What do you listen to when your system is having a bad day?

Norma Waterson's solo album and Souad Massi's Deb have been getting frequent airings (Bebo & Cigala has been as well, but has not really had enough repeat hearings for me to notice subtle shifts in sound) as my CDX2 burns in - probably will be some more dog days when the 282 arrives as well. Am a glutton for punishment as 250.2 shaped object seems to be looming on the horizon

I'm happy (nay, smug) to report that, after warmup, my system (CD5X, Nait 5i, Epos M12.2s) has no "bad days". I've somehow gotten out of that hypercritical listening habit I had when using Olive kit, etc. The entry-level Naim stuff is simply "sufficient"; I enjoy listening to music with it.

Brian;

If I'm really tired or stressed, everything sounds crap. I do something else.

I know that for some, music on their system can soothe the pains of a bad day. Not for me.

At the other end of the scale, it sounds bloody amazing when I'm mentally refreshed in the morning after a good night's sleep.

John.

my system never seems to have an "off day" unlike me......however it loves the occasional duster and this week has been showing off playing The Rolling Stones' 'Jump Back' 1971-93 'specially when 'er indoors is outdoors!.

dennis

Being a little slow on the uptake, a thought just occurred to me: could it be that the newer "black" kit is less temperamental than the older "olive" stuff? I did have good days'n'bad days when I had 62/90 and 72/140 etc; there were days when the music was just gripping and present in the room. Other days it sounded hard and almost shrill. I had/have no dedicated mains, so there's my suspicion.

Also, I notice much less change from power-up with my 5X/i series stuff; after I came back from Mexico two weeks ago, it was pretty much listenable from the moment I plugged the Wiremold back into the wall.

What does it all mean?

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, The Residents' Eskimo and a bit of Throbbing Gristle.

Kevin

I'm not saying it isn't almost completely psychological - perhaps I should rephrase the question, to:

What do you listen to when it just isn't happening, but you still want music ?

The Smiths

The Wall, music to slash your wrist by........

Andy

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin-W:
Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, The Residents' Eskimo and a bit of Throbbing Gristle.

Kevin

personally i think that eskimo is something of an audiophile recording [and not just by the rez's standards]!

in answer to the question - endless live dead soundboards, they are sort of impervious to good and bad sound days [i.e. they just sound great and obviously i don't have preconceptions of high quality recordings to be disappointed by].

Leopold

quote:

Being a little slow on the uptake, a thought just occurred to me: could it be that the newer "black" kit is less temperamental than the older "olive" stuff? I did have good days'n'bad days when I had 62/90 and 72/140 etc; there were days when the music was just gripping and present in the room. Other days it sounded hard and almost shrill.

Yes bhazen - I agree. My dealer rates one of the great attributes of the latest 'Reference' series stuff as its consistency of performance.

I used to have 'Olive' active 52/250's into SBL's and became utterly jarred off with it. One day it sounded blinding - the next; as you describe.

Believe or not; I went back to 'passive' with a 202/HC/250.2 and was much happier. I've since moved back up to CDS3/252/300, and still have consistency of performance. The prime variable now, is me! (and the mains supply)

Some advocates of the 'Olive' sound perceive the 'Reference' sound to be somewhat sanitised by comparison.

Personal taste, as ever.

John.

This is going to sound awfully smug and virtuous but now that I've downgraded to a cheap CD player and a pair of headphones my system never has bad days!

It took me a year to get used to it but now I'm able to enjoy listening to not only CDs but also 192 kbit/s MP3s that have been burnt to CD.

I listen to whatever I like, whenever I like without caring whether it captures anything approaching the full emotional effect of the recording. For now, at least, "some" is enough...

Mary Black, "Circus"
I once read a piece about the one disc that an Astronaut would take into space with him and this was the one. So I bought it and although I will never have the opportunity to fly into the wide blue yonder,on bad days I can put this on and be transported.