Taking a break, do you?

[UltraFast69]

Many of us have jokingly made reference to being an audio addict, and many of us are.

I have noticed when compulsiveness takes over, usually something else is sacrificed, be it whatever.

Personally, I have never been addicted to anything for any long period of time, to me it’s a weakness and maybe that’s an addiction in of itself.

I have decided to take a break, not from music, but from critically playing my system.

As of this writing, I have been away from my system, and turned it briefly on today for the first time in a while enjoying the music and the system it plays on.

Before today, I would compulsively wonder what my next costly upgrade would be.

So gonna trade some more isolated back of the head seating and listening for some additional time with my family and other interests, that includes music from other sources playing in the background.

So with all that, do you ever feel this way and “take a break”?




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[puroagave]

I took a nearly ten year sabbatical from all things audio (except the music) after a headlong, no holds bared jump off the deep end of high-end audio. selling my soul for the next 'upgrade' and sweating details, which looking back, weren't a good use of my time or money. I ended up selling off a 10,000+ LP collection in the process that also yielded a small fortune.

I couple things I learned along the way, the hardware is not nearly as important as the music (tangible media). I also don't recommend selling off the bulk of ones music collection because you will want it someday and it will cost you much more to buy it back than what you sold them for, not to mention the time I wasted searching for lost loved ones! (cherished records)

 

[BlueFox]

I only turn my stereo on Thursday night so it will be ready for Friday/Saturday, and off on Sunday. I used to turn it on every night as soon as I got home, but not anymore.

 

[Kuoppis]

I hear you. For me music and the system are fun, enjoyment and relaxation. So personally there’s no feeling of having to do anything with it. But there’s another thing.

When deciding to buy a new cart, I was pondering about what the reviewers say, what new introductions are available and whether I should go with one of those currently hot, new introductions. And I concluded that’s nice information, but not the core of it.

When making my decision and ordering it yesterday, I decided to pick something very good that has been around for a while and is tested and proven, instead of the latest fad with unobtanium coating and a preciousyllium core. Reason being, vinyl has been around for a while and I felt the latest material evolutions provide changes rather on the surface than at the core.

In other words, my conscious decision was to turn away from the hype cycles magazines, reviewers and dealers are trying to push.


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[Mike]

I play hockey three times a week (45 years playing this September). My kids activities, soccer, hockey, Taekwondo, skating, etc. keep me occupied, but I love to unwind at night for a listen. It’s so relaxing and decompressing after a busy day.


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[W9TR]

Ed,
I am crazy schizo about this stuff. I have to separate the desire to improve and tweak my system with the more important desire to make great music a part of my life.

Two sides of the same coin I guess, but I try and mentally separate the equipment hobby from the music hobby. Trying to ferret out differences in components, speaker placement, cables, and music servers is a lot of work. I do it because it makes music more enjoyable for me.

I do take breaks, but they're not really intentional - they just happen.

 

[Dr Tone]

I only take a break when I go to the farm for a few months during seeding and harvest. Other than that I use my system as much as possible.

Interesting observation is that every time I come back after extended listening to crappy radios and subpar systems while I'm away, the first listen to my system is "wow why did I think I need to improve any aspect of it?". Then weeks go by and you start hearing gremlins that aren't really there, I start researching and get back into the old what can I improve mentality. Sigh!

 

[jdandy]

There was a time in my life nearly 39 years ago when I was so obsessive that I literally burned myself out on my sound system. I was at a point where I did not play music for joy, I played music as a research tool. There was no digital in those days, it was all vinyl and reel to reel tape. My mission was to dig for inner groove distortion, tonearm resonance, tracking error, cartridge alignment error, EQ impact, standing waves, wow and flutter, and on and on. Music did not relax me, it wound me up like a spring during my constant quest for audio gremlins I knew must be there, and I was damn well going to locate and solve every one of them. The experience drove me nuts.

After giving some thought to the fact that my sound system was making me crazy I made the decision to stop listening, not just for a day or two, but indefinitely. The experience of turning on my sound system just pissed me off. It wasn't fun anymore. So be it. I went nearly two months without music in my home, not even the radio. The experience brought me peace and gave me time to reflect on what I had been doing to myself. I realized the problem was not the sound system, it was me. I was an out of control, unable to relax and simply enjoy the music. It became so important to never stop tweaking the system while constantly searching for phantom anomalies that I no longer found listening to music pleasurable. Albums and tapes were only tools that served as a means to an end.

In the nearly two month period without music in my home I was going out at night several times a week and enjoying live music, mostly jazz in bars and small clubs around the city of Portland, Oregon. Portland had a fine live jazz music scene in clubs and bars all over the city in the late 70's. Enjoying live jazz gradually rekindled my excitement for music and how the experience of hearing music lifted my spirits and soothed my soul. Music is good.

One afternoon I came home, turned the sound system on, placed an album on the turntable, lowered the stylus in the groove, and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening spinning LP's and enjoying the music. I mentally chastised myself each time my mind would slip from the music to the equipment. I did not want to return to being the crazed gear fanatic, I wanted to be present in the music. My sound system was sounding great, the music had me engaged, and I wanted to remain in that state of mind. From that day on I have been able to recognize both aspects of listening and have taught myself how to engage and disengage the gear critic at will. It was a bit of a struggle in the beginning but as time passed I gained control. I have never again experienced the same situation I faced when I walked away from that sound system almost four decades ago. I will never forget how happy I was to reconnect with music reproduction in my home. It is a truly positive aspect of my life that I hope never to be without again. These days I listen to music when I feel like it, enjoy the experience immensely, and don't give a second thought to the times I'm not in the mood or doing other things. And yes, I still put on my critical hat from time to time when considering improving system performance, but I know how to put that hat away when it isn't necessary.

 

[CPP]

I take a break all the time. But I always come back to music.

 

[PMCH]

I find I don't listen to my 2 channel system as much as I should considering the time, effort and expense I have put into it. I am critical of it and the music I play on it though. I find I use my HT system much more the than my 2 channel system. I am not critical of that system at all. I just put in a movie, concert or Netflix and just hit the play button and done.

 

[hifinutt]

yes , its an addiction and i have had quite a few sleepless nights over it in recent past . that big speaker you really can`t afford or that amp that just might not be right . my answer is not to have a smartphone and when i have to go away [which is fairly often] i have no access to fora or discussions and i just listen to a very simple system costing under 300 quid which sounds really nice . i then think why am i spending what would buy a new jaguar on a hifi !!!!

 

[asindc]

I listen when the mood strikes me. Sometimes, especially during the summer months, it can be weeks between critical listening sessions. The way I see it, I paid for my system for the same general reason I paid for my fitness club membership—I paid not only to use it, but so that it is readily available for use when I want.