Breaking up with Hi Fi

[liverpool_for_life]

No she is against my idea of selling this stuff.

FWIW, I agree with her. Far easier to take a break and see if that helps than sell everything abruptly. Especially when there is no pressing need.

Personal anecdote: It has taken more than 3 years since I originally bought my speakers to get to the point where what I'm hearing is approaching what the reviews of those speakers said. Lots of frustration in between, but I hung on. Was well worth it.

 

[Sean de Silva]

I will be murdered and you will be held as an accomplish.

Absolutely Vivek! I wil never forget @firearm12 - the consummate accomplished accomplice who lured me the Mogami way

 

[panditji]

Even I am a background listener Vivek and I completely agree with you about not bothering where the singer is placed in the room or the instruments as long as I am hearing all the details even if sitting outside the room.... Maybe you have gotten bored of this hobby quickly and found a new one to keep you interested.. Still would second the suggestion of staying away from the forum and just listen to your music and maybe see how you feel after 3 months.. Even the courts give you 6 months to consider before you breakup for good and I suggest you do the same..

 

[raghupb]

Bobby McFerrin? right?

My bad. Bobby McFerrin. Bobby Farrel was Daddy Cool
Cheers,
Raghu

Hi Raghu

Thanks for joining. Well I don't think I need any single bit of change to get the best out of it. I am already content. It's just too overwhelming for me.

Try @SachinChavan's "Main aur meri tanhayi" approach
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[PCA]

Even I am a background listener Vivek and I completely agree with you about not bothering where the singer is placed in the room or the instruments as long as I am hearing all the details even if sitting outside the room.... Maybe you have gotten bored of this hobby quickly and found a new one to keep you interested.. Still would second the suggestion of staying away from the forum and just listen to your music and maybe see how you feel after 3 months.. Even the courts give you 6 months to consider before you breakup for good and I suggest you do the same..

Your divorce analogy is perfect!!

 

[liverpool_for_life]

As for the listening to music vs listening to gear, all I can say is that when my room got better with acoustical treatments, I automatically began to listen to the music because everything (clarity, tonality and, most importantly for me, details) got better. Much, much better. You simply lose yourself in the beauty of the music. Background listening or not.

 

[Barun7]

Vivek, firstly kudos for speaking out your mind.
What you are going through now with your passion, is common for any other hobby or pasion. Maybe arising out of overdose during the last few tough months. I have experienced the same. I am an avid biker and was somehow tired. Then lockdown happened and here I am, confined to a 5 km radius. Trust me, now I can't wait to hop on my bike and see the speedo heading north with cool morning breeze kissing my cheeks. Sharing my example as I am sure many people here have experienced something similar or other.
My suggestion would be to take a sabbatical from listening. Take up something else like reading, biking, driving, blogging or painting. In the meantime, pack your entire package and keep it with a friend or relative whom you trust. Don't sell it right away. Give yourself a few months time and see if the passion is still there. Give it a second chance. Probably you will find renewed interest. When you love something, sometimes it is better to have some distance to keep the interest alive rather than killing it off.

 

[shyamv]

Dear FMs

Something is running in to my mind so thought of sharing with you all for the best steps forward

For quite sometime now, I am struggling with a a very stong thought of breaking up with Hi Fi. Well I am still very new in to Hi Fi but not music. It all started around mid of 2018 when I felt like upgrading my self from phones/laptop to a good music system and by early 2019 acquiring my first setup. I had some bitter expereinces with that and I learned from them.

For my second attempt, I invested a lot of time, patience, money and took trouble to acquire my dream system. Which comprises of Luxman 590 AX II integrated amplifier, Luxman DA-06 DAC and Klipsch Forte III speakers.

I still remember the days when I use to drool over by looking at the pics of the above listed components (had no means to see these beautiful components in real before you actually buy) and in online reviews. For me these components together make a ultimate system for me, very resolving, musical and life like, which I should be able to enjoy for the rest of my life and for sure can pass on to gen next (my son) without even thinking of upgrading anything.

Inspite of achieving all what I was dieing for in the past, I am not at peace and restless. You may call me old school either becuase the fun and the joy I get from a little radio is not there when I listen to my setup. Its not the the SQ is not there or it doesn't sound great. Its just my mental state at the point of time, not a proper space, not a proper room. Its kinda shame to treat such a great system like that. I almost feel forced to listen to my system for the sake of using it beacuse I have spent so much money/efforts/time and many restless nights before acquiring it, this is truly very miserable thing to do in my view.

I am slowly relaizing few things about my self first, I love music more than "how the music is being reproduced". If I like the music, the singer, the lyrics then thats more than enough for me. Secondly, I am a background listener no doubt in that. I simply do not have the patience to sit in front of the systen and do nothing but just play music, I can't do that. Though it happened for may be once or twice but thats hard for me baring in the company of few drinks . I tried many ways to change my self but I guess that time is gone to bring about adrastic change in my self.

Morover I do not own the current place and this system deserves a far better room and a more serious listener than me. This feeling is there for quite some time now, may be few of you might have figured this out from my earlier posts around such feeling.

I want to say good bye to Hi Fi at this moment, I am not for this this is not for me. I am not saying good bye to music, but listening to music through Hi Fi. My day starts with a good 2 to 3 hours of FM session, that keeps me happy for the day.

About the gear, with utmost pain, if this feeling refuses to go away, I will have to part with my system. So if you see any sale post from me in coming days, that means going back to basics is imminent

I will still be part of HFV, I have made many good friends from here and have learnt many things and still learning. I will try to contribute/help others as much as I could.


Thanks for reading this.

Regards
Vivek

Vivek,

I empathize completely as I struggle with this myself sometimes. Music comes first - no matter what. This might be a sacrilegious statement in this forum but I feel that several audiophiles get so caught up with their equipment that they forget to appreciate what got them into this journey in the first place i.e. their love for music. As they say, an audiophile listens to his equipment while a music lover listens to music!

Everyone has a different approach. So by all means, do what your heart tells you. Scale-down to basics and do whatever it takes to bring back the full, unencumbered joy of music in your life! That's what matters the most! I might follow you on this path someday soon!

Happy listening!
Shyam.

 

[Nitin K]

Hi Vivek,

As others have suggested, sometimes it good to take a sabbatical from the forum for introspection before selling off your equipment. A lot of your time, money & efforts have gone in procuring your existing system hence better to think about it & not do something in haste.
I do agree the choice of music/track comes first & the associated equipment reproducing it will always be secondary as it is meant to reproduce the music/track to the best of its capability & not vice versa.
Some people are happy listening to music on their mobile phone ear buds while others on their expensive equipment with different listening habits. All the best in your quest.

Regards,
Nitin

 

[Hari Iyer]

I had similar feelings about cars some 12 to 15 years ago, I use to read all reviews, fantasize about them, tried membership with forums and bought 3 cars between 2007 to 2010. Suddenly got completely dis-interested and stopped reading anything. At some point of time, I used to download service manuals of BMW, Mercs, Fiats etc and read them without understanding anything.
Now my car is used only for commuting from A to B and it really does not matter and is not a style statement. I can understand if you are feeling the same about your audio gears and I think it should be normal.
When I am writing this, I am currently building a DIY tube amplifier, but I am slowly getting disinterested in listening to music too and my fear is that this will go my car way. May be this is called progressive life and not holding on to anything for ever.

 

[Vivek Batra]

I had similar feelings about cars some 12 to 15 years ago, I use to read all reviews, fantasize about them, tried membership with forums and bought 3 cars between 2007 to 2010. Suddenly got completely dis-interested and stopped reading anything. At some point of time, I used to download service manuals of BMW, Mercs, Fiats etc and read them without understanding anything.
Now my car is used only for commuting from A to B and it really does not matter and is not a style statement. I can understand if you are feeling the same about your audio gears and I think it should be normal.
When I am writing this, I am currently building a DIY tube amplifier, but I am slowly getting disinterested in listening to music too and my fear is that this will go my car way. May be this is called progressive life and not holding on to anything for ever.

One thing that I fully accept is simple and low profile life is a happy, healthy and peaceful life. I want to practice it but I am far from it. May be it's a starting point.

A very apt song popped up right now

Dil yeh mera bas mein nahin
Pehle kabhi aisa hota tha nahin
Dil yeh mera bas mein nahin
Pehle kabhi aisa hota tha nahin
Tu hi bata is dil ka main ab kya karoon

Kehne pe chalta nahin
Kuchh dinon se meri bhi sunta nahi
Tu hi bata is dil ka main
Uff ab Main kya karon

 

[prem]

Vivek, didn’t you put up your entire system for sale on OLX about a month back? So why are you having second thoughts? Sell it and move on

 

[Vivek Batra]

Vivek, didn’t you put up your entire system for sale on OLX about a month back? So why are you having second thoughts? Sell it and move on

I am still not sure that's why posted on OLX else would have posted here to find a serious buyer.

 

[prem]

Are you saying you didn’t post your system for sale on OLX? And someone else did? You had asked for 1200000 saying it was box packed condition. A few guys on the forum asked me about it. That’s how I came to know.

Vivek, if you genuinely wanted opinion of the forum members here, you should have posted before putting up your system for sale. I don’t know what to make of your thread, knowing your system was put up for sale on OLX a month back.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Are you saying you didn’t post your system for sale on OLX? And someone else did? You had asked for 1200000 saying it was box packed condition. A few guys on the forum asked me about it. That’s how I came to know.

I am not not denying sir. Please read my reply again.

Vivek, if you genuinely wanted opinion of the forum members here, you should have posted before putting up your system for sale. I don’t know what to make of your thread, knowing your system was put up for sale on OLX a month back.

Sir, I respectfully disagree with you. I don't think that if I posted my system anywhere for sale or here, stops me or anyone to share my thoughts or asking for others opinion. Anyone can post stuff to sell, it doesn't mean one is hell bent on selling it and it's not a irrevocable action either.

Regards

 

[liverpool_for_life]

[...]I don't think that if I posted my system anywhere for sale or here, stops me or anyone to share my thoughts or asking for others opinion. [...]

Indeed. I find it bizarre quite frankly that you have to defend your decision to post your system on OLX for sale prior to making this thread here. How on earth are the two connected? Your gear. Do what you wish with it.

 

[Naturelover]

You migrated from laptop/headphones/FM to a very good system all of a sudden.
It takes time to get used to this massive change. Keep listening and you will. Give it time.

What is your source of music? Hope that is upto the rest of the chain. The player as well as the media (CD, streaming, etc).

Try to analyse what you don't like about the system. Then get help here.
It is possible to tame the sound with a change in cables.

Just possibly the amp and speakers are not a good match. Keep the Luxman and experiment with speakers. Borrow as possible.
Don't dismiss bookshelves. They can sound great. Better than floorstanders in constrained spaces.

Have you tried speaker placements? No matter if you can't place them where they sound best. Just try it out.
See if it is only the system or placement helps. Also things like furniture, rugs, etc. Even a bit of room treatment if possible.
In one of my earlier setups, I used to pull out the speakers while playing music. Makes a difference.

And OLX? That is painful for us

 

[Fiftyfifty]

I can empathise with your wanting to listen to music in the background rather than sit in a straightjacket. For that, one needs to position the system to sound balanced throughout the room. Listening to music does not become a chore then

 

[Deleted member 15865]

I don't think that if I posted my system anywhere for sale or here, stops me or anyone to share my thoughts or asking for others opinion

No, it doesn’t. Though you could have chosen to disclose that in the original post where you bared your dilemma. Because the OLX posting meant you had progressed further in your decision on your system than what your original post conveyed. The responses of FMs would have been more appropriate to that reality (decision stage).

 

[panditji]

Guys, it's Vivek's prerogative here to do whatever he feels like. Its like he has bought a Ferrari and has now realised that he prefers being driven around by a driver sitting comfortably in the back seat and that the Ferrari's performance and specs dont make much of a difference to him... It was his money in the first place and he probably does not care much for all the performance specs of his hifi and therefore he would much rather utilise his money in a better manner that he thinks right...

Vivek, feel free to sell whatever you want to sell, wherever you want to sell and to whomsoever you want to sell...