Nirvana - Are You there yet?

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OK Tim, I'll post...

Content? Me? Never...

I mean, content is like conceding defeat... how can your system ever be perfect? It never will be.

What I think is important is to keep hearing different things. Keeping yourself alive by continually considering other possibilities as being better than the one you currently have.

And of course there are things out there that are way better than what you have... you just need to find them, aspire to them, and work hard for them if that's what you really have your heart set on.

But of course there is no substitute for great music and great lyrics. Things that hit hard and really say something to you. Things that mean something.

At the end of the day, music is about conjuring up emotion. The day you lose that feeling from music is the start of your decline...:)

At the end of the day it is not about hi-fi - it is about the feeling the music you play on it gives you. And great hi-fi really helps to get the best from it.

When you're in the right mood for it.
 
Hi Justin,

You hit it on the head Amigo.

IMHO, emotional connection to the music is the standard we should all use to determine musicality (read engagement and enjoyment), or lack thereof, regarding our individual systems.

Best,

Gordon
 
At this time I’m very satisfied with my current dedicated 2CH plus sub system. While having excellent up stream equipment and Summit Xs which are extremely revealing I feel the system to have great Transparency, imaging, coherency, very detailed, incredible bass integration and sound stage is very holographic like. Thanks Martin Logan!!! :music:
 
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OK Tim, I'll post...

Content? Me? Never...

I mean, content is like conceding defeat... how can your system ever be perfect? It never will be.

What I think is important is to keep hearing different things. Keeping yourself alive by continually considering other possibilities as being better than the one you currently have.

And of course there are things out there that are way better than what you have... you just need to find them, aspire to them, and work hard for them if that's what you really have your heart set on.

But of course there is no substitute for great music and great lyrics. Things that hit hard and really say something to you. Things that mean something.

At the end of the day, music is about conjuring up emotion. The day you lose that feeling from music is the start of your decline...:)

At the end of the day it is not about hi-fi - it is about the feeling the music you play on it gives you. And great hi-fi really helps to get the best from it.

When you're in the right mood for it.

I think this pretty much hits the nail on the head. Nirvana is a psychological state to enjoy the music. One can do it with a $100K system or a 3K system or the car radio in your 1975 Dodge Dart. I am there with my Spires not even fully broken in. But I also go our and hear live music a lot. Nothing can replace that energy for me - even listening in a tiny blues bar with no acoustical treatments that at times hurts my ears but moves my emotions. The $400K Magico horn system would not do it.

Enjoying whatever it is in life is ultimately about growth. What if Michael Jordan, when in college said I can fly, shoot well enough, and play decent defense already? He would have been mediocre. Instead he went and practiced for hours and hours and hours to improve. What if Nadal said I can smoke anyone on clay and I'm only 19 year old. Good enough. Instead he improved his serve and net game and beat Federer at Wimbledon last year. If one is passionate about something, one wants to improve. In the work or sports world it is usually through mundane practice. In our hobby it is trying different gear and tweaks to get that better sound to get that better emotional connection to the music.

Ultimately it's about enjoying what you have and growing to become better. Nirvana is a never ending target.
 
So what you're saying Justin is that you just like to argue for arguments sake. It's never right and you're never happy. Well, have fun with that.
 
Sorry to get so philosophical so early, but I think this can summed up like this: for some people audio Nirvana is a destination, and for others it is a journey. Neither side is right or wrong, it's a personal thing.
 
Contentment comes not from what you have but knowing what you can live without.

Not easy to do but a good philosophy to live by. I'm still striving to achieve that. :)

Over the years, I've collected enough extra components to build two very nice additional systems. I often (perhaps too often) swap components around between systems and it usually satisfies or at least delays my desire to upgrade or desire for change.
 
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Not easy to do but a good philosophy to live by. I'm still striving to achieve that. :)

Over the years, I've collected enough extra components to build two very nice additional systems. I often (perhaps too often) swap components around between systems and it usually satisfies or at least delays my desire to upgrade or desire for change.

We each must determine the threshold for ourselves. Take for example:

If your budget is X and 80% of your budget gets you 80% of your nirvana, are you happy with that?

If your last 20% of your budget bumps you to 85%, is that good enough?

If getting to 90% nirvana doubles your budget, is it worth it to you?

If each percent above 90% take your budget up exponentially, will you be exponentially happier?

It is a law of diminishing returns. Only you can decide the worth.
 
So what you're saying Justin is that you just like to argue for arguments sake. It's never right and you're never happy. Well, have fun with that.

No Jeff, I'm not saying that, but then you never take me the right way anyway.

I know why, but I'm not saying why. Others will know why too. And actually, I'm sure that includes you too if think about it and are honest enough with yourself.
 
OK Tim, I'll post...

Content? Me? Never...

I mean, content is like conceding defeat... how can your system ever be perfect? It never will be.
Justin, it's not conceding defeat, and it's not saying your system is perfect. It's just about forgetting the system and enjoying the music, as you so eloquently say in this next quote:
At the end of the day it is not about hi-fi - it is about the feeling the music you play on it gives you. And great hi-fi really helps to get the best from it.

No Jeff, I'm not saying that, but then you never take me the right way anyway.

I know why, but I'm not saying why. Others will know why too. And actually, I'm sure that includes you too if think about it and are honest enough with yourself.
Argument for the sake of argument can be fun, so long as tempers are kept in check. I for one enjoy reading you. Speaking of which, you owe us an update on the Apogee situation.
 
The "content is conceding defeat" bit - I guess an angle here (hear?) is that content is never good enough. What you really want is happiness & satisfaction. Comes easy of you don't think too much, I guess:)

Anyway, on the Ap front. Well, it appears restored Aps don't come quickly around here, speaking to a previous owner, who has now moved on to some Trios. I am still in contact with the restorer, and they will arive sooner or later... probably later if the truth is known.

I know he wants to put some hours on them prior to delivery (at least 50), so in a week or two I expect he'll be going through the burn in process with them. In a sense, that sort of thing takes some real dedication. Or at least, not sitting in the same room!:)

Don't worry, when they arrive and I have had time to assess them, I will resurect the thread concerning them.
 
Justin my friend (may I call you that?),

I appreciate where you are coming from, and that's part of why I raised the topic. I'm content now, but RMAF is a few short weeks away, so who knows what sort of new toys may engage my sense of desire? I'm also happily married, yet I always look when a stunning girl walks by or a movie contains gratuitous nudity (my favorite kind).

Life is sometimes fickle I suppose.

If I think about it there is always room for improvement. If I just listen to the music I'm often just transported to that place where I'm only listening to the music and not thinking about the system at all. Bernard, RichTeer, Gordon Gray, Craig and others have put it well, I can't add much to their observations.

Regarding your posts... I'm a big fan. You're a saucy little tart at times, but I for one really look forward to that about you!
 
Regarding your posts... I'm a big fan. You're a saucy little tart at times, but I for one really look forward to that about you!

Saucy little tart, hey? Hmm.... just don't take me for your bitch, Tim:):rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks for the compliment (at least, before the tart bit).

And glad you were so amused, Bernard:)
 
Here's a shocker: In the past six months, I believe I'm there.

I have a long list of things I could do, but none that I feel must be done.

I just go into the room and enjoy the experience. :music:
 
The "content is conceding defeat" bit - I guess an angle here (hear?) is that content is never good enough. What you really want is happiness & satisfaction. Comes easy of you don't think too much, I guess:)
So if you have happiness and satisfaction you won't be content ? :confused:
 
For those not there yet or still trying to get there, here are 2 relatively cheap ways that get you closer, at least for your digital rig:

Ayre IBE disk - about $20. Play it everyday before you jam.
Ultrabit Platinum cd cleaner fluid - $70 or so for 500 disks. Each application supposed to last 2 years.

Each makes as big a difference as $10K in cables based on my experiences.

Even those at "nirvana" should try this. It will get you to an even bigger "NIRVANA".
 
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