Has Passion been lost or just found?

[mantis]

I have been reading around here as of late with not much to add to some of the on going topics.Sometimes it's about the same of the same,and sometimes I feel they lack the personal touch.All of us as individuals experience things different.Thats all good and fine but I think where I'm going here is the lack of passion......or just maybe not finding that deep touch found when the experience is at it's best.

I'm so for testing things.......but I find myself checking my personal side to make the overall verdict.What I mean is when the demo moves me......emotionally.Sure it's cool to have a billion watts driving,coolest looking gear with all the woofers in the world pumping your face off............but I find in the end it's not about the label on the gear,it's not in the cool colors.....not found in the awesome spec's...........it's about the emotional connection one finds.............

Sit and really listen to a piece of music that really means alot to you.Find what I'm talking about you will.

Dan

[RuSsMaN]

Originally posted by mantis
Find what I'm talking about you will.

You know Dan, you almost had me until you started the Yoda **** again.

Cheers,
Russ

[TroyD]

The Zen Master hath spoken....

I think Dan's been spending too much time with his LSi15's and sniffing contact cement. His cheese has slid clean off his cracker.

BDT

[organ]

That's exactly what I listen for. Don't know if you read my review about the ASL and Dyna tube gear but I talked about how tubes bring out the emotions of music a lot better than SS in that review.

I know a lot of folks here want the emotions to come through with their systems but sometimes, especially when the upgrade bug hits, this is something we forget to keep in mind.

Maurice

[TroyD]

emotional connection?

Does rubbing my dingus on the 12" woofs on the Amazings count?

BDT

[Airplay355]

i usually use my system to avoid emotions....ya know like turn it up so loud you cant think.

[madmax]

I found this passion connection through my tubes hooked up to my SDA-SRS. I know what he is talking about. All of a sudden I sat there and looked at $1000's worth of equipment which is really cool and powerful but found no reason to hook it all back up. The sound I just found made all the other equipment become meaningless. Nothing more than eye candy. Of course this all came about while listening to some music which I could all of a sudden connect with emotionally. I had listened to it before and though it was nice but now, well, all of a sudden it really impacted me. It became more than a song played through a bunch of electronics. No gadgets, no features, no big bass wow factor, no screaming highs, just a pleasent happiness. All of a sudden it really meant something to me. We are talking memory quality here. If I never listened to another song I would look back 20 years from now and reflect on my feelings about a particular listening session. Kind of like when you think back about an old friend you knew years ago.

Or again, maybe I'm totally missing the point here.
madmax

[HBombToo]

Originally posted by mantis


I'm so for testing things.......but I find myself checking my personal side to make the overall verdict.
Dan

**** that... if it cost a buck I know where it went and there is 0 emotion involved.

1/4twin

[TroyD]

No, I think you've hit it Chuck.

Honestly I think (well, in terms of listening to music, I dunno about HT)....that if we didn't connect with the music, we would all be happy listening to AM radios and so forth.

The gear is just a bonus. Then, I think that as you get into the gear that's a separate issue as well. Owning classic gear, gear that helped shape hifi as we know it is cool in and of itself. To some guys, it's all about the newest and coolest where I tend to be a retro kinda guy. I like having owned classic gear like the DQ-10 and the AR-XA turntable...gear that helped shape hifi as we know it.

BDT

[HBombToo]

Big Dumb I'll buy into that phile-osophy :D

1/4twin

[Frank Z]

I like fried chicken....

meatloaf doesn't do it for me.....

I'm in my own little world right now, and you can't be a part of it.

[amulford]

I get a real sense of satisfaction listening to my tunes/rig. It does wonders for my emotional state of being. And I mean for different states of mind.

All told, since I have found this little sense of self, I find satifaction knowing what I have built and personal enjoyment keeps growing with use.

I think it's pretty ****in' cool...

I have to edit this... What I'm building....

[mantis]

You know Dan, you almost had me until you started the Yoda **** again

Thats just what I do...........forever burned into my soul.

Zen slidding crackers and all that stupid **** just misses the point.

Take it for what it's worth............

[PolkThug]

I listened to most of the Swingers soundtrack the other night, without using any microphones or spectrum analyzers and it was really enjoyable.

Average White Band kicks ass.

Regards,
PolkThug

[jrausch]

It's all about "The earth shattering kaboom."
Sometimes I really enjoy my job, like when Monster drops off a bunch new toys to play with..:D

[PolkThug]

That's a little bigger than the Etch-a-sketch I grew up with.

[danger boy]

I've been pretty busy lately (really I have) and haven't had much time to listen to any music. been watching more movies than listening to music.

Well this past weekend.. i had most of the day to myself.. and sat down and filled up the CD carousel with some more mellow music.. like Diana Krall, Patti LaBelle, Annie Lennox, and some Beatles.

I was amazed at how good it all sounded.. sure there is always room for improvement in any system. You know.. it wasn't half bad though. I think maybe it's good to take a step back and shut down the rig for a few nights and then go back and to a good demo of your own system... and realize why you've spent what you did and why it sounds so wonderful. It's like a reality check..

that and beer helps make anything sound better. :D

Dan your point is well taken. There are only a few songs that get to me emotionally. Songs that touch that special place in you. (no comments from RussMan) :p

[mantis]

Patti LaBelle...........funny you listened to her,I did here sound system in her house.She has all B&W's.Patti is cool.O and it was really cool seeing my work on MTV's cribs,they did Patti's house.She is very cool and down to earth.

I'm glad a few of you got what I was talking about.

[Jstas]

I'm not understanding this whole thread. I've read it 4 times now too. What are we supposed to "get"?

If it's the passion behind the desire of achieving a goal of having an audio system you have always dreamed about then I see that all the time here.

If it's the passion behind the desire to achieve the most pure and "real" sound from your gear that you can then I see that too.

If it's just listening to different equipment and enjoying the nuances and details of the sound then I see that too...there was alot of that in Texas a few weeks ago too.

Is it just me?

[madmax]

Are we in a search for, found or lost the passion, thats about it in a nutshell. I have searched and found but have not lost.
madmax

[TroyD]

Jstas....

completely agree. Dan's cheese has slid clean of his cracker. I think it was an attempt to reassert himself as not only the preeminnent gear expert but also the Zen master of the whole thing as well. To me it sounds like he smoked some bad weed and watched "The Wall". Twice.

BDT

[Loud & Clear]

The emotional wars, begun they have.

[ninerbj]

I did what your saying Mantis. For me, it's something that doesn't happen to often, but when it does....goosebumps:p

[madmax]

Originally posted by ninerbj
I did what your saying Mantis. For me, it's something that doesn't happen to often, but when it does....goosebumps:p

Now that is a good way to look at it! Goosebumps! When that happens you have hit it!
madmax

[RuSsMaN]

No goosebumps here, but I do get a 'softie' when I listen to my rigs.

[ninerbj]

Softie der Russman? Too many cheeseburgers will do that to ya! (Not that I should talk...hell, I am due for a mammogram soon.)

[mantis]

Jstas,
So your not getting what the hell this thead is all about huh.Thats ok I get that alot.

Basically it comes down to reading around this thead and finding no passion anymore.It seems everyone is into the spec's more then how it sounds.

[pjdami]

I'm all about emotion and sound quality. This past year was the upgrade year for me. After accomplishing other areas of interest in my life, I finally decided to get the stereo / HT I've always wanted since I was like 6 years old. I remember back then in 1976, making my first audio tape of a song off of AM radio using one of those big box mono tape recorders by holding the mic up to the speaker on the analog clock radio.

Years past, but my interest in audio was always there. Before last year, I was content on gear that I purchased from Circuit City but everytime I listened I knew that this wasn't going to be the end. The sound didn't move me emotionally; it was just something to listen to.. you know like when you're washing dishes, cleaning up the house, or getting ready for work in the morning.

Specs, I used to be all into that. Although a good indicator of predicted performance its the listening that matters. I own gear that has lower S/N ratio specs than other gear that I've owned (like 91 db S/N vs. over 100 db S/N) and the lower S/N ratio gear sounds much better. Just looking at the specs doesn't always tell the entire story.

So I can always find some piece of music that will give me an emotional boost. Like if I'm in a kick ass mood, Dave Mustaine's band Megadeth will be had. If I'm just chillin.. the Sirius Tuner on Alt Nation will do. In the past year, I've really been addicted to female vocalists. My new systems play the female voices so nicely. Before I couldn't stand listening to these types of bands. The sibilance was overbearing. I just thought that this is not what she would sound like live in person. Now Natalie Merchant, The Sundays, believe it or not Jewel (phenomenal bass on her Spirit album), Enya, Sarah McLachlan, Patricia Barber, Diana Krall are played all of the time. They have their stories to tell if you listen to the lyrics and experience their words vicariously.

Jazz, I've been digging that too now in my more mature years. Chris Botti to name one. Not many lyrics on his cds but he "talks" to you with his trumpet. Simply amazing.

Sometimes I can just stop everything when a particular song captivates me and I get the goosebumps and just feel content about the moment. Is it live...no its probably memorex but its all good.

Damn I need to get a beer or something. I'm in a philosophical mood tonight.

Sometimes I just get pissed, like just now when the Sirius has a "dropout"...LOL.. and I think to myself.. you know its convenient but its not as nice as a cd.

[cfrizz]

Hi Mantis. I believe I get what your talking about. I tend to call it maturing. I read the posts on here, and people are so busy upgrading, swapping, switching and whatnot, that when do they have the time to actually listen to what's coming out of all that equipment?

I think you finally have realized that it isn't about the latest, greatest, loudest, biggest, most expensive equipment. It's about having the right equipment that makes your music shine the best and then sitting back and enjoying it. Hopefully these guys will figure it out as well, Hopefully while they still have their hearing.

Welcome to the club!

[TroyD]

Dan is allday allabout the latest and greatest with the big name labels.

What's the flavor of the month?

Dynaudio / Rotel / Transparent

or

LSi / B&K / Kimber

or

ML / Krell / Monster

****, I can't keep 'em straight.

BDT