Have you ever become totally disinterested in your system???

[Kristian Kristiansen]

On 20/08/2022 at 1:40 PM, blakey72 said:

I'm not sure what's happened. Ever since I sold my Harbeth's I just can't get interested in my system/s. It's not like I'm running budget gear or anything. I've got the Rose Hifi RS250 running into the Plinius 9200 then into Dynaudio DM3/7 floorstanders. I've even tried my Exposure 2010S2 amp into my PMC speakers, just can't get into it. Maybe it's the end for me, maybe I was spoilt with  sound and nothing else measure's up?? Maybe I'm over analysing it 

 

Has anyone else had a problem like this after selling something or has it struck just out of the blue? It's kinda like I'm scared to listen, I think I'll have a listen then make an excuse to do something else. Bizarre. Scardy cat! 

 

Is there light ahead or is this the end.........

 

If this has happened to you what caused it and how did you fix it?

 

 

I think I can say with 100% certainty that this will never happen to me

 

I have musical equipment because I have a lifelong passion for music - not the other way around

when i'm down - i have music for that - when i'm up, i have music for that, when i'm in between - i've got music for that 

could it be more about  regaining your love of music... rather than fussing over the bits and pieces that enable you to hear it?

 

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Kristian Kristiansen

[Kristian Kristiansen]

On 20/08/2022 at 6:50 PM, muon* said:

I was more into critical listening back when I used to imitate Cheech & Chong.

 

A while ago I thought I'd recapture that, but just ended up sleeping through the CD every time

Microdosing is the way forward in that regard... 

 

this is why half my music collection is instrumental synth-based interplanetary kosmische musik  

 

[fordute]

Yes took a break by jumping out of a plane.

Made me appreciate being alive again.

[stereo coffee]

44 minutes ago, fordute said:

Yes took a break by jumping out of a plane.

Made me appreciate being alive again.

Like these guys   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Fall_(Dixie_Dregs_album)

[El Tel]

51 minutes ago, fordute said:

Yes took a break by jumping out of a plane.

Made me appreciate being alive again.

 

I have about 200 logged jumps. I started to like the adrenaline a bit too much - I got grounded a couple of times for low pulls. Did a couple of BASE jumps and decided I was going to die if I carried on so packed it in. That was about 20 years back.

[fordute]

6 minutes ago, El Tel said:

 

I have about 200 logged jumps. I started to like the adrenaline a bit too much - I got grounded a couple of times for low pulls. Did a couple of BASE jumps and decided I was going to die if I carried on so packed it in. That was about 20 years back.

Did a few free solo climbs back in the day.

Now that was intense!

 

[Herbs]

Scarletblue

[Luc]

Quote

Have you ever become totally disinterested in your system???

 

 

No.

[blakey72]

I think I may have just sparked an interest again. I managed to open up and fix my newly acquired Consonance Droplet 5.0 CD Player that didn't want to work after a long trip home from the Sunshine State.

 

I was testing it with  few old cd's and threw in some really old Van Halen in the form of their first album self titled. The great man must have been looking down on me because after turning up 'Running with the Devil', I just couldn't turn it off. I think  beautiful tube sounding cd player and some 70's metal may have saved me 

 

Maybe I have been over analysing my system and lost the music like some have said.

[Guest DrSK]

On 20/08/2022 at 2:10 PM, blakey72 said:

I'm not sure what's happened. Ever since I sold my Harbeth's I just can't get interested in my system/s. It's not like I'm running budget gear or anything. I've got the Rose Hifi RS250 running into the Plinius 9200 then into Dynaudio DM3/7 floorstanders. I've even tried my Exposure 2010S2 amp into my PMC speakers, just can't get into it. Maybe it's the end for me, maybe I was spoilt with  sound and nothing else measure's up?? Maybe I'm over analysing it 

 

Has anyone else had a problem like this after selling something or has it struck just out of the blue? It's kinda like I'm scared to listen, I think I'll have a listen then make an excuse to do something else. Bizarre. Scardy cat! 

 

Is there light ahead or is this the end.........

 

If this has happened to you what caused it and how did you fix it?

 

 

 

Yep, for about 2 years.  Planned to quit this forum too, but never figured out how to delete my profile.

 

Got to the point where I realised what I was seeking was for the most part unachievable due to the quality of recordings. In that I'm wanting realism and imaging, at odds with what many studios do.

 

And realised my life priorities had changed with kids. 

 

I'm now back to listening to music daily, but as background while doing something else unless I need a quick break. Good advice from on here. It's stopped me analysing so much.

 

I also deliberately buggered up my main system, which was also a suggestion. Speaker placement for a while to just create some very nice ambience, much less precise imaging, but large 'sweet spot' from multiple seats or just being in the room. Enjoying the sound (dynamic, punchy, great attack) for now and no critical listening. I'd realised I played my compromised system more in the lounge and enjoyed it in the background. Plus enjoying having a more versatile room for other activities. 

 

I've also split my quirky 4.0, my main system. Using my rears (Lenehan ML1+R) now in my office partnered with a basic newer NAD where my desk seated position is the sweet spot and enjoying the sound stage, although see an amp and DAC upgrade coming if/when my Metaxas power amp is finally repaired and I may put this in the office with DAC and digital control of the volume. Getting far more use and enjoyment from them than the rare times I watch a movie AND wish I had rears. 

Edited August 24, 2022 by DrSK

[fordute]

36 minutes ago, blakey72 said:

Maybe I have been over analysing my system and lost the music like some have said.

Spot on!

[Tim 2]

On 19/08/2022 at 10:10 PM, blakey72 said:

I'm not sure what's happened. Ever since I sold my Harbeth's I just can't get interested in my system/s. It's not like I'm running budget gear or anything. I've got the Rose Hifi RS250 running into the Plinius 9200 then into Dynaudio DM3/7 floorstanders. I've even tried my Exposure 2010S2 amp into my PMC speakers, just can't get into it. Maybe it's the end for me, maybe I was spoilt with  sound and nothing else measure's up?? Maybe I'm over analysing it 

 

Has anyone else had a problem like this after selling something or has it struck just out of the blue? It's kinda like I'm scared to listen, I think I'll have a listen then make an excuse to do something else. Bizarre. Scardy cat! 

 

Is there light ahead or is this the end.........

 

If this has happened to you what caused it and how did you fix it?

 

 

Whether it be the Harbeths or something else it might be time to try a few changes of equipment. 

If your lucky enough to have a local audio salon you may be able to do an in-house demo without cost. Thats how I ended up with these speakers.

 

 

[Ken_Mc]

Sure, I get burned out from listening to any system for very long.   One can only do the same thing the same way for so long before it becomes less interesting.  
 

The first thing to do is go get a new stack of records to play. After that, change something in your system to make it sound new again.   This is where having vacuum tubes in your system is very helpful.  A new set of tubes makes for a new sounding amp.   I’m at a point where I can move things around and swap out equipment without having to go buy new stuff.  It’s a lot like playing guitar, you may have a favorite but if that’s all you ever play, you won’t play as much. 

[GregWormald]

What worked to re-kindle my listening:—While awaiting my new active speakers (months in the making!) I had only an old $200 pair of bookshelf speakers powered by a 30+ year old amp.

Boy, do I appreciate my music more now.

[Yamaha_man]

I know the feeling well. Started when I built a dedicated music room.

[joz]

COVID lockdown killed my music listening. Only because my home became a work and study environment.

Then the lack of social interaction with no GTGs made me look elsewhere to get what was missing.

For me it was a car club and spirited drives with the guys. YMMV.

[tubularbells]

 Ive been on a historically long sabbatical from listening to music in the church broken only by the will of others here on SNA to snap me out of it and providing me with assistance in making the system even better via lots of room measurements and room changes and I have to say its been somewhat of a revelation as im now looking forward to the times when I can listen again and its a truly special and wondrous thing....

 

The current work in progress.

 

 

 

[blakey72]

48 minutes ago, tubularbells said:

 Ive been on a historically long sabbatical from listening to music in the church broken only by the will of others here on SNA to snap me out of it and providing me with assistance in making the system even better via lots of room measurements and room changes and I have to say its been somewhat of a revelation as im now looking forward to the times when I can listen again and its a truly special and wondrous thing....

 

The current work in progress.

 

 

 

If that's a pic of you Doug on the left (second pic), I think you need to see the dentist mate 

[Tim 2]

On 23/08/2022 at 3:14 AM, Luc said:

 

 

No.

X 2

[Sounding]

I was told by a distant friend that he wasn’t enjoying music much, and I sent him this:

 

Hi.
So, if I understand correctly, you no longer enjoy listening to music like you used to because your system is so high end that it renders what you perceive to be flaws in the recordings, which is too much of a distraction to look beyond, to appreciate the song for what it is.
I’m going to put that bluntly for the sake of words and call it listening to the speakers instead of the room.
When you have a system high end enough to render enough quality to allow that, that’s a great thing to achieve such quality.
But it has come at a cost, which is passion.
The passion for the music for what it is.
A good, heartfelt story, or perhaps an absolute mastery of musical instrument talent - not for the quality of the music to your ear, but for the talented way the instrument is being used to create such wonderful displays of talent.
Lets start with a story song and see if we can find a bit of emotion in the eyes of the listener.
The intention here is not to get too engrossed with the quality, nor the music, but to let the song tell you a story.
The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald.
Pop it on at a pleasant but detailed volume, settle back and enjoy the story for story-telling sake.
Having the lights dimmed and closing your eyes helps you settle into it.
The purpose here is to concentrate on the words - the story.
Many songs have great stories, sometimes you can connect to just a few lyrics in a song, sometimes a song will tell you a story that you can relate to all the way through.
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud… “Take me into your loving arms, Kiss me under the lights of a thousand stars, lay your head on my beating heart”… absolute perfection in portraying a vision to the listener.
Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind.
“And the gypsy cab takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklin Bridge”, other wonderful lyrics in that song. Nick Cave - Into My Arms also comes to mind, bit of a tear jerker.
Even Vincent by Don McLean, or Rocky Mountain High by John Denver, or Piano Man by Billy Joel… I could go on a lot but the point here is to identify songs that hopefully you can connect with because of the story they tell. Nothing to do with the quality of the sound, just listen to the words, try and find your passion for the good story that hides in so many songs.

If you find yourself getting distracted by the audio quality, concentrate more on the song words and not the music.

The concept here is to find some lyrics, or stories in songs that tell a story. Think of it as reading a book or watching a movie in 4 minutes, or however long the song is. Concentrate on the story, and imagine it yourself.

Next, we are going to try and recognise the talent in the musician/s that work their magic. Have a listen to Cocaine by Eric Clapton, particularly the second half and hear his brilliance. Or Dire Straits (take your pick) and see the great synergy of their sounds working together - Telegraph Road last 5 minutes or so. Pink Floyd, man the drugs must have been good back then. There are musicians out there that can display their talent so uniquely, so masterfully.
Listen to the Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett. Back in 1975 so we are not listening to the quality of the recording, nor will we be distracted by it, because we are closing our eyes and listening to the talent the artist is presenting through their performance on whatever instrument takes your fancy in the song you’re listening to.
Some of the solo guitar work of Tommy Emmanuel and so many others.
I am not going to mention Kenny G for his work, because on the one CD I did buy many years ago, it starts off okay but it goes ballistic and it turns into something more as showing off, than musical. But there are plenty of talented artists out there where you can actually hear the instrument sing, where your ears let your mind visualise the mastery of the performance in front of you. Nothing to do with the recording quality, but about the talent. Learn to enjoy that.

Now we are moving on to the blending of instruments that work together.
Heard it through the Grapevine is a great transition, easy to focus on the talent of one instrument, but moves into the rhythm created by the composition of pieces together.
U2 is another good example of this. The Joshua Tree would be my pick. In fact, the last song on that album, Mothers of the Disappeared, a great transition into the next step - concentrate on the emotive talent of one instrument - bass guitar. Then the singing starts, and if you know the history of the song and what it is about you can be taken on a journey in your mind of the story in the song, the music adding to the story.

The whole concept here is building into stripping away the performance in your listening room, and instead let it be a performance in your mind.
Go back to some songs that you grew up on, see whether these techniques allow you to strip away the critical listening of the recording, and instead enjoy the song for what it is - a great melody, some great rhythm, some really great talent with the musicians and their instruments, and the great stories that reside in so many songs.
Speaking of rhythm, the master of percussion is Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. The StreetLife album has sone great songs, not least of which is “Over You”. The last minute or so of that song gets me in every time.

I hope this helps you to strip away the issues you are having in finding enjoyment in your music.

And if all that fails, go buy yourself an Auralic Sirius G2.1 upsampling processor, like I just did (oops…)

 

[MattyW]

From time to time however it’s usually when I’m I’ll. Music isn’t enjoyable with a beached, sore ears, pressure in your head etc. what’s even worse is when a system change has been for the worse.

 

Harbeths are meant to be rather special in the way they make music or so I’ve read….. Kind of like the Klipsch Heritage series. Doesn’t sound like a system though rather just gets out of the way and makes music.

 

I find high efficiency speakers to be highly transparent with incredible insight but gee don’t they expose any and all flaws in a system. When you mail it though it’s exceptionally rewarding. I’m currently a massive fan of Lii Song full range speakers though I can also see why they’d not appeal to many. Exposes anything and everything.

 

But yeah, I lose interest and regain it all the time. I’ll be trying a new pre in the coming months though I certainly won’t sell my icOn 4PRO for a long time after. Need to confirm it’s true step forward once the excitement wears off. It sticks to go backwards dude however often backwards steps are necessary to go in a different direction and the end result ends up being far better than what you previously had. A lot of money, time and effort to get there though 

Edited September 16, 2022 by MattyW

[wen]

Never, it's always been about listening and enjoying the music. Have gone from owning a Linn to an old Rega, again like @blakey72 tough times, but did not diminish the enjoyment. My end game amp blowing up again and again, 5 amps later, have the same end game amp back again, all these times the sound was different, but still played and enjoyed the music. Rarely a day goes by without listening to music.

[Kristian Kristiansen]

On 25/08/2022 at 3:45 AM, Ken_McAlinden said:

Sure, I get burned out from listening to any system for very long.   One can only do the same thing the same way for so long before it becomes less interesting.  
 

The first thing to do is go get a new stack of records to play. After that, change something in your system to make it sound new again.   This is where having vacuum tubes in your system is very helpful.  A new set of tubes makes for a new sounding amp.   I’m at a point where I can move things around and swap out equipment without having to go buy new stuff.  It’s a lot like playing guitar, you may have a favorite but if that’s all you ever play, you won’t play as much. 

I disagree with all of this sorry

 

 

[BLAH BLAH]

Have come to this thread a tad late...

In my case...I have not become totally disinterested in my system...It's simply that I haven't played any music Jazz/Baroque on my system for over three months now...

Just that the less I've played music the longer the slide into not ever playing or even worrying about the fact, maybe I ought to be worried about not playing music on my system given the amount of time, money and effort I have put into it's creation. So many wonderful distractions! I have been totally distracted by the wet weather...all that rain...beautiful rain...that has caused so much hardship for others...for me it has been a secret pleasure! Spesh at night listening to it's fall, it's drips and varied splashes! Some say it's the Brown Noise Effect...I say for me it's the brown music effect...watered down into a never ending continuous play of a greatest hits album...(I'm singing in the rain. Yes, singing in the rain What a glorious feeling And I'm happy again I'm laughing at clouds So dark up above The sun's in my heart And I'm ready for love...)...bliss!

Early morning bird calls with a cup of warming herbal tea...always sounding different and never the same cries...mmmm! (I think I saw a puddy cat...I did! I did!) and Sasha my russian blue comes and sits in my lap, warming!

Then their is reading...rediscovering it's pleasures...a voracious reader when I was younger...now with retirement and more time on my hands I have rediscovered and drifted back to it's authored seduction...and my tired old brain is thankful...the joy of discovering new words, their origins! (What the hell?!? Really?!!! It's all greek to me!)  TV has become an agreeable nightly companion now...replaying all those wonderful old BBC productions...currently I am lost in the older All creatures Great and Small...ahhhh Siegfried! And their are so many other great programes....so many and so little time! Then there is food...we loves our food don't we blah blah...softly fried white eggs in steaming butter, tipped with glistening bulbs of bright orange yolk, sprinkled/topped with the herb taragon and some worchester dark sauce on sourdough toast...salami sandwiches...chicken...lamb...bbq'ed chicken...steak...pasta! ohhh I could go on with lip smacking joy...just like my expanding girth! The joy of gardening and tending, growing from seed, all those little green sprouts that have grown into larger green tasting sensations! Pretty soft emerald satin spinach, double fringed pirouetting serrated tipped endive, brightly red stripped sorrel, crunchy parsley and fresh kale...your mine all mine, come to me!!! And sometimes, just sometimes when I browse the Web on my computer for distraction I Youtube some continuous 60's/70's hit music for company...well what can I say...I'm not sure I can withstand the Guy Fawkes night of colourful memory flashes that each song explodes and recalls for me. You tube hits from the 60's/70's is like opening an aural photography book... each photo/hit song sets of a corresponding flicker of youthful recall...just a flicker...cos the old tired bod just cannot sustain that youthful passionate torrent...(Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night...) ahhhh but the recall...such recalled minutia of memories...youtube music is a time machine of discovery...ahhh is that the dinner bell i hear?!?

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by BLAH BLAH

[El Tel]

3 minutes ago, BLAH BLAH said:

Have come to this thread a tad late...

In my case...I have not become totally disinterested in my system...It's simply that I haven't played any music Jazz/Baroque on my system for over three months now...

Just that the less I played music the longer the slide into not ever playing or even worrying about the fact, maybe I ought to be worried about not playing music on my system given the amount of time, money and effort I have put into it's creation. So many distractions! I have been distracted by the weather...all that rain...beautiful rain...that has caused so much hardship for others...for me it has been a secret pleasure! Spesh at night listening to it's fall, it's drips and varied splashes! Some say it's the Brown Noise Effect...I say for me it's the brown music effect...watered down to a never ending continuous play of a greatest hits album...(I'm singing in the rain
Yes, singing in the rain What a glorious feeling And I'm happy again I'm laughing at clouds So dark up above The sun's in my heart And I'm ready for love...)...bliss!

Early morning bird calls with a cup of warming herbal tea...always sounding different and never the same cries...mmmm! (I think I saw a puddy cat...I did! I did!) and Sasha my russian blue comes and sits in my lap, warming!

Then their is reading...rediscovering it's pleasures...a voracious reader when I was younger...now with retirement and more time on my hands I have rediscovered and drifted back to it's authored seduction...and my tired old brain is thankful...the joy of discovering new words, their origins! (What the hell?!? Really?!!!)  TV has become an agreeable nightly companion now...replaying all those wonderful BBC productions...currently I am lost in All creatures Great and Small...ahhhh! And their are so many other great programes....so many and so little time! Then there is food...we loves our food don't we blah blah...soft fried eggs in steaming butter...salami sandwiches...chicken...lamb ohhh I could go on with lip smacking joy...just like my expanding girth! The joy of gardening and tending, growing from seed, all those little green sprouts that grown into larger green tasting sensations! Pretty satin spinach, fringed pirouetting endive, red stripped sorrel, crunchy parsley and kale...your mine all mine, come to me!!! And sometimes, just sometimes when I browse the Web on my computer for distraction I Youtube some continuous 60's/70's hit music for company...well what can I say...I'm not sure I can withstand the Guy Fawkes night of colourful memory flashes that each song recalls for me. You tube hits from the 60's/70's is like opening an aural photography book... each photo/hit song sets of a corresponding flicker of youthful recall...just a flicker...cos the old tired bod just cannot sustain that youthful torrent...(Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night...) ahhhh but the recall...the memories...youtube music is a time machine of discovery...ahhh is that the dinner bell i hear?!?

 

 

 

I, for one, appreciate the disassociating nature of such a semi-coherent, colourful and articulate half-arsed rant every now and then. Some wonderful visualisations there. Well done and thank you - seriously.