Recently, I got new speakers and when I hooked them up, a/b tested against my old speakers, and heard tighter, punchier, deeper bass, more clarity and detail, I confidently told myself that the new thing is better, but over time I noticed that I was just not listening to music that much. Listening to my favorite albums or checking out a new one for the first time used to hold my attention, but now after a few songs, I would drift off down a YouTube rabbit hole and can’t get through an entire album. I put my old (apparently inferior) speakers back and I suddenly can’t get enough music.
I’m not going to go into over-analyzing those particular speakers, because I have had the same thing happen with headphones and amps as well. I think my takeaway here Is that in my time watching reviews and trying to judge what good sound is, I have inadvertently trained my self to look for certain characteristics of sound quality that aren’t actually what I enjoy the most… so how do you know what it is about sound quality actually keeps you listening as opposed to what checks the boxes you’ve created to distinguish “good” audio quality.
I wonder if anyone has ever tried hypnosis to heighten their experience when listening to a recording. A suggestion that “you will feel like you are actually there” could go a long way for those who can allow themselves to be hypnotized.
This is why I held onto my records and try to get high sample rate digital stuff. I noticed my engagement dropped off when I first started listening to CDs, in much the same way as you. But not my cassettes in the car nor my records at home. I enjoyed them as much as ever.
I noticed that passengers in my car would actually listen to my cassettes, but started talking after a few minutes of a CD. My toddlers would be moved to dance to my records but ignored CDs.
IMHO human beings notice the missing bits of low resolution digital. It’s like cats and TV. Cats will watch and engage with images on a 120hz refresh 4k TV, but don’t even look at a CRT.
Good question. I had an old air rifle that cost <£100 for a few years. Sold it and got a really good one for >£400 that was superior in every way, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the old one. I think the perception that you got a bargain can play into your enjoyment of something you own.
I’ve got my CA AXA-65 and a pair of Revel M16s which I got a decent price on and I couldn’t be happier. I honestly feel like if I won the lottery I wouldn’t want anything more.
Reviewers have to apply all those criteria and characteristics to gear to make their reviews relatable. But we don’t listen to criteria and characteristics. We listen to music, and the gear either does it for you or it doesn’t. I’ve heard million dollar systems and been less impressed with them than I was with a smallish $5k system. Something can sound nice enough, but leave you bored after a while and seeking something else.
I love to work on very old audio systems and do some DIY stuff. I seem to mentally enjoy them more knowing that I put a lot of time and effort into diagnosing and repairing/upgrading them or building them. There are times I don’t like the sound of certain equipment so I would just say trust your ears.
That is an odd and interesting way to listen. I’m surprised that you can hear the space between each click at that rate.
It’s a process. I’m selling my Sonus Faber Sonetto III and going Magnepan. The SF do some things really well and I never get fatigued listening but I struggle with the exaggerated smoothness. I’m craving a live sound.
I know that I like trying new things, I am not so much hung up on a specific sound or anything. As long as it is smooth, clean and detailed that is. I mostly do a lot of vintage hunting these days and not spending a ton so I can afford to play with different stuff.
I don’t worry about AB tests or anything. It’s pretty obvious when a piece of gear sounds different. If the change is so subtle that I would need to do a strict AB test to discern the differences then I just don’t worry about it. I get more enjoyment out of extracting all the sound I can from the gear I have rather than chasing the dragon.
I am sure it is different from someone looking for a specific thing, I just try not to make the perfect the enemy of the good.