Emotional rollercoaster

barts,

'I'm not on another upgrade path....this is it, the last rodeo, just like every other time. Time to sit back and and reap what I have sown.'

cd318 ,
"Yes, but what if a loudspeaker finally comes along that does most things right?"

Good question, here's my analog (no pun) to that:
Say I go out and buy a new Porsche 911 Turbo S and it's fast as hell, a blast to drive, blows my dress up, makes me smile and never stops impressing me.   The following year Porsche comes out with a new version that has 25hp more, is better on the skid pad and is raved about in the auto rags.  My take: My car is still as fast, still is a blast, still blows my dress up, makes me smile and never stops impressing me! I am completely satisfied with its performance, couldn't care less about the newest bestest thing on the block.  That's my approach to many things in life: bikes cars stereo house wife. I'm just a complexly simple guy.  
  

Maybe Xanax is the answer. 

barts:" My car is still as fast, still is a blast, still blows my dress up, makes me smile and never stops impressing me! I am completely satisfied with its performance, couldn't care less about the newest bestest thing on the block."

Hello barts,

     Apparently, things tend to blow your dress up fairly regularly.  Have you ever considered wearing pants? 
    It would be a simple solution for a complexly simple guy.

Tim 

I don't believe high end audio is a sham but it is very complex. The first question is, what is better sound? I'm guessing it means something different to each and everyone of us. If you can imagine your perfect audio system in your mind, what would it sound like? If you don't know, how will you know when you have a system that has achieved it? Figure out what good sound is to you. Be honest with yourself about your abilities and trust what you hear. Understand how important room acoustics are to what you are trying to achieve and how issues can be dealt with. Try to figure out who the other people are that share your audio philosophies and seek out their advice.

A great audio system can be very fulfilling and rewarding or it can be a huge pita. Good luck in your journey.

barts,

Good for you. As Clint Eastwood used to say, "A man’s got to know his limitations."

Maybe it’s the same for audiophiles - knowing when enough is enough.


audiorusty,

'If you can imagine your perfect audio system in your mind, what would it sound like? If you don’t know, how will you know when you have a system that has achieved it?’

I can’t speak for anyone else but in my main system, which does so many other right things, the speakers are just a little obvious. Large 1970s chipboard cabinets probably leave a little to be desired when it comes to self effacement and neutrality.

The final frontier (or crossing the Rubicon as someone wittily said earlier), would be precisely that kind of loudspeaker that Siegfried Linkwitz talked about.

One that does most things right and somehow seemingly disappears just leaving behind a phantom musical image.

Just like a reasonable facsimile of performance in front of you.

In the meantime perhaps it’s better to take a leaf out of barts book.