It doesn't take much to enjoy music-I've done it listening to AM radio in a car with the windows rolled down. Lots of folks enjoy music with a $50 bluetooth speaker and would think its nuts to spend a grand on audio equipment. So, I don't think the question is whether you like music, or like upgrades, or like equipment. It seems obvious that if you can use whatever resources you choose to apply to this pursuit-a function of capacity and priority- in a way that yields higher quality reproduction of the music, you are likely to enjoy the music more. At least that's how it works for me, otherwise I'd still be listening on the AM radio.
The argument against upgrading
I’ve always assumed upgrading hifi can be worthwhile provided there is some audible improvement in sound quality. Maybe, this assumption should be challenged.
Let’s suppose I make some change to my system. I make a meaningful comparison that proves it sounds better in some way.
Before making the change, I was already able to get into and enjoy certain recordings. Surely, I can’t get into these recordings any more than that. It’s an either or thing not a matter of degree.
So what does the upgrade actually do for me in practice? I fear that more often than not it may be absolutely nothing.
I am not arguing that there is no better. Just that incrementally better may not necessarily always translate into more musical enjoyment.
I suppose this all begs the question what I actually mean by better.
What’s your view on the benefits of upgrading? How can we reliably assess whether it is effective?
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Many thanks to everyone for taking my question seriously and giving such thoughtful relies. Just to reiterate some of what has already been said and add a couple of ideas of my own. Firstly, the importance of distinguishing between better and different. There’s a danger of changing components for superficial changes in sound character rather than fundamental improvements in quality. In my opinion, the way to avoid that is using the Tune Dem method. Listening to a short passage of music before and after the change for which it is easier to follow the tune. I’ve never felt the need to change speakers or power amps in 25 years. In that time, all my upgrades have been with sources, pre amp, crossovers, network and digital signal processing as technologies have advanced. That’s where I have found the biggest improvements to come from. If you can get the loudspeaker system right in the first place and stick with it, that stands you in good stead for the other upgrades. Tom Martin points out the manufacturers traditionally strive for incremental gains from reducing noise and distortion, while paying less attention to imaging, dynamics, bass in real rooms and undesirable digital artefacts. He emphasises the importance of these issues in achieving believability in audio sound. It makes absolutely no sense to most people that audiophiles put so much effort into fancy systems when it is perfectly possible to enjoy music on a humble bluetooth speaker. Yet clearly we enjoy listening to better quality sound. This is the contradiction at the heart of my worry that we are not achieving anything with our upgrades. I don’t necessarily think we are wasting our time. It’s more I think we should be cautious, especially as the upgrades become more expensive. As has been said, the elephant in the room is the room itself. Furthermore, it’s always helpful to listen to the best mastered version of each album. Happy New Year. |
I actually did not understand the point of your OP. Why would you stop “getting into” certain songs if you upgrade?
I listen to almost exclusively to classical music. I have appreciated many works and composers in a much greater sense as I have upgraded and been able to hear everything that they are doing. It’s like a picture suddenly snapping into focus |
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