Sonic Bliss

[BlueFox]

Since getting the Lumin S1, upgrading my Triton and Cyclops to v2, and going all Sigma with my power cables, I have had zero interest in gear. All I do now is listen to music, and buy more music. My rock playlist of favorite songs is approaching 500 songs, and on random shuffle they always play in a good order.

Tonight, Saturday, everything is just perfect. I turned the amps on Thursday morning since I was taking Friday off, and now they sound perfect. I can't measure it, but I swear these amps need 48 hours to operate best. Sometimes even 99% of the way there isn't good enough.

I have been reading the forum threads but just can't get interested in gear discussions. I wonder if this is why some people drift away from audio forums. They are having so much fun listening to music that other discussions are just not important anymore.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I am happy for you! Forgetting about the equipment and enjoying the music is a great place to be!

 

[Al M.]

Since getting the Lumin S1, upgrading my Triton and Cyclops to v2, and going all Sigma with my power cables, I have had zero interest in gear. All I do now is listen to music, and buy more music. My rock playlist of favorite songs is approaching 500 songs, and on random shuffle they always play in a good order.

Tonight, Saturday, everything is just perfect. I turned the amps on Thursday morning since I was taking Friday off, and now they sound perfect. I can't measure it, but I swear these amps need 48 hours to operate best. Sometimes even 99% of the way there isn't good enough.

I have been reading the forum threads but just can't get interested in gear discussions. I wonder if this is why some people drift away from audio forums. They are having so much fun listening to music that other discussions are just not important anymore.

Like you I am in a happy place. Since I have my ASC window plugs, which I acquired beginning of July and which solved a host of acoustic problems (see here and follow-up post), I am just listening to music. Yes, I do think that I would want to have even more timbral resolution than the very good amount that I already have, and listening to Peter A's and Madfloyd's systems that both excel in timbral resolution (and Madfloyd's system is the best I have ever heard) certainly has kept that dream alive.

Yet recently, while writing my response on Marty's thread,

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-out-my-stereo&p=343360&viewfull=1#post343360

I realized once more what my real priorities for my system are, and that in fact I have achieved them already. Sure, some time I'd like to upgrade audio rack, power conditioner and DAC, but I don't have that urgent feeling anymore. If at some point I have a surplus of money, yes, but at this stage I am in no way desperate for that. I perfectly enjoy my system as it is, and just this afternoon I was listening to this gorgeous CD of quite recent avantgarde jazz by Garrison Fewell, What marvelous music and recording, and what marvelous rendition of it on my system.

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations, BlueFox. I too have reached a point where I am not really interested in gear anymore. I have not looked at Audiogon for gear in well over a year now. I realize full well that I still have areas of improvement, but I think it would just cost too much to gain so little, so I am content to just listen to music, both live and on my system.

I hope your satisfaction remains for the mid to long term. It's funny, though, how many stories I read from satisfied audiophiles who soon get that urge to upgrade some more. Often, these turn out to be lateral moves rather than real improvements.

 

[LL21]

Very interesting thread...i am blessed to be able to say that i am just about there as well...i have had a 'dream list' for many years now...the current dream list going back to around 2007 or so, and have been ticking each one off as i go...two more to go. But very happy to take my time, and wait for the right opportunity and right price. and as time has gone on during that period, i have found my music collection has undergone by far the most change...from 300-500 CDs to close to 2000 now. And that is what the system is for!

 

[amirm]

I have been reading the forum threads but just can't get interested in gear discussions. I wonder if this is why some people drift away from audio forums. They are having so much fun listening to music that other discussions are just not important anymore.

For me, this is why I go to forums, not the other way around. I have bought more music in the last two months than the previous two years. And all of that has come from recommendations on this forum and to a much smaller extent, CA. Like you, my interest in upgrading gear is very low. Finding music to enjoy though, is off the scale. And the ticket to that is my fellow members who have incredible libraries of music and impeccable taste.

 

[Al M.]

For me, this is why I go to forums, not the other way around. I have bought more music in the last two months than the previous two years. And all of that has come from recommendations on this forum and to a much smaller extent, CA. Like you, my interest in upgrading gear is very low. Finding music to enjoy though, is off the scale. And the ticket to that is my fellow members who have incredible libraries of music and impeccable taste.

Since you now like Jazz, Amir, perhaps you want to try the CD that I mentioned:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/GarrisonFewell

 

[BlueFox]

Congratulations, BlueFox. I too have reached a point where I am not really interested in gear anymore. I have not looked at Audiogon for gear in well over a year now. I realize full well that I still have areas of improvement, but I think it would just cost too much to gain so little, so I am content to just listen to music, both live and on my system.

I hope your satisfaction remains for the mid to long term. It's funny, though, how many stories I read from satisfied audiophiles who soon get that urge to upgrade some more. Often, these turn out to be lateral moves rather than real improvements.

Well, I do have the HT/surround system to spend money on. I just upgraded the speaker cables to the new Shunyata Venom series, and I think I will start looking for a reasonably priced used Bryston SP-3. However, for the two channel I just can't imagine a benefit from changing anything. That said, if Magico comes out with an S5 v2 upgrade then I will give it some serious thought.

 

[amirm]

Since you now like Jazz, Amir, perhaps you want to try the CD that I mentioned:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/GarrisonFewell

Thanks Al. I am learning elementary math and you throw a college problem at me. I can't understand the lexicon of that album. Is this improvisational/modern Jazz?

 

[Al M.]

Thanks Al. I am learning elementary math and you throw a college problem at me. I can't understand the lexicon of that album. Is this improvisational/modern Jazz?

Amir,

yes, this is modern avantgarde jazz. Granted, track 1 can sound a bit acerbic at first, even though that's right up my alley and I loved it immediately. But tracks 2, 3, 5 and 8 might be enjoyable right away; in fact I am struck by the surprising melodiousness of this album. But all the tracks are first rate in my view. Yesterday I was listening to the whole album at first, and to some of the tracks two or even three times, such was my addiction to what I heard.

I am not sure if I would call this 'college level'. In fact, to me this music was more immediately accessible and exciting than some more traditional sounding music. It's just getting used to the kind of language, you'll understand it by yourself after a while.

I got the recommendation from the owner of a record store (Dyno Records) in Newburyport, Mass., where I visited Saturday. I normally always order online, but I wanted some new ideas and thought this guy could help me out. Indeed, he was very knowledgable and gave me this fantastic recommendation. I also bought another CD on his suggestion that I haven't listened to yet -- I'm so glued to this one right now.

By the way, I also bought in that same store a few years ago the following jazz CD:

http://www.amazon.com/When-Spirit-Returns-Lester-Bowie/dp/B0000CD5HE

I totally love it. Lester Bowie played with his band some of the pop songs that his 15-year old daughter listened to at the time, but also some other stuff. Super-cool arrangements for brass band (including drums, percussion) with some humor thrown in too, and absolutely superb sound quality -- it doesn't get more audiophile than that. The last track is a 10-minute New Orleans style gospel with jamming that gets red-hot intense. Super-bad dynamics and bass on that recording too.

(Analog lovers: that store has a bunch of LPs too.)

 

[Kingsrule]

Since getting the Lumin S1, upgrading my Triton and Cyclops to v2, and going all Sigma with my power cables, I have had zero interest in gear. All I do now is listen to music, and buy more music. My rock playlist of favorite songs is approaching 500 songs, and on random shuffle they always play in a good order.

Tonight, Saturday, everything is just perfect. I turned the amps on Thursday morning since I was taking Friday off, and now they sound perfect. I can't measure it, but I swear these amps need 48 hours to operate best. Sometimes even 99% of the way there isn't good enough.

I have been reading the forum threads but just can't get interested in gear discussions. I wonder if this is why some people drift away from audio forums. They are having so much fun listening to music that other discussions are just not important anymore.

Yet you are the first to post on anything regarding Shunyata.......

 

[spiritofmusic]

Kingsrule, I think that Blue is saying that Shunyata purchases have completed the spell for him, and he can't think of any drastic need or impulse to keep upgrading gear.
But there is no issue in him talking about Shunyata, as a means to an end(game).
But I can see that a guy talking about not talking about gear , and then talking about gear viz. Shunyata , could appear inconsistent .
I started a thread pretty much stating the same thing ie reaching Nirvana and just not driven to upgrade further, in my case a whole slew of changes, from completing a one-make cable loom, to comprehensive grounding, tentaive room treatments, upgrades to my spkrs' tweeter high pass filter caps and on-board sub amps' transformers, and the final magic step of gently altering spkrs toe in/sitting closer to spkrs.
Suddenly, these accumulative changes created a snapping into focus of the music, total immersion, and a feeling of magic that was adrenalising, and critically which hasn't dissipated in two months now.
Now I too am off the major component upgrade path, even putting aside a planned linestage demo.
I'm not so serene that I'll be able to resist that demo, or consider the new Zu flagships due soon. But I won't lose any sleep if I don't get around to them.
My thoughts are now moving to sorting dedicated lines when I move to my new home, and investigating the voodoo of Shun Mook Diamond Resonators under gear.

 

[BlueFox]

LOL. I made a Shunyata post on 10/15 and 8/12. Not exactly a lot. I do like how the Shunyata gear has taken the system to a very high pleasure level.

 

[amirm]

Thanks again Al. Lester Bowie album is right down my alley. I love Sade so that Smooth Operator is part of my vocabulary . The other one is still a struggle. I will come back to it when I get more at ease with this genre. Please keep teaching me.

 

[Al M.]

I was just listening to my new CD again, it sounds incredible on my system. I am so happy right now.

 

[Al M.]

Thanks again Al. Lester Bowie album is right down my alley.

Great to hear that, Amir!

I love Sade so that Smooth Operator is part of my vocabulary . The other one is still a struggle. I will come back to it when I get more at ease with this genre. Please keep teaching me.

Yes, it may take time. Once you get into that Lester Bowie album I have some other recommendations of music by this trumpeter for you that you may also enjoy and that may ease you more into this direction. It's all a wonderful journey of discovery that I still find myself on as well. Exciting times!