audiophile confessions...

[earwaxxer]

Call it tube induced sanity. Call it advanced age, and or diminished hearing acuity. Since the Quickie has resided in my preamp position of my system there have been some 'realizations'. Not profound, but I still feel I have to get it off my chest. I have exercised at least a dozen 'tweaks' to said Quickie, and with each there has been a 'change'. That includes several tube rolling exercises, and various types of micro-phonic shielding techniques. Bottom line is that the Quickies sounds much better than it should considering its price and simplicity. Tubes have educated me that within the realm of 'differences', it is very difficult to see the forest for the trees. With tube circuits the variables that impact the sound are numerous as everyone here knows.

My confession is, not surprisingly, that I am VERY easily fooled by such 'differences'. Excitement can quickly sway my judgements. This is encouraging as it is humbling. The humbling part is that, after all these years, I still cant really trust myself much in quick judgements about audio quality, when it comes to the high end and above. The encouraging thought is that there is still MUCH to be discovered, if one assumes that I am not that much unlike the average human audio connoisseur. Much danger, and much to be learned at the same time.

I cant wait for the bottlehead DAC! Cant be many variables there~

[Grainger49]

Eric,

Where is that tongue-in-cheek smiley face when you need it.  Of course the DAC won't be susceptible to tweaking, wink, wink, nudge, nudge! 

The only way I can nail down changes is ABABAB.  I listen to a guitar, drum, voice, mandolin and then swap.  Only after several swaps am I certain that I hear what I think I hear.

[4krow]

OMG, it's true....I DO have a long lost brother. Who else would run into a single tree in the forrest, er, whatever you said. Yah, difference is better? Could be, but defining better is as individual as can be. Remember your college years and how important bass was then? How 'bout now? probably different. And that's just with yourself at one angle. The beauty for the salesman out there is that it isn't all that hard to get us to question ourselves for just one moment or more. Then to show us a 'great new product' only now to be discovered. Recently I have been wondering about really expensive 'bullets' for AC lines, speakers, and anything else that they can get you to hook them up to. Quantum physics, yah, thats it. Jack Bybee is rich because of it, and yet I think about it now and then...

[earwaxxer]

Hey Greg - Been thinking about your post....

You know its funny about US. You know what I mean! I guess we are all brothers in some way or another. Its a very unique thing for sure. MOST people cannot understand what makes US tick. Its cool that we are not alone!

Thanks - Eric

[InfernoSTi]

Guys, this is the joy of tweaks and "differences".  Sometimes I'm just "in a mood" and need a change to the system.  I swap my Psvane for a Mullard and listen to the difference.  Is it better?  Yes.  Until I need a change, then I pop in my Telefunken.  Tada!  A difference.  The difference keeps me engaged quite a bit. I listen to critical tracks I enjoy but tend to over play.  I enjoy them more each time I hear them slightly differently. 

Embrace the difference...but don't get caught up in artificial constructs like better. Know your tweaks and narrow it down so you can rotate two or three "betters" from time to time....

Best,
John

[4krow]

Very well put John,
  It IS intriguing to find differences that please, and then other differences that please us again. I have been doing that for most of the time in audio. Whether it is our mood, or the way the music was mixed, or anything else we can come up with, it is just the act of getting the 'blend' just right for the moment. It may be as easy as setting the volume to just the right level. Or taking the spark plug wire off of the neighbor kids dirt bike. Either way, you have the nirvana you seek.

  And to you(Eric?, I forgot) long lost  'bro', yep, it's ok not to fit in. Just look at the 'regular' crowd anyways. Not exactly impressive. So long lost, but kinda like the prodical son I never liked, you have returned. hmmm, kind of a left handed compliment, but anywaaaay...

[earwaxxer]

Hey Greg, how did you know I was left handed? lol.

[4krow]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa...whoa   how do you know my language? And I WAS left handed first.

                Stay  weird my friend