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After 25+ years, feeling discouraged and thinking of giving up the chase.

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OP here.

To everyone who has tried to problem-solve my current system, I have two thoughts.

One is that I'm really tired of that process; the very act of trying to find satisfaction has worn me out.

The other is that in those 25+ years, I've tired many types of gear; I've had speakers of all types (cloth and metal tweeters, paper, Kevlar or aluminum cones, etc.), many different turntables, CD players, etc, etc.

I've also experimented with room treatments. As recently as today in fact. (I have a stash of ATS/Owens cornering panels on hand).

I didn't just wake up and feel this way. It's been long on my mind. I think it may be a matter of changing priorities and interests.

I wonder if I may just be done with all the concern with gear.

But I'm confronted with the reality of what that would be like as I think about what I would get rid of. The speakers, the amp and the power center can all go, so could the SACD player. But the Well Tempered? The Jolida phono stage? and I love my Rotel CD player.
 
The grass is always greener..........

But it still has to be mowed.

Also remember, greener grass just means more work.
 
I agree with JoeESP, try another class of speaker. I've found Quads and Maggies are amazingly clear and don't give me any listening fatigue. Personally, I've settled on my Ohm F's in the main system, although I still rotate things through other systems, just to get a feel for them. But the F's sound pleasing and warm to me.

I'd try some speakers that are different from the path you've been taking. I'm a big fan of Ohm speakers, I find they are not glaring at all. Not a fan of the Klipsch's I've owned, mostly because I find them glaring. I can't remember what you're running for speakers at the moment, but maybe you just need to try something quite different.

bs
 
Better to put it in storage for a while over selling it, then you can return to it and see how you feel fresh.
 
I get what you are saying. I did the same thing for about a year, set me up a Tivoli Model One radio and was quite happy with it for a long time.

I suggest you figure out what the minimum you would want (for me it was a radio and a way to enjoy my iPod, the model one offered that with a nice smooth sound). It could be nothing to a small radio to... Well, that is up to you.

Grab that and enjoy! I've done the living room full of speakers, stacks of gear and CDs/albums scattered about. And I hated it.

I have decided that I wanted more than just the radio. Just not that much. A small setup is what I now enjoy. The stacks of speakers and receivers as well as the 5 systems are gone. If you decide to start over. Great. If not. I am sure you wallet will find other ways to empty.

This hobby can be fun, frustrating and everything in between. Do not allow yourself to be unhappy. Good luck!
 
bshorey said:
I agree with JoeESP, try another class of speaker. (...)but maybe you just need to try something quite different.
bs
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A partial list of what's been through:
(You can see most all of them set up here)
  • currently: Focal 807W
  • Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand
  • B&W 683
  • AR 93
  • KLH Model 23
  • Bose 802
  • Focal 826W Anniversary editions
There have been other less notable sets. many of these I still own.

But I think you're missing my point. I'm tired of the chase. If I want to live with a room full of gear, I'd probably stay with what I have, or put the Vienna's back into service (I still have them). I'm thinking about clearing it all out and living without a room-dominating system. B/C honestly, I've never loved the way this stuff looks. It's presence in the room is something we all live with so I can have good sound. (I've made the best of the esthetics b/c I do have to look at it)
 
This is what I'm feeling. Good to hear from someone who has been there. Thanks.

whyaskit said:
I get what you are saying. I did the same thing for about a year, set me up a Tivoli Model One radio and was quite happy with it for a long time.

I suggest you figure out what the minimum you would want (for me it was a radio and a way to enjoy my iPod, the model one offered that with a nice smooth sound). It could be nothing to a small radio to... Well, that is up to you.

Grab that and enjoy! I've done the living room full of speakers, stacks of gear and CDs/albums scattered about. And I hated it.

I have decided that I wanted more than just the radio. Just not that much. A small setup is what I now enjoy. The stacks of speakers and receivers as well as the 5 systems are gone. If you decide to start over. Great. If not. I am sure you wallet will find other ways to empty.

This hobby can be fun, frustrating and everything in between. Do not allow yourself to be unhappy. Good luck!
Click to expand...
 
I am feeling the same way at the moment and have thought about just selling everything off and starting fresh. I have a lot of gear, several sets of speakers, 2 intregrated amps, a pre and power amp. I can't seem to find the right combination of gear. At times everything sounds wonderful and the next day not so. I've slowed down my gear buying as I am just not as interested in the chase. I do have a ton of music on both vinyl and cd and really enjoy it when all the planets are aligned. So I can relate to what your going through. My goal is to get to one setup, plain and simple.
 
At a certain point, you just have to sit back and enjoy what you have. If you've been in the game for five years or more... With an open mind... You should be pretty close to the best gear that you can (or are willing to) afford.

I like this forum and a couple others but most of them are far too oriented towards acquisition... constantly buying new stuff. Nothing wrong with that if you can afford it and can distance yourself from it but to me, it's always been about the music.

I like good sound as much as the next guy but when I read reports of this cable or that cone or that tweak that totally transforms the sound... Part of me just cries just a little bit in realization that the musicians that create the works that we enjoy likely listen to an entry to mid level system at best and get decades of enjoyment and inspiration out of those rigs.
 
I have a casual relationship with a Boston Acoustics "Horizon Solo" table radio in our new kitchen. It is a good FM radio and 100% satisfying in the house proper

I had bought it for my father late in his life for ca. 100 smackers (it was what was in stock at his local Circuit City); I decided to keep it after he died and pressed it into service when the NH house first went on line. I have a 'real' stereo (the Yamaha family room system from the ol' house) now ensconced in the house proper - but we've been perfectly happy listening to the little radio. Mostly VT and NH PR, and mostly talk (but some music too on Saturday and Sunday evenings).

Not going to replace the stuff upstairs for sit-down listening though.

... as a snarky aside...

"Glaring and fatiguing" has, I'd opine, been fashionable in high-performance loudspeakers for a couple of decades now; the marketing department calls it "detail" :-(
 

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Brett, been through similar feelings too, due to health situations and just life, about a year and a half ago I purged my whole system, and spares along with it all. For me, it was a wonderful thing. I was able to take a little time and reflect on it all. Ended up with something much simpler, yet I find now I listen more to music and don't worry about the gear so much. Everyone is different though, and need to do what they truly feel.

With that said, first dibs on your Well Tempered! Take care Brett, most importantly, take your time and don't rush any decision like this! But try to sit back and just enjoy more music! Tim
 
I burned out on this hobby too - just got so tired of the chase for better and better, more specs, more positive reviews, more trips to the high-end stores, more chasing the good used stuff, more flavor of the month, more money.

When it got to the point where I didn't even listen to my system much anymore I stopped, boxed it up and focused on nothing but live music - anything and everything, as much as I could get to and afford which luckily near a big city like Toronto, was a lot. Even found I loved music that I had never even considered before.

After a few years, I stumbled on a shop where I heard a really good low-power SET system and I was back - big time. Whole different approach (with a lower price tag) but it brought way more of what I loved - the music I was enjoying - and way less of what I burned out on.

A paradigm shift that flat out worked for me and made this a fun hobby again - no turning back.
 
peterfranks said:
Been thru this type of thing before with other things.

Pick out the best receiver, best speakers, best turn table (the pieces that fit best together and sound the best) and sell everything else, sit back and enjoy what you have.

I tell my wife all the time (an really mean it) - if I found not another piece of stereo gear the rest of my life I would be happy with what I have now.
Click to expand...

My gear is different but yeah, I could happily live with what i have in my sound room for the rest of my days. Not many can say that but so long as it all holds up.....

All of us have a crisis of the spirit. Stay true, you will persevere.
 
You might want to take this opportunity to pack up all the gear and spend a little time reflecting on what you want from music listening (where, when, how, etc.) and then figure out just what that would take.. just enough to satisfy, without needing to endlessly optimize. Then just do it and be done and get on with life with music on your terms.

There is no necessity in having your hobby be "the endless refinement of my playback system" if it doesn't make you happy. My hobbies are photography and creating and listening to music. The playback systems are just facts.

Otto
 
I sold or packed most of my audio gear in preparation for a move and the past few weeks I've been listening to a UE Boombox from my Ipad via bluetooth. Nice mellow tone, like an old table radio. Connects to the music. Sometimes I think I should just stick with this after I move.

http://ue.logitech.com/en-us/product/boombox?crid=1377

If one's hobby leads to frustration and anxiety rather than relaxation I submit that hobby is of no use, indeed, it's worse than of no use.
 
I've been there as well. I went from having a wonderful setup to starting over and trying to convince myself that I was good with it. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I love music whether it's on my boombox at work or from my android phone in the car...but in the end I need something more. I have carefully ascended back to a system comparable to my very best again and won't go down the full liquidation road again. I love to hear different sounds and so I allow for change but I will never descend to a lesser system again. I love simplicity and I will not allow multiple systems to dominate my living room (with the exception of an audition)...I definitely get that.

As others have suggested...perhaps put it all away for awhile. Gotta say though, I would probably install the VA's again before I did that. Give yourself time to get accustomed to them again. You may find that part of the fatigue is the sound. When I am experiencing difficulty with my setups sound is when I am most likely to feel like throwing in the towel..

Anyway I had a longer and better reply for you and then got a call relative an emergency and had to split quickly...

Hang in there, Brett. I have confidence that you will figure out the right thing for you.
 
Brett a said:
I could pack it all away in the closet and try life wothout it for a while.

:scratch2:
Click to expand...

How about just taking a break? Every so often, my system doesn't wow me, and then I start wondering what I can upgrade to make it better. Most recently, I took a 2 month hiatus because I grew bored and didn't feel it was up to snuff any longer. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, and I had the urge to fire the system once more. I fell in love all over again. Sometimes you just need enough time away to where you "forget" what your rig sounds like.
 
It would be nice to be content with the simple things in life, the problem is finding contentment without having that empty feeling from desire when you see something that attracts you. Its a pretty common human trait, for some its cars or boats, others art, for some beautiful women, and for some its all of the above. Most things can be replaced so if you sell your gear and find that it was a mistake, their is no shortage of good gear for sell.
 
Tom Brennan said:
I sold or packed most of my audio gear in preparation for a move and the past few weeks I've been listening to a UE Boombox from my Ipad via bluetooth. Nice mellow tone, like an old table radio. Connects to the music. Sometimes I think I should just stick with this after I move.

http://ue.logitech.com/en-us/product/boombox?crid=1377

If one's hobby leads to frustration and anxiety rather than relaxation I submit that hobby is of no use, indeed, it's worse than of no use.
Click to expand...

By the way Tom, welcome to Florida, St Augustine is a nice town, great weather and a few good places to eat.
 
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