Hi-Fi Burnout! How to find happiness with your Stereo system!
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- I've been there before. I watched as my interested in hi-fi morphed into a frustrating chase. I became so sick and tired of pursuing 'perfection' that I walked away from it all. If you can relate, this video is for you.
Link to Andrew Robinsons video:
• The HiFi Addict - Audi...
Link to Steve Guttenbergs video:
• Audiophiles are addict...
#ZeroFidelity #burnout #hifi
I had a very short time window to film this video, but it's an important topic that I think is worth going over. To reiterate the points made in this video (and to add a few that I missed out on):
- The first step towards finding peace is accepting that perfection doesn't exist to begin with. The very process of recording sound is flawed from the get-go. You'll never have a perfect sounding system because perfection was never there in the music to begin with.
- Once you procure a system that connects you to the music in a meaningful way - don't rush out to change anything in that system! You already have what most of us are looking for! An impactful listening experience. Embrace it. Enjoy it! At least for 6 months.
- Can't break FOMO? Always curious to know about the latest and greatest even when you're content with your rig? Has it become a problem for you? If so, the best thing you can do is: unplug. Stop visiting forums. Stop watching Zero Fidelity and other channels like mine. The more you surround yourself with temptation, the more likely you are to stay on the marry-go-round. Dont' get me wrong, if you're having fun trying out new stuff and it doesn't create much of a burden for you - stick with it! There's no shame in that! But if this becomes a genuine problem, then you need to distance yourself from hi-fi related media. All of it.
- Be smart with your money. If you're having fun trying out stuff, then purchase gear from dealers / companies that offer generous trial periods. Either that, or shop around the used market where you can sometimes get the same gear for 40% or more off of retail!
- Lastly, it's just hi-fi. It's nothing serious. If it ever gets to the point to where you're not having fun, that's a good sign that it's time to step away. Stop buying new gear. Just step away. Take a break. Hi-Fi will always be around whenever you're ready to come back.
- If all else fails, give your partners/friend a taser. Every time you buy some new sh*t, they have full permission to tase you outta this gig. :D
Having said all that, I hope you all find peace and happiness with music and the gear that makes it sound awesome! - Peace
Zero Fidelity my advice for people who have this problem is to start learning music theory (especially harmony) and start training your relative pitch. Music that you were listening for decades will suddenly start unveiling its secrets. Take a couple of drum lessons (or bass, or piano)
Thanks Sean so much for this. One of my last couple of jobs was working with a car hire firm so I got to drive most vehicles out there at the moment and I was getting that fix there oh this is my new favourite motor. I guess I need a job in the hifi industry to sort me out 🙂
Exclnt job !👍👍👍👍👍
I went through this when I first started putting a system together, it drove me crazy and it was hard to get past, it was really annoying actually
I can now happily say I'm back listening to MUSIC again and not my system. It wasn't easy though.
You have an addictive personality, Sean. :) I do too.
I got burned out on reading snobbery-filled audio forums with anonymous users. The advice was NOT good advice, it was subjective preference. The online flame wars were too much, and toxic. Once I stopped reading those, and audio magazines, I listened more to music and less to gear. And most importantly, discovered what type of sound I prefer and not care what others prefer.
totally
I have had my system for about 30 yrs. and still love it!! I watch you guys (on you tube) to compare the new stuff to my "old" stuff and nothing has made me want to upgrade. Part of it is the point of deminishing return. My system has been paid for since new and to go back into debt for thousands of dollars for "maybe" a slight improvement - no thanks!
Good stuff Sean!
All hobbies are good all obsessions are mostly bad. Just enjoy. Never chase the dragon.
There you go again Sean, hitting the nail on the head and keeping us sane with your well thought out insights and advise. For sure the best audio reviewer out there and the one I respect the most. Keep up the good work sir.
I take it as a given that the search for 'perfection' is a fool's errand, so instead I relish variation. I've spent the last 8 months collecting different vintage items, then mixing and matching and enjoying the different emphasis that each combination gives to my music collection. It's great when you listen to an album you've owned for decades and think you know, then you try it through, say, a different pair of headphones and you hear things you didn't really notice before!
And thats the beauty of it. Once you accept it, you can just kick back and enjoy these items for what they are. Its liberating. :)
Takes balls to do a segment like this. I salute you.
it depends on the personality too, some people are like - it is never good enough
Be happy with what you have
Well said, Audio Electronics.
You are one honest dude, to tell audiophiles to stop watching your show in order to help. Kudos sir.
I have not owned a piece of equipment for longer then a year since I have been able to financially subsidize my hobby. So this has been going on for 15 years for me. Before that it was more about the music. I now believe with a few more adjustments within my means I will reach my euphoria!!! Spoken like a true addict lol
We need more content like this on RUclips. This hobby isn't just about buying and selling gear to try something different. I think its more about the process of musical enjoyment. I met great fellow audiophiles when I bought / sold gear. I enjoy taking care of my equipments. I enjoy watching videos of other people showing their set up.
I have my Kef Ls 50 wireless. Got them a couple of months ago and I am done. These are the best speakers I have ever had.
I'm not aiming for perfection and I'm rarely impressed by super high sound altar systems, they just don't do it for me. I remember one guy who's girlfriend looked at his system and said: ''You need all this stuff just to listen to music?'' I'm aiming for a sound that allows me to listen to most types of music/recordings with the least amount of fatigue while retaining the maximum amount of emotion with a reasonably minimalist non-intrusive setup. I think by now I've pretty much figured it out.
Great video. You articulated exactly how I have been feeling. 20 years ago I was content with the cheapest turntable and would buy vinyl pretty much indiscriminately. After a long break, and since reentering the hobby, I've allowed myself to get drawn into RUclips recommendations, Facebook Groups, Discogs, Pressings, Labels, Grading, HiFi, etc, etc. It has been time consuming and exhausting. While I'm happy to have been turned on to some nice, budget gear, like the Fluance RT82 and Sony SSCS5''s (thanks to your channel), there's a part of me that misses the ignorance, when I would just see a used record, buy it, and slap on whatever system I had. I had no idea whether I was listening to a first pressing or a reissue label or whatever. It didn't matter. It's a crazy, addictive thing right, and most of us with addictive, collector personalities launch ourselves into these rabbit holes every chance we get. But to your point, there comes a time when you just have to say, "I'm good".
Some people are what I call travelers. Their joy is derived from what's over the next hill. It's not that they don't appreciate the view from where they are, it's just that the discovery of what's next is their real passion. And these people are most common in the world of hobbies. Guitar guys collect guitars not because the new one sounds better but because they didn't have a Gretsch! In the audio world these people are often quite well aware that the next thing they try likely won't be better than the last thing. They want to try it anyway just to see what happens or just to have it. Music is merely the medium they use to engage with their real passion which is the next piece of gear. Other people are searchers. They are legitimately seeking to find a spot to call home but don't think they've found it yet. They want to buy their last amplifier or set of speakers but are worried they will always be missing something. These are the people who are susceptible to upgradeitis and temptation from watching videos. Believe it or not, I have found the most common group to be the settlers or homesteaders. They tend to hang around the edges of a hobby but not so close that they fall in! In audio terms these people do a bit of traveling and searching to get a sense of who they are and what they like. Then they quite easily make their choices and get on with the business of enjoying their music. You won't find too many of these folks on forums or reading audio magazines, not because they would be tempted to upgrade, but because they don't feel there's any need to do so.
It takes a real man to soul-search and share hard earned experiences. Thank you 🙏🏼 , as one can never be too old or mature to fall into this cycle (speaking of myself here obviously)!
Actually Sean, you have talked me out of buying a few things I had my eyes on, so, thank you.
I am a audiophile, but luckily I am a musician and a producer. Everything this man just said is the sole truth, and nothing but the truth.
One thing audiophiles don’t get is that music isn’t recorded true to the source, that isn’t the point in music. Musicians and producers don’t create recordings with audiophile snobbery in mind.
It is sad to see how many lifetimes and dreams and money is wasted to this delusion.
Yes, the point is to find right equipment to soothe your taste, nothing more.
No high dollar power cable can magically reveal what producer masked and gated out of the recording.
It is about the song... Song is about the song, about the emotion, about arrangement. Being clinical is musically senseless.
This guy knows his stuff!
Bravo
Good point!
I have learned that practicing contentment is wise.
I refer to contentment, not complacency or stagnancy.
Maybe a better component is the right solution but contentment slows me down enough to investigate and learn and question why and what....
Likewise with paying cash, that is, not borrowing or taking out a loan for any purchase.
It slows you down
Any fool can spend money.
Wisdom learns to ask the right questions....
I have started this hobby in preparation for retirement. But I think it helps to share listening. So, my spouse LOVES what I've chosen, as have our friends. Music listening, for me, has largely been a shared experience (music school grad here). This also serves as a check to any changes that I've made (very few). I'm running a very modest system; KEF LS50 wireless (serves our living room TV as well), with a Bluesound Node 2.1 feeding it. I stream both Tidal and Qobuz. I stopped listening to CDs and vinyl because I can't physically handled them (rheumatoid arthritis has roached my hands). So, I think burn out MIGHT also be connected to a degree of social isolation. Of course, I could be completely wrong. But one of the major joys for me, besides GREAT sounding music, has been sharing it.
Sean,
Not only are you a fantastic reviewer, you're a good person as well. This video speaks volumes about your character.
Thanks and peace to you as well.
Mike
P.S. 2013 Mustang GT Convertible
With the top down it's a great leaf peeper in the Fall here in New England and just cruising on a warm Summer night. It's been a great transporter for many father/son and father/daughter get away trips. And like life, it's about the experience of the journey and not some illusion about the perfect destination.
I watch your channel because like Steve and Hans, Darko and others, you are interesting cool people that I enjoy listening to just for content and exchange of ideas. But yes, self control is tough when encountered with such great new and shiny equipment options. Lucky for me, I have saturated my listening space. Thanks for your dedication to the craft.
Great points! Personally I like the stories attributed to my gear and it’s what keeps me grounded. My AudioEngine A2’s were purchased at a piano store as they were selling accompaniment software and those were the speakers they used to play. My subwoofer was bought from one of the few hifi shops in the area 20 miles from me. I rode my bike out there and strapped that Velodyne Impact 10 to my bike for the ride home. And now I am getting my first big boy amplifier from my favorite RUclipsr!
I can appreciate the best, and at times lust for it, but the power of sentiment and experiences surrounding my things is what keeps me rooted and grateful for what I do have.
If your hobby is listening to gear then you cannot escape this problem. If your hobby is listening to music and hi if is just the medium to deliver that, then you don’t get bored or frustrated with your gear. Yes, you might want to upgrade after a few years if and when funds allow but you avoid suffering from hifidelitis.
Shawn on every level this is so true, whether its computers-gaming, HiFi, Home Theater, Photography, cars, boats guns or any hobby that you can think of and we can all be susceptible. The power of the internet and marketing-Magazines in general is a monster. We want to read about our hobbies and attempt to master them on every level imaginable, so we go to forums and talk about it and this fuels our desire along with the other stuff. Sean you are so right about asking yourself what the purpose for our involvement is. The most important thing is to be HAPPY Within YOURSELF first and realize that a thing can't make you happy it will just delay your dissatisfaction of what ever is wrong in your life. We only live in this life twice as a child and one time truly as an adult, so try to find your inner peace. Great job here Sean and you always have that way of telling the plain honest truth, but you do it with much respect. Good luck to you and yours in 2020.
Brilliant! Wish I'd listened to this in the 60s. My journey has been a carbon copy of yours, only much longer. Time to stop roping the dragon, and just listen to music......
This is the best video that you've made, Sean, you've rise above all the rest of the reviewers. It just make so much sense, so much! I'm very blessed to have this grounded-balanced sense that NO SINGLE SYSTEM, no matter how much you spent, would be perfect for all songs, all music genre and all recordings. So I have 4-5 set ups of different systems in my home, each and everyone of them sounds different. One plays well with one type of music, the others plays well something else. All in all, my investment stretched much much further in terms of ROI. And I aim to spend the lowest amount of money as possible, without compromising on the sound quality that I'm listening for.
I completely jaw-drop that people spend 10s or 100s of thousands on their system, and some even move to a home and revolve their lives around their HIFI system! Meaning the house was bought for music listening, and every design decisions centers on their HIFI! Obviously people have a right to spend the way they want to, but I think, if they don't get to brag about it, and show it to their friends, would they have spend that amount of money? (Barring people like Bezos, Buffet and Gates).
And you are spot on, that it shouldn't be that the chase for "girlfriends" is more important than the love. I love your line "Even if you spend $1,000,000, you'll still have flaws in your system." (Hats off!) I found that every speaker, every amp, has a soulmate out there. That is, once a match has been found, the system would sound awesome. And the price tag is NOT the main argument, the right match is. Given that some gears are more forgiving, more versatile, more robust than others in matching with different gears. Thank you Sean, really, for doing what you do.
The convergence is incredible - the day before you posted this video I was at exactly the point where I did feel burnt out, and frustrated. - until I decided to discard a firmly entrenched set of assumptions, and try something new altogether.
I spent the last few years furiously trying out new gear, hunting for that illusive 'perfect' sound. Yesterday, it all came together. I was always close, but there was always some sort of caveat, but now - finally - I have what I was looking for.
Yes, the 'perfect' sound does exist - but the way to achieve it is a process - there is no universal answer, no 'one way' to perfection, but it all starts with determining exactly what you're actually looking for in terms of what you would define as 'perfect' or 'near-perfect' sound. Once you establish what you're actually looking for - you will find it, eventually.
Amen! I appreciate that you, and other You Tubers can step up and speak the truth about all this.........people get sucked into this hobby and lose site of what they actually enjoy, the music.
I went through this with guitars and guitar amplifiers. I was a hack hobbyist who ended up spending tens of thousands of dollars on high end guitars and amps. After about ten years I was a way better musician and had my own tone and knew how I wanted a guitar to feel, not just sound. I narrowed my collection from 90 to just the ones that I used the most....only three. Luckily, I bought used and a lot of what I bought over the years went up in value. So, when I got into hifi I had already learned many lessons, and that included never going into debt to buy gear. Don't just charge it up and pay it off. With hifi I was quickly able to assess what I liked, bought used, and have been living happily ever after. No merry-go-round but I had to learn the lesson beforehand.
Stop watching Zero Fidelity?........Never!!! I say Never! :) Enlightening Sean..thanks.
You tell me maybe I shouldn't watch you now you know I have to and now I have a baseball cap addiction Thanks a lot keep up the good work!
Sean, you are so right on this subject. I was chasing my tail always seeking out that elusive "perfect system" I was spending upwards of $3k per component. After I got so frustrated listening to the gear and not the music, I got rid of my gear twice; once for eight years and the second time for seven years. My problem was I was never happy for more than a year or two - had to try the next new thing. Now, I have a new problem: I really like my system, but my mind is telling me I need to spend more money. Why? Because I have finally found a sound I like with much less expensive gear. My preamp is the Schiit Saga. I used to have Threshold Fet 10e thirty two years ago. Back then it was $3200. My Saga costed me $349.00.
The good news is I'm off the upgrade train and am discovering music.
So, how did I come to this conclusion? When I didn't have my multi thousand dollar gear, I noticed I was actually enjoying my $249.00 Sony ipod player and $129.00 JVC boom box. I was listening to music, not the gear.
Well, I attended the first three Axponas in Chicago and liked the Odyssey Audio room and bought a Khartago and did upgrade it to the Kismet amp in the same chassis. After that, I discovered the Schiit Audio room and bought the dirt cheap Saga. Now, five years later I am enjoying the music again. Speakers? B&W CM5's standmounts on a pair of Pangea stands filled with shot. No desire to upgrade. Even though the mind wants the next new thing, I have been able to lock down those urges and it feels great just enjoying the music! If I ever had to buy gear again, it would most likely be buying cheap gear and discovering how low I could go money wise to get really good sound. Companies like Schiit Audio and Elac are two places to start!
Ahh Sean don't worry too much. I just enjoy the reviews. I watch Steve and yourself all the time and I have no intention of changing out my system. Not for a couple of years anyway.
Very thoughtful video brother. We should all learn a lesson that good enough is good enough. Good enough doesn’t sound like much, but accepting that your system has reached good enough status is a positive mindset
What I enjoy most about this ‘HiFi community’ as of late is just this type of stuff - a sense of real-life. I chased all sorts of audio “solutions” for a long time, spending lots of money along the way and had to finally wake up and start enjoying what I have. The reviews help me to understand my tastes a bit more and the capabilities of systems out there but I love these types of videos because they slow down my heart rate again and I can enjoy without worry of missing out.
This was a great topic to talk about, I’m very sure it will help a lot of people. I also commend you for giving credit to creators to whom you got inspiration from, that’s why your one of the best in the audio game on RUclips. Thanks much!.
Your sheer honesty honours you, Sean. Won't unsubscribe though. I'm addicted to information on this field but so far, have managed to tame my compulsive wallet moves 😉!
When I was younger I would upgrade by selling my gear to friends, they knew I was particular in what I bought and how I took care of it. After I got divorced I treated myself to a good system and I still have most of the same stuff after 17 years. The only upgrade I made was my HT preamp, for my 60th birthday my sons told me to pick out something from Ebay and they would buy it for me. I did my research and decided on a Marantz av7005, the reviews from both pros and owners were very good. I was not disappointed. For me it's about the music. I enjoy your reviews and the advice you give thanks, good job
For me I learned this in the golf world, constantly chasing next driver head, shaft, irons, etc. Individually not as expensive as hi-end audio or the car world but you tend to buy so much stuff it just keeps adding up. Since I used to be a club builder and did my own work I bought more stuff since I did the work. I guess this brings up the old adage, if you ain't got the swing you ain't got a thing. Haven't even swung a club now for 3 years. As far audio, I have learned to, for them most part happy with what I have. Sure I will still make some modest improvements but nothing crazy. I'm still using my 20 year old CD player and old Systemdek IIX turntable from the mid 80's. They still work great. I made some some sound absorber panels, inexpensive diffusers, homemade isolation pods and took the time to orient the speakers as good as the room would allow.
Went out shopping today, came home with a copy of Abbey Road 50th Anniversary and Eric Clapton & B.B. King - Riding with the King put it on the turntable and to me it sounds friggin' amazing as I sit staring at my black fake strat telling myself I'm going to be next "Slow Hand" at almost 64 years old. LOL
Very solid advice. Thank you for your honest and candid advice.
every audiophile needs to see your video. well said
"Art & Science" .... yes, but also Magic! As Abby Lincoln said, "The music is the magic of the secret world!"
This topic of always chasing perfection is a good one. I love my tube gear because it enables me to play with tube rolling as an inexpensive way to change the sound of the gear.
I also like trying out new tweaks, etc., instead of just deciding that I need new gear.
Another good idea is to use Tidal to explore new genres of music and new artists without having to invest in their albums at first. This really helps to keep the joy of music alive!
..... And don't forget about attending live music events!
1. Find your perfect Setup - in your price range - and be satisfied!
2. Go for a better room treatment and for better Power solution. These things didn't cost so much and helps really a lot.
3. Go to live concerts and realize that this sound would never happened in a home stereo system - not for millions of $ /€ /£.
4. Look for the Best recording!
Great topic Sean. All the Best for you.!
Matze from Berlin, Germany
Sean I am in the burnout phase. Thanks for the encouragement
I can relate to this. I'm 61 and I find it kind of frustrating on trying to choose the right component for my system based on so many different opinions on reviews, which can be a good or bad thing. Now I have come to a solution that takes me back to my youth years. Way back then my only interest was on listening to music, without paying any attention at all on the system. The reason for this was that I didn't have any money to buy anything so I had to relay on what was available in my home, which was what almost every family in those days had, talking about a receiver of any given brand with a record & tape player. Now here's the interesting thing & the point I want to get across on this comment; In those days I enjoyed listening to music more so than I do today. Why you may ask?... Because I was paying attention to the music rather than the system. So my advise is to buy (to the best of your knowledge) components based on your listening habit's & preference of music, and don't go overboard spending $$$ on different gear trying to satisfied an unreachable sound, it wont happen.
I think I’m an even bigger fan of your channel now, Sean. Thanks for the honest and real video!
I totally agree with you 100% I'm a part time photographer and same thing applies to photography. You have to take everything with a grain of salt. Learn who you are and just enjoy what you have. But I do enjoy your videos just as I enjoy my photography to learn about the industrie. Not everyone is stright forward as you are and that's why channels as yours, stand out from the others. Thank you Shawn
This was one of your best videos. I am convinced that after a certain point better gear is not really making a big difference anymore. Things like the room and the recording are a lot more important. I am listening near field with a pair of LS50 on my desk with a DIY AMP and DAC and my PC with TIDAL as my only source. From time to time I am listening to other a lot more expansive systems and after coming back home I am still happy :-)
The advice at the end is very wise, and applies very well to all the things we consume and are consumed by: if you can't live without, you'd better keep control of yourself. Personally, I've found lately that I can have a LOT of fun seeing how much audio performance I can squeeze out of sub-$100 speakers from Craigslist. Also remember to get rid of thr old stuff BEFORE you get something new, and you'll be in much better shape than a lot of people in this hobby!
Be happy with what you got
Thanks for posting this extremely interesting topic Sean! With 40yrs of engagement, I’ve found this topic both lively, variegated, and fun when engaging others with similar history, and therefore wanted to share some thoughts.
My journey has been very exciting over the past 40yrs but also very different depending on my timeline. I mention this because I believe ones ability to follow your recommendations depends on their position in their timeline. More specifically, understanding what they want and what’s possible changes with time. Understanding there is no “there there” is typically understood by those with greater tenure. And this is a central component to understanding some of your points, as well as achieving satisfaction. The position on their audio hobby timeline also affects their understanding of goals and therefore results in much greater engagement in their quest for what’s needed to achieve satisfaction. I believe you tend to “chase the Dragon” more viscerally with less experience OR, just plain addiction, regardless of your timeline. As ones experience grows, the rewarding elements of the hobby become altered and you begin changes your goals to a more realistic approach, resulting in greater satisfaction, which prepares one to better “cope” with their addictive behavior.
We all know that ANY hobby MUST be engaged to derive enjoyment, it’s our approach to this engagement that determines specific levels of satisfaction. I’ve been “in and out” of the hobby at various times and each time I return, it seems my approach is different. Having a few friends that run systems over $100k has affected my approach as well. More specifically, I get to practice the hobby and gain insight that many people never have an opportunity. These systems represent performance my budget will never allow, but yet fuels my education and alters my approach. I believe this helps tremendously. One might think engagement of these types of high-end systems could result in negative takeaways but for me, it’s been the opposite; it’s helped my perspective and consequently, has allowed to me to take a different approach. It’s no longer about the budget and how much money I can invest, rather the opposite; it’s fueled my passion for the educational element of the hobby and driven me to new goals, resulting in a different type of engagement. I now find myself interested in developing a system that achieves my required performance characteristics (must have some experience as I mentioned earlier) with low total costs. And as you say, the quality and performance of today’s equipment can be quite good (i.e. Iotavx, etc.), therefore, SUPER exciting to understand both your needs and ability to apply years of knowledge in achieving very satisfying performance without breaking the bank. But as I said previously, I’m not certain that new enthusiasts can get to this point, which is why we all have a responsibility to educate and help those new to the hobby.
Of course what I’ve shared is but one example of a means to corroborate your thoughts. Simply wanted to share in hopes it makes some sort of sense and is helpful to those either “burnt out” or needing coping skills to deal with this highly addictive hobby! 😉
Thanks Sean and keep up the great work! Enjoy the Super Bowl!
Shawn, this is one of your best videos! Extremely helpful for people who are on their hi fi journey. Sometimes we have to appreciate what we have and enjoy what we have. Good job 👍
Thanks for this video on an important subject. Your honesty and sincerity is a given for all your videos. Thanks.
enjoyed the video & will carry on watching when you post more.. it's not that people think they have to go out & keep buying new all the time.. it's because sometimes people feel that they can improve all the time .. yes they can.. but if you feel happy with whet you have just keep listening to people like you & many of the other guys on here.. because we only want to enjoy what we can afford & maybe sometime go for something more up market.. at the moment i'm back into vinyl & really on the Stylus & Cartridge wavelength .. so i will continue to listen & watch with great fun.. & it's all fun if you want to enjoy what you have .. Paul
Thank you Shawn for you honest point of view as always.
I'm going to continue to watch as i enjoy seeing new product and your no bs approach.
Amen, great points Sean. I think these pearls of wisdom touch on two wider issues that stretch beyond the Audiophile. One, is a lot of us fall into the trap of materialism. Deceived that Joy only comes through having. Second, is not learning how to live life being grateful for what you received. I have encountered far too many demanding people that have an sense of entitlement. It is hard to find satisfaction in anything, when you feel the world owes you.
With almost twenty years of hi-fi interest, I’ve never experienced anything like burnout 😁
1) I’ve always considered the actual usage before the want - with the very long view in mind, 2) I’ve always had more than one system, expanding good sound to more rooms with time and gear, 3) selling or passing on unneeded gear providing others with good sound for a reasonable amount, and, 4) fairly early on, I noticed how often room acoustics mattered much more than the actual gear, not wild-goose chasing the perfect system by constantly upspending.
Just got back into it , and I want to thank you. Controlling your self in the beginning is hard,the chase is addicting. You just saved me money that I should not be spending. I don’t need to have the best or better stuff. I got a good vintage system that has be refurbished and I like the way it looks and sounds. I bought some new Klipsch floor speakers for it. But I really want the second pair Klipsch RM600M. Will see do I really need to have them. Thanks again for some common sense thoughts.
You hit it on the head. Also, trying out classic audio gear and finding out why it's classic is a lot more fun than waiting in rapt anticipation for the release of the next "better" thing. Flat panel speakers, flawed as they can be, can also be absolutely entrancing. And Dahlquist DQ-10s sound just as velvety and delicious today as they did 40 years ago. Audiophelia is more than just buying and recreating sounds accurately, and it's not about buying gear your friends approve of. It's about experiencing beauty, and finding out what YOU like.
Hey, thanks so much for the advice, especially to quit watching so many RUclips hi-fi videos. Over the last year or so, I've been watching videos on a daily basis; eager to check out any new ones as soon as they drop. Coincidentally, my addiction, because that's what it's become, to buying hi-fi equipment has skyrocketed and seems to occupy my mind for a large proportion of every day. Now, not only do I have a full system with turntable in the lounge, I have another in my bedroom, as well as enough components to make up two more complete systems in the spare bedroom!
So yes, I'm going to take your advice and stop watching RUclips hi-fi videos for a while!
Thanks again, mate!
Well from coming across your videos and advice. I’ve been happier in my choices.
So thanks bro. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for being a true mentor for us the viewers/consumers. This video demonstrates you really are a consumer advocate.
Respect for your honesty! 👍
Thank you so much for this, Sean! It was just what I needed - a return to my love of music.
Th old saying is true " u dont know what u got till its gone" so step away & unplug until until u ache 2 b reunited w/ your beloved hobby/passion & then you'll remember jus how sweet it is!
Well, and here I go! I enjoyed my Klipschorns for the better part of 13 years!, and now, I have someone coming Sunday (Feb 2) with CASH to buy them for a good price!, sitting in my listening space are a pair of Martin Logan ESL 9's in Piano Black finish YET to be UNboxed as I type this. It took two trips with my Ford Escape to get them home from my dealer's warehouse (BIG boxes!), but I am ready to experience something TOTALLY different in my home.
From horns to electrostatics!! Lets see if I can be happy with these for another 13+ years ((O: Meanwhile, I still enjoy my Dual 506 turntable I bought new in '79 and enjoy the Dynaco Mark 3 and Pas 2 preamp from 1965. Glad I subscribed HERE!
it's very true what you say people want to keep up with the Joneses and are fickle. I would say set your hi-fi up as a studio setup with some studio equipment so you can adjust the sound to what you like! What is the most important thing. a very good set of speakers with decent sized drivers is always a good start and a good powerful amp or mps is really the basis of what you should have, the rest of it just feels and spills. Satisfaction of tweaking your system through DIY means it's always satisfying and you can get some great like diy speakers can sound fantastic at the fraction of the cost.
Thanks for your insightful video Sean. Your experiences mirror my own in that I too became so obsessed with obtaining musical perfection that I totally gave hi-fi music away for years. I'm just getting back into the hobby again. Hopefully I will be able to keep it real this time and simply find a system that's "good enough". Really appreciate your channel mate.
Limited resources is my current frustration. I continue to subscribe to channels like yours because I want to know more.
Two thumbs up on this video. Every time I turn on my system I get blown away at how good it sounds and that impressive sound stage.
After 10 or 15 minutes the 'what if' starts.....
Great advice mate.
I have found myself guilty of chasing something more than satisfaction too. How ridiculous.
One way to really help yourself out there is to start looking into DIY. Make yourself a simple phono preamp or some so bookshelf speakers for your significant other. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Absolutely young man! I really enjoy Steve’s and your reviews, and wonder what that component would sound like in my system. But thankfully I am happy with what I’ve got, and I’m a cheapskate😂. My son is just getting started so I keep up what’s out there.
You always make great videos. Thanks.
Yup. I'm always scouring the local auction sites for speakers and amps. To take things back to basics I think all we are looking for in a system is great sound with as many different genres of music as possible. I think it is much easier to get electronic music sounding good on most systems than rock and "live" music.
I got hooked on Hifi years ago in my mid teens when the folks were away and I'd had a few drinks and I cranked the go knob on Dad's Yamaha stereo amp and Energy floor speaker combo. My god the clarity, definition and crispness at high volume just blew me away. Their place was out in the country with the nearest house hundreds of meters away and suffice to say Sound Control paid a visit and shut us down. I have found the baseline for what I think a good Hifi should sound like
My solution to this has been to hang on to different speakers that I really enjoy, and switch between them every few months. I've been at this for 30 years, but I now have 3 main pairs of speakers that I really enjoy, and yet all sound radically different from each other due to different designs... (cones, horns, and electrostatics). Each sounds amazing in its own way, and keeps listening fresh for me. Every few years I'll buy something new or used, and see if it's worth hanging on to. BTW.... my favorite speakers are now 30 years old!
I guess I am kind of lucky...my passion seems to lie in LoFi gear! I have a soft spot for Realistic...yes Radio Shack...products. My main system also has a 70's Sony receiver!
I love watching the videos you and others make about gear....not to salivate over the next greatest..but more to learn and appreciate really good gear. Maybe some day I will take the leap into something more updated...but right now I am very happy with the tunes and sound I get to hear!
I share that passion, but back in the day a lot of low-end wasn't lo-fi! The Japanese were on a mission during the 70s, and they knocked a lot of established brands for six by offering good sound quality from solidly-made gear with decent components inside. My latest budget find is a lowly 17-watt JVC receiver from 1977 (JA-S50), and I'm impressed by its clarity and resolution via headphones. Is it perfect? No, of course not. But hey... I'm having fun, and that's what too many folks lose sight of.
I get you. I've been enjoying period speakers lately. It's not that they're the best, but that they capture the sound of an era like nothing else can. I'm listening to some AR-4Xs right now, speakers so successful that albums were tuned to sound great on them.
I really dont care what others think, I like my set ups. They each serve a purpose and make me happy!
With cars I went through a bunch of them, 19 in 15 years. Then I got my Lotus. Coming up on 6 years of ownership and no desire for something different.
@Fat Rat Nice and fun on the track but not what I consider a car.
WOW! That's quite a honest advice. Thank you Sean.
Your best videos are those where you compare 3 different speakers around same price bracket, the second best is this one.
Thank you so much for this video. I own a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers and love them as I did when new. It's hard not being distracted
There's no way I could ever get burnt out, if I didn't miss my chance to get those buchardt S400s... well at least for a good while ;)
thanks,but will always keep that notification on when zero fidelity posts new video.
This is spot on for me. I love the chase, every night I'm looking at marketplace and Craigslist for different brands of speakers. I have about 7 or 8 different sets of speakers right now. Most are older speakers, that were pretty expensive for their time period. I also have some newer speakers, like the kef ls50 and Klipsch RB series. I really enjoy listening to music and movies, but I honestly think I enjoy chasing used speakers for a good price, and listening to them for a month or so, and the reselling.. it is definitely an addiction, and my wife doesn't seem to like it to much.. maybe this video just helped realize I don't need to hear every speaker I find for a good price...
Sean man, I owe you! I've got a primaluna amp, TT, spatial audio OB speakers and a sub (plus external DAC and phono stage). Your helped me choose the spatials. I have zero motivation to ever buy a other piece of hifi gear.....now if I could only say the same for musical instruments!!!
G.A.S.
(-: Guitar acquisition syndrome ;-)
@@carlitomelon4610 indeed lol! Not to mention amps and pedals😬
@@billbones1000
As long as it's about playing more music and not just collecting more gear ;-)
@@carlitomelon4610 agreed! Hifi I'm done, no desire to change anything for a very long time. Guitars and guitar amps are such a different thing though!! As opposed to hifi, guitar amps are not subtle in their sound differences, same with guitars.....the sound difference between my polytone jazz amp and Mesa Boogie studio 22 are so huge! Same as differences between my vintage Gretch hollow body and my telecaster.....or my Les Paul and my PRS.......HIFI gear the sound changes are subtle between various components, music equipment the differences are vast!! It's those vast differences that keep my wallet bleeding!!!!
great video, i had 3 periods of time: golf equipment, cars and now im in hifi.. all take a lot of money.. 😂
Great advise... for people that has money to spend. Lol
I for one dont make that much and it took a year for me to save up for a decent entry level 2.1 system. watching your channel and other audio channels just to see whats out there and have an idea of how it sounds like thru demos and descriptions. Maybe in the next couple or so years i can upgrade and having a progression of knowledge will help me. Thanks for the video!
You tell me this after I watched you vids on the Iotta products 10 times? ugh! haha You are saying what we probably all know but suppress for the sake of the hunt! Thanks. Your reviews and videos are always entertaining!
Whoa man. That was the realist vid on Hi Fi I've ever seen.
Great advice Sean. TQ for such honesty!
When you reach 50 you start to become more contented. 😂🤣
I’ve stopped chasing. Pulled me handbrakes. Am happy with my cozy little set up with the P3ESR. I listen to it like 90% of the time despite having another pair of stand mount speakers that costs many times more. Time to start selling stuff off.
Stop coveting and start to enjoy the music. 😬
Of course, Sean, you have entered into an age of introspective philosophy, and you have had that tendency that whole time you have been hosting this youtube channel; it's not new, just the focus of your video today. And of course the topic is much more general than Hi Fi, as you clearly state.
I agree with some of the posters that, now that I am just past 60, I am more content with what I have, but I was very happy that after 25 years with Totem model 1's, and a 100 watt per channel Yamaha integrated amplifier, I decided on a new integrated amp with some digital sound processing, a lot more Class D power, and a pair of speakers that need that power. I have had them for a year and a half now, and I think it will take another 23 years for me to change this system. I really like my system. And friends will come over, not audiophiles, but they notice, I know. Sometimes they do a double take, sometimes they'll say, "I don't remember this song sounding so good, it's like I had not heard it before." My son-in-law has asked that I will my system to him. You were ground zero for my search, and you never demo'd my Class D amp, but you would respect that I bought what I liked.
I salute you. P.S. I have the Car disease, too. But I have found that when I test drive the cars selected based on the opinions of people who "track" their cars, or put them into 4 wheel slides on country roads on the weekend, that I am just an old man, now, that wants a quiet car that tracks straight on the highway, and absorbs bumps, well. Oh, it should have a modicum of sporty "feel" that is manufactured in just enough to satisfy a pretender, like me. Periodically, I go test drive cars to see if there is one that gives me that "Wow, this is so much better," feeling that my new amp and speakers did. But I am pleasantly surprised that most of the time the new cars are more about gizmo's than sophistication of drive, which is what I crave now. And that sums up your channel: sophistication without ego.
Yes, it's 3 months i document myself in hifi, I was thinking about a new pair of speakers and/or a new amp, but I ended up changing 2 cables (for cheap but good ones) and I now realise that what I have is good enough. Tuning room eq and crossovers reveals a universe of taste and sound and revealing things in recordings I never suspected. Even with modest equipment from 1998 and dac and amp from 2012. The most important is having fun with music. All the best tunes and disco, house, pop, rock, jazz recordings from a period are all soo bad that you can not do anything else than just enjoying those as they are, through your equipment, and some equipment are too analytic to still enjoy those flawed tracks. Also listening volume is important, by lowering the volume, the defects are less obvious. Only the best of the best recordings accept high volume. But I am not very fan of audiophile recordings, that is not the content i enjoy most.
Great episode Sean! This one spoke to me, I went through the listening to the equipment not the music phase also. Great advice given hear. I also, like you stepped away from the hobby for a while. I was a big new thing guy, thankfully I got out of that cycle. Thanks to you the stuff I have love, and enjoy now was a lot less expensive also! (i.e my Dayens integrated, Elac B6.2 speakers.) I am very content with what I have. I does what I want it to do very well. Have even sold a lot of the shiny stuff i chased around. I really appreciated your help in finding the stuff that really works for me!
Enjoying your music does not need to cost a fortune or be an endless quest, true story.
Thanks for doing this one. Maybe your best video yet. I am dying to know what cars you bought though.
audiophile...Mr. Kyle...I tested a $100 Logitech computer amp/speaker bundle by installing an RCA speaker cable connector from the Logitech amp to a mid-fi bookshelf speakers and using premium cables and dedicated DAC...lo and behold this setup blows away my $2,000 integrated amp in the chain in musicality by imparting a true-to-life sound of instruments (drums, cymbals, etc...I've played in a band before so there are no such thing as rolled-off highs and anemic midrange that hi-fi gears give out as colored presentation)... it's all about how wide your grin is when listening - be it class A, A/B, D, $100 or $10,000 equipment - don't matter...at the end of the day, the musical audio experience just fades away like a delicious homemade apple pie and gets you ready for another serving perhaps the next day or two...life's too short to be an audiophile OCD...try music and audio equipment FASTING and you'll grow to appreciate music and music gears on a higher level....peace
Great advice! Completely agree. I've been going through this and finally just said to myself STOP. Took a look around my rooms. Saw tons of gear, mostly vintage. And I thought, am
I really going to find anything that I like much better than the dozens of pieces I should be MOVING out of here and perhaps just holding onto a few? The answer, not really.
I know I'm into a particular kind of sound. And I find that in my Polk Monitor 7s, some old small Advents. Old school Polk SDAs. Vintage Kenwood and Sansui integrateds. Old school
JBLs and some Boston Acoustics A200s, etc. Yeah, I also have a tube amp and tube CDP and those are at the top of this food chain. Sound really nice on the old JBLs for example.
What I decided is to call a moratorium on buying anything else. And, perhaps just sharing. Listening to what others have, watching the reviews. Lettinng people hear my stuff. Yes, it's old
school but it ain't bad! And, with this I began to appreciate what I DO have more and also realize, HEY, I need to MOVE some of this stuff out because it's literally been stored in closets for years
now, lol!
So sure. If I can hear some new stuff. That's great. You don't have to constantly buy new things. And if, you're like me, and you have a stash of gear. WELL, what are you doing. ROTATE that stuff out
and sell or give some of it away after one last listen! It's all good.
And, as Sean says, it's a vicious cycle. So chill, put on some tunes and enjoy what you have, it's probably better than you think!
One of my favorite Video post by ZERO FIDELITY !