The value of Bad. Knowing what you don't want, is as valuable as knowing what you do.


In the flower days of the 60s and into the 80s there were thoughts of everyone and everything being good and personal best.  Most know that there are good and bad people, and no one wants a surgeon that got through school on personal best.   Basically in knowing what I do not want, helps me not waste time and I can focus on what I do want.....and this should not be a surprise to anyone on AudiogoN, it is very much what the pursuit of the absolute sound/the high end is about. 

If you are not sure about this, go to ebay and type "audiophile" in the search bar and look through the listings.

28k+ listings,    audiophile | eBay

In this current time, we are much beyond "Buyer Beware", in many things from what we consume to who we vote for.  

Perhaps I am different, but knowing I wanted to listen to Jazz and not Disco included the thought of what I didn't want. 

Of course when push comes to shove, there are always Pop-Tarts.....



whatjd
I "want" an excessive studio reverb KILL SWITCH in order that I can listen to Chaka Khan recordings sans what I "don't" want.

Is that asking too much?

DeKay
DeKay, yes...that is asking for too much. 

But I can do an autographed 45 of the Cap and Toenail doing "Love Will Keep Us Apart"
Knowing what I don't want is incredibly valuable. Of course it takes time learning what's not worth knowing about, or having. But then once done it pays dividends forevermore. 

Don't want speakers less than 92dB sensitivity. 

Don't want phono cartridge less than 0.5mV output. 

Don't want tone arm the phono lead isn't hard wired. 

Don't want digital. In any guise.  

Don't want specs- other than the first two. Those I want. 

That'll do.
Right.
Don't want digital in any form. But have to have it at times.
Don't want direct drive turntable.
Don't want vinyl if I can have good master tape dubs. I can't, too expensive or unavailable.
Don't want any Asian parts in my equipment except Japanese and maybe Taiwanese.
Don't want horn speakers. Not my kind of presentation.

After many years I've learned not to dismiss anything until I hear it in an adequate demonstration.
I have to agree that you learn that, what you want and not, only after practice, usual.
Don’t want to lend gear or LP’sDon’t want power amplifiers with too many tubesDon’t want metal dome tweetersDon’t want ugly and silly looking equipment.

G

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+1. There are many flavors of "good" when it comes to audio.

With working from home recently, I've been listening to a lot of streaming. That allows me to easily change my music as my moods and what I'm doing changes throughout the day. Does it sound as good as vinyl or even local digital files? No, but the ability to easily switch up my music is another type of "good" that is particularly valuable to me right now.
When you are in love you want only ONE thing....You dont focus on the list which will include all of what you dont want... What is important is what we want and why.... The rest is not excluded, it only exist beside us...

The most important thing is love, the rest is useless listing....

I love music and ideas and my dog ( am i forgetting my children and wife here? Where is my dam list! )

The rest of things dont really exist in a so much consistent way, so that listing them would be useful....



The only useful list is the list of prime numbers by the way..... It is useful for eternity..... 😊


«Damn! Your list of primes is useless for my grocery memento »-Groucho Marx  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkAaxFVyel0

But, knowing what you Really need is what really counts.... ;)

...and the only useful prime to me is as easy as pi...

"You can go and _____ me, I don't care...."
"You can go and _____ me, I don't care...."
Nobody will dare to _____ you, you are always a "jooly good fellow",

My best to you.....
*S*  And I appreciate that, Friend Mahgister...

If you couldn't attend the A POX ON YA drinking fest, I will order a Shirley Temple in your stead, add an adult adulterant of my choice, and toast my best back atcha'....👍

(Someone has to document a IC 'discussion' @ the bar IRL.....'Ell, I'll bring the subject up, 'vague away' from the fray, and document it....)

I'm such a bitch.....*LOL*

Send 'Mr. K' a r/t plane ticket and a paid room so he could attend....

Watch THAT riot occur.....😜

'Chicago Tribune, Section A, last page, below the fold: "Inebriated Audiophiles Devastate Hotel Bar"....

"...they were just excitable boys. OoooAhOooo, Excitable Boys...excitable boys...."
I'm surprised that there are so many answers to this thread, because it seems like a rambling statement and not a question.
@roxy54 ... Well, that's kind of the nature of the OP's opening gambit.

There's as many ways and means to approach and respond to it as there is the equipment we amass to listen to that we enjoy.

One can have a mega$ system that rivals the cost of a Really Nice Car.
Or, it can be that which one has collected over a period of time...used, new, diy'd, tweaked to taste, and fitted to one's tastes and budget.

Noting the plethora of posts you've made, and the amount you've read (or ignored) over the hours you've threaded @ A'gon, I'd suspect that the norm that you've seen endlessly debated, argued, 'imho'd, on & anon....

...is....

The good is kept, until it isn't; 'twas always thus, and likely to remain.

Another mirror of the human condition, tube or ss, analog or digital of late.  Perfection is always just at one's fingertips, just short of grasp...

...but that's my excuse, and I'll keep my own version of it. ;)

*clink* Cheers....*S*


My salutations to asvjerry, another "joolly good fellow" indeed... 😌




«Life without friends would be a desert says the tree dancing in the wind»- Anonymus Smith