana was ruined by thinking about upgrades and improvements.
I want to regain my peace of mind. I simply want to enjoy what I have, because this is the only way to enjoy music. (and it already grooves like hell). If something breaks I will be happy to upgrade. Until then I do not want to think about it anymore. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to say no to the drug upgraditis that is slowly entering my brain via the forum.
I want to thank those, who have been patient with me and apologize to those I offended. And of course thanks to naim for my nice system and their willingness to bear with people like me.
The most important upgrade: Forget about your system.
Let me explain.
When I joined the forum in April I was a very happy Naim-User. I had reached my personal hifi-nirvana. I did not care anymore. I did not give a damn if there is better equipment around (I am sure there is), I had no wish for an upgrade. I switched on the gear and simply used it. I listened to my old favourites and the new stuff that comes in quite regularly. And I had fun. The better the music, the better the enjoyment.
Than I read a few things, wrote a few things. I encountered contributors who seemed to be able to draw conclusions from my system about my approach to music. A mullet=hifi freak versus source first=music lover. I belong obviously to the former category. I do not audition very often, in fact it's been quite a while. (Apart from a small attempt at the Allaes for the wish of more appropiate veneer to my floor). I do not read hifi-mags for a couple of years (anymore, I even used to write reviews for one). I do not change cables. Nothing in my mind was nagging if there was a way to make my system sound better. Til April.
Since then I found myself more often than I ever wanted sitting on my couch and wondering if Naca 5 is worth a try? Can I audition mana somewhere to find out what all the heck is about? Can I afford a cdx? Do I need black snaics? The answer until may was a clean no. Since then I was distracted while the music was playing and concentrated more than is healthy on aspects of prat and timing. I even checked out if my hicap was of better use in my 102 or my 3.5. I was listening more to my system than to my music.
What Naim can do (namely making listening to music enjoyable without fussing about tweaks) it did to me before I joined this place. This heaven of hifi-nirvana was ruined by thinking about upgrades and improvements.
I want to regain my peace of mind. I simply want to enjoy what I have, because this is the only way to enjoy music. (and it already grooves like hell). If something breaks I will be happy to upgrade. Until then I do not want to think about it anymore. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to say no to the drug upgraditis that is slowly entering my brain via the forum.
I want to thank those, who have been patient with me and apologize to those I offended. And of course thanks to naim for my nice system and their willingness to bear with people like me.
The most important upgrade: Forget about your system.
There is a lot to be said about just sitting back and enjoying the music. Far too many people worry about what their Hi-fi is doing rather than just listening to the music.
I still maintain that the best thing to spend your money on is more cd's or records!!
Grab a beer, sit back and enjoy!!
Regards
NB
I still maintain that the best thing to spend your money on is more cd's or records!!
Grab a beer, sit back and enjoy!!
Regards
NB
some fantastic posts here gang - I especially liked the leading posts from Dutch and Thomas, and from Vuk. The spirit of the forum (despite postings to the contrary) is not dead!
it was this one that had me laughing so hard I couldn't hear Mani's bassline...
Well done Herm, you are a wordsmith beyond compare.
Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
it was this one that had me laughing so hard I couldn't hear Mani's bassline...
quote:
That (as ever) is not the point, Nuño.
Well done Herm, you are a wordsmith beyond compare.Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
Thorsten,
You're spot on with your analysis and description of what happens if you hang out too long in Hifi Corner. I vowed to stay away when I came back from vacation ... then I went back to work
. I just inserted a new CD playe in my sistem! and I keep wondering if it's working properly yet 
.
Oh well at least I thought when I first plugged it in that I didn't need anything better!
Peter
You're spot on with your analysis and description of what happens if you hang out too long in Hifi Corner. I vowed to stay away when I came back from vacation ... then I went back to work
. I just inserted a new CD playe in my sistem! and I keep wondering if it's working properly yet .Oh well at least I thought when I first plugged it in that I didn't need anything better!
Peter
Thorsten
I felt exactly the same way as you - until I got an 82
Jay
Yabba, dabba, doooooo
I felt exactly the same way as you - until I got an 82
Jay
Yabba, dabba, doooooo
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Stockwell:
I just inserted a new CD playe in my sistem! and I keep wondering if it's working properly yet
Peter
You're talking about your CDX aren't you, Peter? What's the problem? Don't you like it, or are there three chimes in your head ringing all the time X - P - S, X - P - S....
Herman
Why leave the forum?
Confine yourself to the Music Room instead. It's just down the corridor. Much more fun and there's no paranoia
Jonathan
Confine yourself to the Music Room instead. It's just down the corridor. Much more fun and there's no paranoia
Jonathan
Ah... interesting one, this is, and an excellent post.
Thorsten, you've hit it spot on on the nail, and I couldn't agree with you more, and do understand how you feel. What we really need here actually is a break from Hi-Fi, and a re-connection to the music via a re-adjustment of our perspectives.
To address this classic syndrome of "audiophilia nervosa", you might have to be prepared to stay away from it all for a period of time. This is drastic for any audiophile, or even music lover, but it works a very potent charm. I think I read this from one of our more experienced contributors in the old Naim Forum a few years back, and thought I would share this with you, as I found it to be extremely effective in setting the perspectives straight.
You have to trust this and try it: don't listen to any music at home via your system or outside. Don't even look at the system, if you can, as looking almost always dictates wanting to listen to it. The whole idea is to distance yourself completely from the system and music for a period of time, say 3-4 solid weeks, or even longer if possible (which would be better). And then when things do simmer down after that period of time, when you'll have itched to want to listen and still kept it totally in check, you will find that suddenly the music via that very same system takes on a whole new dimension in listenability and musicality. (If the music still doesn't speak to you on its terms after this time, then you will have to extend the time break even longer, for however long it takes, until it does.)
After the break, you will be listening to the music for what it is, because you would have missed having music in your life for this period of time, and not so much for the quality of the sonics. And when that happens, the "audiophilia nervosa" syndrome will die down, at least for a while.
For your information, my time break took almost two long years, but that's another story...
I found it totally refreshing to listen to my Naim system after this break, and the music, not the equipment, sounded really good. I was happy again, because the music reached me on its own terms, irrespective of the sonics (that's not to say I will give up the Naims for a mini-compo - just that our ears need a rest from the sonic qualities from time to time.)So whenever I start showing signs of audiophilia nervosa, I take a long hi-fi break, and it works all the time...
The equipment help enhance the music, but they shouldn't have to rob it of its essence.
Good listening, the music's groovin' frightfully more.
Regards
Philip Pang
naimniac for life
Thorsten, you've hit it spot on on the nail, and I couldn't agree with you more, and do understand how you feel. What we really need here actually is a break from Hi-Fi, and a re-connection to the music via a re-adjustment of our perspectives.
To address this classic syndrome of "audiophilia nervosa", you might have to be prepared to stay away from it all for a period of time. This is drastic for any audiophile, or even music lover, but it works a very potent charm. I think I read this from one of our more experienced contributors in the old Naim Forum a few years back, and thought I would share this with you, as I found it to be extremely effective in setting the perspectives straight.
You have to trust this and try it: don't listen to any music at home via your system or outside. Don't even look at the system, if you can, as looking almost always dictates wanting to listen to it. The whole idea is to distance yourself completely from the system and music for a period of time, say 3-4 solid weeks, or even longer if possible (which would be better). And then when things do simmer down after that period of time, when you'll have itched to want to listen and still kept it totally in check, you will find that suddenly the music via that very same system takes on a whole new dimension in listenability and musicality. (If the music still doesn't speak to you on its terms after this time, then you will have to extend the time break even longer, for however long it takes, until it does.)
After the break, you will be listening to the music for what it is, because you would have missed having music in your life for this period of time, and not so much for the quality of the sonics. And when that happens, the "audiophilia nervosa" syndrome will die down, at least for a while.
For your information, my time break took almost two long years, but that's another story...
I found it totally refreshing to listen to my Naim system after this break, and the music, not the equipment, sounded really good. I was happy again, because the music reached me on its own terms, irrespective of the sonics (that's not to say I will give up the Naims for a mini-compo - just that our ears need a rest from the sonic qualities from time to time.)So whenever I start showing signs of audiophilia nervosa, I take a long hi-fi break, and it works all the time...
The equipment help enhance the music, but they shouldn't have to rob it of its essence.
Good listening, the music's groovin' frightfully more.
Regards
Philip Pang
naimniac for life