Am I wrong to feel satisfied???

hi seasoned:

is it possible that it is only necessary to climb the mountain once ?

after achieving a desired goal, sonically speaking, there may be another quest, having nothing to do with audio.

i assume that not everyone is so fixated on matters audio, that there aren't other interests which are equally or more compelling.

i think the angst and dissatisfaction that is often expressed is often the result of a lack of awareness of one's sonic preferences.

if you are not in touch with your preferences you may be unhappy with the sound of your stereo system, because you don't know what you like.

if you are satisfied with the sound of your stereo system, but don't know what you really like, the statisfaction may be transitory.

the insecurity regarding upgrades may be the result of feeling that you can achieve "better" sound by replacing a component(s). if you don't have a concept of what better sound is based upon your sonic preferences, you may never be truly satisfied.

i can speak from personal experience. my ideal stereo system is stcaked quads with an appropriate tube amp. the rest of the system is less important. i try to minimize timbral inaccuracy. my problem is a desire to get closer and closer to the sound of an instrument and recognizing, that at some point, it is not worth pursuing a marginal reduction in timbral inaccuracy that costs too much.

tvad, you may be alone.

assuming the quest is complete, we look for another quest. we leave our audio system alone and try to fulfill our need for achievement in some other area.

i believe the need for achievement is a strong motivator in this hobby. hopefully each of us determines his/her own goal, not being influenced by others and then tries to achieve it.

the journey is more satisfying than the end result.

since when is timbre hi fi nonsense ?

music is timbre pitch and harmonics.

all audio systems are timbrally inaccurate.

when listening to musicians in a jazz club, you can appreciate how inaccurate a stereo system sounds.

hi stehno:

i agree with you 100 percent. but if i carry your argument to its logical conclusion, what is the purpose in trying to get closer to a live performance, when it is unlikely ?

i think the point of the thread is to acknowledge that a listener can be satisfied with the presentation of music in the home, without feeling the need to "upgrade".

such a state of sound quality falls short of a live performance.

as far as i am concerned, the closest one can get to attaining timbral accuracy is 4 quad esls. using the original quads, with a decent digital source or analog source is very statisfying as to recreating a semblance of natural timbre.

recognizing and accepting the premise that one will never achieve the sound of a live performance in one's listening
room should determine the extent to which one will invest in the attainment of sound quality.

it is indeed frustrating and sobering that as good as we think our stereo systems perform, it pails in comparison to the experience of listening to live music in a decent acoustical environment.

thus, it is not unreasonable to be satisfied, but it is realistic to acknowledge that the sound quality one has achieved is far removed from the sound of instruments in acoustical space.

hi shadorne:

it is impossible to recreate the sound of a symphony orchestra in a major concert hall, in a room of the size, say 13 x 20, with any degree of realism.

while you can enjoy the sound of a symphony in your living room, it certainly won't resemble the sound of that symphony
in carnegie hall.