I appreciate the feedback, both positive and critical. I'm hardcore enough of a listener to know that these are nowhere near audiophile-level/the "best" speakers on the market - then and now. When listening to music, I listen for subjectively good enough bass/midrange/treble to my ears, in my room and decent imaging - all for relaxed enjoyment. I do not engage in what audiophiles call "critical listening." And I don't mean to offend any such poster here or anywhere else. It's just that I've come across individuals who spend so much time doing the following:
1.) constantly listening for the tiniest detail/nuance, to the point of missing the forest for the trees - e.g. the length of time it took the sound of a cymbal strike to decay, a performer exhaling in front of the mic screen, the brushing of shoe soles across the studio floor, a guitarist running their fingers across the frets, whether or not sand or a pillow was in the kick drum, etc. If you merely happen to notice such details while listening in a relaxed manner and mentally take note of them, that's fine. Sitting in front of the stereo with an 87-degree posture and an etched, furrowed brow after having dismissed family members and household pets while wishing away people/vehicles in close proximity to one's domicile so as to hear the aforementioned details... there's help for that. I've seen it and I'm serious.
2.) seeking non-existent "realism." No matter what the recording is piped through, post-1940/50s, 99% of the time it was a multi-track recording mixed down to two-track stereo unless otherwise indicated. If you were not in the booth with the recording engineer and/or performer(s) you will never hear the performance that took place in those moments in time during the recording session(s). Ever. Period. I realize that to many the pursuit of such is fun, but I've come across some who approach mental instability while trying to "put the performer(s) in the room." Only the transporter on Star Trek could accomplish that. And besides, what happens if they don't remove the equipment/cables/whatever from your listening space? Damage to your walls? Furniture? Windows?
3.) being obsessive about recreating the above-mentioned to the point of cycling through a never-ending parade of loudspeakers/equipment while amassing serious debt/taking out a loan against their home/asset(s). Virtually living on eBay/Craigslist/Audiogon/US Audio List/kijiji/US Audio Mart and stalking thrift stores, garage/estate sales will not recreate what was never really there in the first place. A hobbyist seeking an item or a two with the aim of building a system(s) at their home/garage/boat for relaxed enjoyment is not the same as the horder amassing 40 pairs of speakers (floorstanding, in-wall, underground), 25 AM and/or FM tuners, 20 preamps and amps (solid state or tube), 10 DACS, 12 turntables, 30 pairs of headphones, 14 cassette decks, 10 reel-to-reel decks, nine 8-track players, and five Victrolas so as to have them "just in case."
... so much so that they're not really listening to the music at all. That's the primary reason why I let my subscription to Stereophile lapse years ago, stopped reading The Absolute Sound and such and never looked back. If that type of behavior makes listening more engaging/enjoyable to certain people, they're more than entitled to do so. To me, it sucks the life right out of what most consider a fun activity. In exteme cases, it tips over into what I (unprofessionally) believe to be full-blown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. To me, it's all about fun and relaxation. If it becomes another task/chore, it's not worth doing.
