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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 7:35:42 GMT
And I am an audio addict!
A reluctant audio addict at that. Music does something good to my brain, whilst the love of equipment does something bad.... My friends say, "Oh, it's just a hobby," as if this excuses the continued buying (and selling) of components and the endless hours of thinking and reading about HiFi. And of course we are lucky to have the freedom to indulge our eccentricities. But I still think something is wrong with being addicted and I hope one day to just enjoy the music without a thought for the gear. But I do doubt that that day will come. It is as if music and gear are intertwined.
Humans have probably always loved music, but it is only recently that we can turn it on anywhere and any time. Music was celebration, but you can't celebrate all the time and any time. The repetition of the same piece of music is also a modern phenomenon and it is seldom that repetition doesn't wear it out. The solution? Buy new gear. And then we can celebrate, enjoy the old music one more time and squirt some dopamine round our brain and tapping toes.
So being on a forum, reading the blogs with all these dopamine hungry souls is feeding the addiction.
"So, why you here son?"
Rather like Mr Marx (of the Groucho variety), I couldn't resist, when I tried to follow the Board rules by "Reading the rules before posting", whereupon my computer couldn't open the file "Forum Rules". Aha - I thought. This must be the place for me.
Zig.
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Post by macca on Oct 2, 2021 7:48:40 GMT
This forum started as a place for those who are into the equipment just for the sake of it so you are either in the best place or the worst place for you.
Although it has evolved a bit since the change of ownership.
Addiction or hobby, they're just two sides of the same coin.
Welcome anyway. Wot's yer system?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 8:04:18 GMT
"Wot's yer system?"
He he.....Definitely a serious question from a serious audio addict. And to a humble prospect!
Falcon Gold Badge ls 3/5a. Fed by Lavardin IS Reference. Connected by the cheapest cables I could find (that still looked nice). Apple Computer attached to the 'umble Apple Dac dongle.
To my defense - the Apple Dac measures well and I hated the Chord Qutest which wasn't at all cute; and I have a bunch of Sablon Stuff in the attic which I refuse to use. Though an addict - I am into minimalism.
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Post by macca on Oct 2, 2021 8:09:04 GMT
lol quite a fancy system and I go along with the idea that the Apple dongle is as good as any other DAC and that Chord DACs look awful. Probably no-one else will though  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 8:56:54 GMT
Your Honor - If I may continue my defense.....
I would like to ask the witness a simple question. How fast do the electrons flow in your expensive cable?
Probably the answer is going to be somewhere in the region of the speed of light. And of course the really expensive cables do it faster. With no eddies.
Well, this just isn't true.
See, those stupid electrons are almost not flowing at all. Jiggling and wiggling maybe - but not flowing. After an hour's solid slog, the single electron will have moved about 4 cm. along its way. That's all.
I admit (Your Honor) to believing everything I read. When I read pro-cable articles I become a believer. An hour later (and 4 cm along the way) I can read an anti-cable article, and I am a believer of that too. But this fact about electron movements has absolved me from worrying about cables. The thing that is happening (like the magic of electricity) is not really in the cable at all. It is in the (Bare with me Your Honor - this gets difficult to express) the Space-Continuum (The Matrix?) where charge and magnetism (and maybe also gravity along with the holes in donuts) do their invisible work.
How can I listen Live to a jazz radio in San Diego almost without any delay when those dang electrons are slower than snails?
The Matrix.
And that is why those endearingly expensive cables of mine are in the attic.
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Post by firebottle on Oct 2, 2021 9:03:10 GMT
Hi Zig, nice intro.
Loved the 'can't open the forum rules..' so must be the right place.
Yes Chord are strange looking and strange sounding, particularly for those of us on R-2R dacs.
Definitely get those speaker leads changed to OCC cable (or better), Oli might well have some that have fallen out of favour now, you can but ask.
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Post by jandl100 on Oct 2, 2021 9:30:51 GMT
Welcome Zig Sometimes it's best not to worry about the physics too much and just listen. |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
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Post by Bigman80 on Oct 2, 2021 9:40:06 GMT
And I am an audio addict! A reluctant audio addict at that. Music does something good to my brain, whilst the love of equipment does something bad.... My friends say, "Oh, it's just a hobby," as if this excuses the continued buying (and selling) of components and the endless hours of thinking and reading about HiFi. And of course we are lucky to have the freedom to indulge our eccentricities. But I still think something is wrong with being addicted and I hope one day to just enjoy the music without a thought for the gear. But I do doubt that that day will come. It is as if music and gear are intertwined. Humans have probably always loved music, but it is only recently that we can turn it on anywhere and any time. Music was celebration, but you can't celebrate all the time and any time. The repetition of the same piece of music is also a modern phenomenon and it is seldom that repetition doesn't wear it out. The solution? Buy new gear. And then we can celebrate, enjoy the old music one more time and squirt some dopamine round our brain and tapping toes. So being on a forum, reading the blogs with all these dopamine hungry souls is feeding the addiction. "So, why you here son?" Rather like Mr Marx (of the Groucho variety), I couldn't resist, when I tried to follow the Board rules by "Reading the rules before posting", whereupon my computer couldn't open the file "Forum Rules". Aha - I thought. This must be the place for me. Zig. Hi Zig, and welcome to Audio Addicts. As macca said, the forum has evolved a wee bit in the last few months. We are all music lovers at heart, and to me the equipment is the important conduit between the medium and my ears. That said, there is no harm in loving HiFi equipment either! Lots of people spending time, money and their life lusting after cars, plane, trains, stamps and anything else collectable or of interest. Feel free to dive into any topic and make yourself at home. Oliver |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 9:50:10 GMT
So, Zig, why do you have an expensive amplifier, when electrons don't do the work? And haven't you heard about blind testing and straight wires with gain?
Well remember - I'm an addict. I have probably owned about 70 amplifiers, and because I don't listen to music with a blindfold on, I can readily spot the difference between them all. Some were just terrible to my ears. Some were good until the 14 days exchange date was passed, and then they bombed. But I don't think I have ever loved an amplifier (which all things considered would be a pretty stupid thing to do - love a box with tinfoil capacitors loosely joined together - are you joking?). But along came this Lavardin remembered from the very first review about memory distortions and wonderful sound. I'm a sucker for marketing. And I just had to try it. No it doesn't sound like tubes, nor is it especially transparent. I am a little skeptical about its long term stability. It is very modest in looks and indeed in sound. But to my ears it doesn't do anything wrong. I can fall asleep while listening to it. So yes it is an exceptional amplifier by not being exceptional at all. But my next one's probably going to be the Rega IO. True modesty.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 10:03:42 GMT
And the ls3/5a's?
Now that is true love.
You have to have small ears or something to love 'em. We are a very small segment of the listening public - but we who belong to it, just know it. The small BBC mini-monitors have been my reference for the last 20 years. Small interruptions have been made over the years - but true love never rusts.
My last iteration for the carousel swing tour was a set of JBL horn speakers. Big suckers. Then I visited a friend who had bought a set of China Clones (Sound Artist). They were perched on top of his JBL L100's. It took only 5 seconds of music - my ears perked up, I sat bolt upright on my chair and I said - I'm going back. That's music.
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Post by gninnam on Oct 2, 2021 10:15:13 GMT
Welcome Zig and liking your style of writing down what is in your head - I wonder at what speed the electricity is travelling using your neurons in your brain !!
I like that you are using a minimal system and I think one day (yea, right) I will shed some of my ill gotten gains and downsize to a modest but enjoyable system.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2021 10:21:24 GMT
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Post by antonio on Oct 2, 2021 16:52:17 GMT
Welcome Zig, now get that Sablon stuff back in the system, you know it makes sense.
Hope you enjoy our company and brighten up our days with some witty posts about being an Audio Addict. There's a few on here who say they're reluctant, who do they think they're kidding
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Post by misterc on Oct 2, 2021 19:20:33 GMT
Arh Zig, my Learned friend, a real treat to have a such a honoured professional (Queen’s Counsel?) gracing these well-trodden halls of audio mischief. Prey tell my good fellow, which chambers do thou practice, I would suggest a Capital residence or possibly a semi retired practice of provincial law upkeeping? Either way they are damn fortunate to have such a rapier whit and wordsmith all rolled into one, I doff my cap sir. However really looking forward to your style on here; it does have a strangely familiar gate about it. Your command of the our native tongue is most enjoyable and entertaining. Welcome fine sir  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2021 3:43:02 GMT
To all those who must be obeyed I offer my heartfelt thanks for your friendly reception. A Rumpole I am not. I fancy my self more like a Spencer: Down these mean streets a man must go, who is not himself mean. Pure of heart but impish of mind.
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