Breaking up with Hi Fi

[shyamv]

When I lived in US around 15 years ago, I had a Sansui TU 717 tuner (modified) that I used to listen to NPR Jazz programming (destination jazz with Ed Love was by far my favorite) and many University stations. Even with sources approaching $10-$15k now, I struggle to get that sound quality in my rig - which if I recall right cost about $500 total with all modifications etc. If there were Jazz FM stations in Hyderabad I would get this in a heartbeat. So there is something to the FM Sq after all - I believe.
All the internet jazz stations available now cannot match what I heard over the humble Sansui.
Cheers,
Sid

I love NPR Jazz and I used to tune in all the time in US. Now I listen to it on TuneIn.

 

[sydney]

Please watch this

 

[blackscorpio]

Do not break up, Vivek, this is the only girlfriend your wife will allow you to live with .

Just connect an FM radio to your system and you will be back on track.

You will feel gravity of loss only after system is gone.

+1
Buy a fm tuner (be prepared to spend 3k to 5k), diy a simple loop fm antenna (I say antenna is a must unless you live next to the fm station, antenna won't cost much max 500). I think this will be the last straw & you owe it to yourself for all the time & money spent acquiring the system.

 

[drkrack]

@Vivek Batra I Respect your decision and understand what you are indicating. A Simple music reproduction should not be expensive and complicated in my opinion as well.
My 2 Cents!
1. Music Production is a Creative Art, unfortunately I've realized that Faithful music reproduction with the added customization to one's preference is a Art too. From Gear Selection to Speakers Positioning and Recording selection it's a dedicated effort of countless hours. As with any art form it needs perseverance, Dedication, trial and error apart from Financial investment. For many it feels expensive, cumbersome (ask any audiophiles wives) & for some its not. Its totally an individual prerogative to invest in it or decide to quit. So I respect your decision and hopefully that brings you a satisfaction you are looking for. You're welcome whenever you decide to revisit your decision.

2. Yes, There's something unique about FM which we are ignoring at our own peril. In fact I created a thread to discuss the same few months ago here..
Thread 'FM radio : Source Quality and type Related Querries' https://www.hifivision.com/threads/fm-radio-source-quality-and-type-related-querries.73304/

I know individual preference matter a lot, and lack of choice in Track Selection might be working in favor of FM Radio in a surprising way. Do keep us posted on your journey further because that clarity of thought is quite remarkable. Music Enjoyment should be the primary objective rather than appeasement of Audiophile gods. All the best wishes!

 

[firearm12]

i think only thing fm stations would do to sound is to process and compress it before broadcasting. Guys at AIR must be having good taste and also experience to know their stuff well for they are able to setup the sound so that it’s enjoyable. Kind of analogous to mastering of vinyl where we generally find that sound is more enjoyable even if low in dynamics.

Some thing like this would be there at heart of fm station and would need to be tuned to get a specific sound.

Omnia.11 Broadcast Audio Processor | Telos Alliance

The Omnia.11 Broadcast Audio Processor is available in FM+HD with separate processing paths for FM or HD/DRM and FM without HD/DRM.

www.telosalliance.com

 

[sivasarjun]

Buy a small speaker bluetooth or computer speaker even .Something lke a JBL or Swan m10.Smaller sound will be more soothing for background listning.
Big sound from a serious setup demands our attention and can be a distraction unless you can allot full attention to it.

 

[Dev.R]

If you get a good deal for your system then sell it. Take a break for few months and if still you need a good system then there are thousand options available in the market. Don't break your head on this....afterall it's just a hobby.

 

[shyamv]

This is an interesting thread! There are a lot of well-meaning folks here giving advice with good intention but I have a different take on this. Music is a very personal journey..almost like spirituality! One can advice others on equipment but not on their music discovery or how to enjoy music. That is a path one must discover on their own and no two paths are the same! One cannot advice a traveller who likes the outdoors that he needs to buy a better bike to enjoy the experience! Are we confusing the means with the end?

 

[Bloom@83]

Hi Vivek

I saw that you posted in Wanted section for a Luxman FM tuner.
Did you acquire one ?

 

[captainsubtext]

Interesting thread. @Vivek Batra i've been following your journey with some degree of interest and I was a little taken aback when I saw a system from Chandigarh on OLX which I recognised as yours.

Just a couple of things I wanted to leave here.

As much as I like having my stereo tucked away in a little room, the joy is having it in a place where you can actually use it as a part of your daily life (and having everyone in the family using it as well). Perhaps you could try shifting the rig around out of a dedicated room to a place where you like to spend your mornings! Add in a nice tuner and you should be good to go.

For a couple of years I had my ATCs (monoblocs and all) also hooked up to the TV in the living room despite having a dedicated AV room where I could use those. That way I ended up using them every day + listened to youtube stuff and stuff played from mobile phones when people were over.

I think once you read too much into audiophile stuff, its like a whole lifestyle being sold to you and at times one feels like its all about changing the gear and not really dipping in and listening to the music (i'm guilty of this as well myself on the headphone side of things).

And if you decide to sell it after all, I'll be looking out for your sale post

 

[liverpool_for_life]

This relaization made me feel that just listening for FM, this much of investment is not the worth.

That, of course, is a call only you can make.

However, have you actually tried playing FM on your system? There's always the possibility that doing so changes your mind. Speaking from personal experience, the availability of FM on the Anthem AVM 60 made a real difference for me (listening hours as well as pleasure derived).

 

[navjyot]

Hi Sir

There is nothing that I don't like about my system fortunately. At least I can't find any issues.

My reasoning is more around the amount of money spent and amount of time spent with the system with ease and peace. That's not justifiable in my case.

Regards
Vivek

Hi All,
I have read most of the posts in this thread. My view on this topic.

1. It really feels good to see, how people are taking time from their busy life and writing lengthy replies.
2. I was also looking for suggestion for my first stereo setup and got similar replies from members.
3. This is a very good forum where people are eager to help others with selfless motive. So Thanks all for that.

Regarding the original problem and my view on this.

1. In general, if someone ask for suggestion/ views, then it means he is not 100% sure. And looking for advice. In some cases, when the advice is reverse of what he thinks, then it becomes a discussion of justifying your view to everyone. This thread has become like that now.
2. Let me give an example for value of money.
a. Lets compare two kids. One kids family is not well off. He gets his first toy. And he is very happy and plays with that one toy for hours/months. Another kid is there whose family is well off. He keeps getting new toys every week. So he doesn't play with every toy for a long time. Does this means that his family should not buy him more toys, as its not value for money. His kid is not spending more time with each toys. NO. This just means that this kid has more option.
b. Someone gave a very beautiful example of CAR. How much money we spend on that. And how much we drive. Does this means that its not value for money. NO. We have money and we are buying it. If someone does the maths, then OLA/UBER will be much cheaper than owning a car. Still we buy it because of various reasons. Dont want to go into details here.
c. So this value for money is different for different people. If i purchase a massage chair tomorrow and think that if i use it 1 hour everyday, then only i will get value for money, then its wrong. it might do more harm to my body than good. Or if i am keeping a cook, and think that as i am paying him lot of money, so let him cook spicy/oily food everyday, then its not value for money. it will affect my stomach only. i need good simple food everyday and spicy once in a while.
d. Same with music setup. If you do passive listening, then nothing wrong in it. Its not like you are not doing justice to this setup. If someone buys a SUV, then it doesn't mean that he has to drive in jungle every now and then to take maximum value out of it. he can use it on normal road and once in a while enjoy off road drive.
e. Keep enjoying your radio. Most of the common people do passive listening only. Plus radio has a surprise factor too. The songs played are not in your control. you may like some songs. you may not. If someone doesnt like, then simply dont focus. and if you like, then give little focus while doing your work. Because of this, radio is still popular even today. We cannot compare anything with it. If a music system is 100x costier, then it cannot give 100x more happiness.
f. And whenever you feel like listening to music setup, listen to it. Someone passive, Sometimes active. you have both the option. with passive on your setup, it will be comparable with your old quality(whichever way u were listening). And in case of active, it will be heavenly.
g. someone rightly said, we need to be happy listening to music(lyrics) with convenience.


Regards
Navjyot.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Something that I noticed today morning only why I like FM, it's stereo vs mono and 5.1. My FM setup is a small 5.1 system with cube speakers all around the lobby.

I was playing old hindi songs on my main system today morning from Tidal and when I switched to MONO, it sounded like FM only. This is not the case while playing English oldies, they must be played in stereo. I guess hindi oldies ain't recorded that we'll compared to English country and rock.

if possible you can try to do that yourself.

Will experiment more on this now.

 

[pks.k]

You know, Vivek? One of the most useless purchases all of us make is a car. One; the value depreciates the minute we drive it off the showroom. Two; we hardly use it for an hour a day. Rest of the time it just sits in the garage rusting. Three; we also spend on maintenance and, of course, fuel. All added up, we will save enormously if we just use Ola or Uber. But then most of us have cars. I always wondered why. For the convenience that we can go where and when we want? An activity that occupies a minuscule amount of our time? Or the comfort? Or, are we all in a rat race where achievements are measured by what you have?

When it comes to music, books, and movies, we do act in a similar manner. At the same time, the results are different. Music brings peace and happiness, books bring knowledge, and movies entertain you. The other day, my co-brother was listening to some music on my system, and immediately decided he wanted a similar system.

I am assuming you are somewhere around 40. If you are able to spend an hour a day listening to music, all the effort and spend is justified. You don't need a large collection of music, nor do you need to experiment with new music. Just have a library of music that makes you tap your feet, listen to those songs and do tap your feet.

As humans we look for distraction and entertainment. It takes a huge amount of mental strength to be happy with what we have. The minute we earn some money, we are finding ways of spending it. Maintaining your house, your equipment, you family is a far better way of spending money than what many do including drugs, wild parties, smoking and drinking. In reality, I thank God I have none of those habits.

Over the last 6 months, I decided to spend a bit of money redoing the house, upgrading my music and movie system, and cleaning up my garden. Why did I do this? After a long discussion with Charu, we decided these were the right steps to a comfortable and meaningful living. This is what separates us from the rest of the crowd. Maybe we were just finding justification for what we did, but what we did made us happy. THAT is the ultimate high. You sow a seed, look after the tiny plant, and glow with pride when it flowers for you. What more do you want in life? Similarly, listening a few songs brings tears to my eyes. The rationale part of me used to curse this. Then I learnt even SPB cries when he listens to Deewana Hua Badal by Rafi. Today I cry unashamedly when a song makes me happy.

How many of us are there on HFV? A thousand to 2 thousand? Compare this to the millions who have no idea what music is and how to listen to music. Who seem happy listening to distorted MP3s at insane volumes on systems that will eventually destroy your hearing. Believe me, we are all blessed. The one thing we all have to learn is to move away from the mad desire to upgrade all the time. You spend 10 lakhs on a music system? Be happy with it for 5 years or more. Don't even look at anything else. I am extremely happy with what I have, and do not get upset when I hear others boast about their system. In reality, the other day I listened to a system that costs upwards of 50L. The difference between that and my system is hardly 10%. It is an accepted fact that the the enhancement that a system brings beyond a certain spend is inversely proportional to the spend.

There is no need to feel guilty of your spend. Even if you listen to music you like an hour a day, the spend is worth it. What I do, for example, is that I finish all my work at home, switch my system on around 10:30 and listen to music for about an hour before I fall asleep.

Today, my wife and a few of her relations walk away when they see a low quality video and listen to low quality music. That is a unadulterated appreciation of the good things in life.

At the end of the day, do what makes you happy. Nothing else matters.

Vera level sir!
Don't know how to react beyond this..!!

 

[raghupb]

Something that I noticed today morning only why I like FM, it's stereo vs mono and 5.1. My FM setup is a small 5.1 system with cube speakers all around the lobby.

I was playing old hindi songs on my main system today morning from Tidal and when I switched to MONO, it sounded like FM only. This is not the case while playing English oldies, they must be played in stereo. I guess hindi oldies ain't recorded that we'll compared to English country and rock.

if possible you can try to do that yourself.

Will experiment more on this now.

Hindi (and other Indian language music) adopted stereo a bit later than English music.
Most of what we hear of old Hindi are "2-ch mono" or "summed mono" or whatever you want to call it.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[spirovious]

After trying some HiFi stuffs (Stereo/Ht), I may prefer simple but clean sounding setup which may not be perfect as audiophile. Vocals do apeal more than other instruments while seriously listening.Yes HiFi is fun to explore, but without a dedicated room, one hardly get 100% out of it.I even enjoy simple setup like good Headphones with music on mobile. If system produces involving music, then its my preference .

 

[square_wave]

Dear FMs

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

Regards
Vivek

The problem is right there in bold Your need is different. Try a simple fun system that will not take a lot out of your pocket as well. You will actually appreciate what such a small outlay will do for you.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Hi Vivek

I saw that you posted in Wanted section for a Luxman FM tuner.
Did you acquire one ?

Hi @Bloom@83

All the options are available outside India. Its not worth importing used tuners and paying custom duty.

That, of course, is a call only you can make.

However, have you actually tried playing FM on your system? There's always the possibility that doing so changes your mind. Speaking from personal experience, the availability of FM on the Anthem AVM 60 made a real difference for me (listening hours as well as pleasure derived).

Yes I do but again that too through laptop

Hi Everyone

I would like to thank each and every member who joined this thread to share their views and dos and donts for me. I have taken something from this discussion and the gist is, I am not going to take any decision right away but would take some corrective measures to shoo away this thought from my mind.

For now, I am taking a break starting right now. I will share my measures if they worked.

Once again, thanks a lot.

Have fun and keep helping each other.

Regards
Vivek

 

[mahaaprasaad]

Just going through this thread, want to express myself, with little length. Hope, many of you here are from the same school..

I am a Music lover, yes that is the only thing is with me, which attracted me to experiment with the Hi-fi audio.

It might be true, my mother is always telling, When I was young, If I was found missing at home, my mother use to search only at near by Ganesha Utsav Pendals, Kannda Rajyothsava function or at Rama Navami Music programs. Coming from a very poor family, dancing liquid green glow of the Murphy radio at my neighbor’s house was the most fascinated things for me during those days. If I was at any fairs, functions or marriages where the Loud speaker are played, I use to sit entire day with that Guy, who has constantly changing the vinyl records. Now at 55, still having a same instinct with the Indian Music. But, I could able to get my own TT (off course a well maintained Philips from Kuruvilla Sir of this forum) at my age of 50+.

With the money I could able to afford, I was able get some used vintage gears, through this forum, with which I am living now. As of now, some are working and some are not. But not much worried on that. But happy with proud possession of my collection of Vinyls, CDS and Cassets, a treasure. If I was not with this forum, I could not have achieved these collections.

I am a background listener; I prefer music should be continuous on my ear, when I am working at any place in my home. But, it does not makes me to limit to head phone, since, my wife and daughter were also love music. My wife wants listen music from her kitchen, Pooja Room and my daughter from her study room.

At this moment, we are all listening Morning lovely songs from FM. Connected from a discarded Redmi 6 Phone without simcard, to a very musical Chinese Tube amp then to high sensitive Philips HiQ full range vintage cabinets. The Music is flowing through entire home, like a mountain breeze in a chilling morning. Listining to FM (playing at Living room) while sitting at my room in front of my PC, feeling like I am at only a foot distance from the musical heaven.

Having said all this, I am still dreaming for a good upgrade in my Speakers, which can fill enter home and match the vintage Amps I am having… that’s all.

 

[Deleted member 15865]

Just going through this thread, want to express myself, with little length. Hope, many of you here are from the same school..

I am a Music lover, yes that is the only thing is with me, which attracted me to experiment with the Hi-fi audio.

It might be true, my mother is always telling, When I was young, If I was found missing at home, my mother use to search only at near by Ganesha Utsav Pendals, Kannda Rajyothsava function or at Rama Navami Music programs. Coming from a very poor family, dancing liquid green glow of the Murphy radio at my neighbor’s house was the most fascinated things for me during those days. If I was at any fairs, functions or marriages where the Loud speaker are played, I use to sit entire day with that Guy, who has constantly changing the vinyl records. Now at 55, still having a same instinct with the Indian Music. But, I could able to get my own TT (off course a well maintained Philips from Kuruvilla Sir of this forum) at my age of 50+.

With the money I could able to afford, I was able get some used vintage gears, through this forum, with which I am living now. As of now, some are working and some are not. But not much worried on that. But happy with proud possession of my collection of Vinyls, CDS and Cassets, a treasure. If I was not with this forum, I could not have achieved these collections.

I am a background listener; I prefer music should be continuous on my ear, when I am working at any place in my home. But, it does not makes me to limit to head phone, since, my wife and daughter were also love music. My wife wants listen music from her kitchen, Pooja Room and my daughter from her study room.

At this moment, we are all listening Morning lovely songs from FM. Connected from a discarded Redmi 6 Phone without simcard, to a very musical Chinese Tube amp then to high sensitive Philips HiQ full range vintage cabinets. The Music is flowing through entire home, like a mountain breeze in a chilling morning. Listining to FM (playing at Living room) while sitting at my room in front of my PC, feeling like I am at only a foot distance from the musical heaven.

Having said all this, I am still dreaming for a good upgrade in my Speakers, which can fill enter home and match the vintage Amps I am having… that’s all.

Dear @mahaaprasaad, so well-expressed! Two things stood out for me in your sharing:

1. Your attitude to listening (and music) is the most critical contributor to your joy. (And why just music, this applies to every aspect of life).

2. The self-clarity you have about your listening needs and preferences in selecting the components and building your system.

As an audiophile one needs to get right (explore/develop - that’s a journey) both these factors. Because 2 will ensure you get the system that’s right for you. And 1 will ensure that you actually enjoy it and get the rewards.

What impediments we need to watch out against to ensure the above? I am listing a few basis my experience and observations:

1. Attitude to listening and music:
- Detractions (lack of sustained engagement)
- Hoarding (buying but not listening)
- Obsession over fidelity

2. Self-clarity:
- Peer pressure (via forums for example)
- Seeking status (through brands etc)
- Seeking an elusive ideal sound