Rhapsody on a Theme of Audio

Some of what I have learned. In no particular order…….

This hobby is expensive!

This hobby leads to very unexpected places both musically, and personally.

Price does not always guarantee better sound, though often times it does.

It’s all about compatibility.

Always keep your grill clothes on in the presence of chimps, children and other difficult to coral primates.

An open mind is essential. That’s right you anti-digital guys, I’m talking to you.

If you are losing sleep over interconnects, you need to turn off your stereo for at least a month.

Big room, big speakers. Little room little speakers, unless you are willing to go to the mat with acoustic treatments and or room correction.

There is no reason to get nasty. That’s right you anti-digital guys, I’m talking to you.

Digital and analog can coexist peacefully.

The future is digital, though one day I will own a turntable.

Find someone you trust, experience can really ease the pain.

There are some components out there that are worth going deep into dept for. It is your job to find out which those are.

Looks are important (to me at least).

There is a lot of music out there.

Go hear live music when possible, it will tell you more about your system in one night than a year of auditioning equipment ever will.

Every part of the audio chain matters. Do not trust anyone who says different.

Try moving your seating position back and forwards as well as up and down, you may be surprised at the results.

That also holds for adjusting toe-in.

Never make changes during those rare times you are actually enjoying your system.

Neutrality will mean many different things over the course of your audiophilic life.

Slightly better sound is NEVER worth domestic discord.

I have learned to appreciate tube gear.

I have learned to trust my ears.

If an audio website wanted to make a zillion dollars, they would combine audio and porn. Why hasn’t any one done that yet?

The system should serve the music, not the other way around.

The language of sound is the language of sight.

Understand instruments’ frequency ranges, it will help you understand your components.

Blind listening tests- Why?

I have found that I will never need more than three hundred watts per channel. Want more? That’s another story.

Get the mid bass right (not as easy as it sounds), the rest will usually fall into place.

It’s about color, not edge definition.

If your system can reproduce the upper registers of a piano and trumpet at full tilt with no glare or compression, you need not make another change to your system – ever.

I don’t understand what all the fuss is about with systems that run on three watts of power.

It is far more difficult to get a horn driver to sound right through the mid range than it is for a dynamic driver.

f any one says that the golden age of audio was 30 years ago, they may be referring to their own lives without realizing it.

The best years for audio are at least ten years away.

This is a great time for audio.

There are many very good people out there in the audio population. Very few of them can be found on audio related discussion forums.

High end sales people of 25 years ago nearly killed high end audio. Today’s dealers are still paying the price.

A system that sounds great may still have a very long way to go.

It is however, up to you whether you want to travel further down the rabbit hole.

Never pay for something that is not impeccably built – NEVER!!

German engineering is without peer.

Use your iPod, love your iPod, find the best way to integrate it into your system.

The future is solid state memory, and the future is here.

When a significant upgrade has been experienced, you will know it, and you will never be able to forget it.

Surround your self with people whose opinions you trust and who are not afraid to share them with you. Resist the urge to be defensive.

Home theater is fun, but get the front left/right channels correct and the rest is a cinch.

Center channel speakers suck and are almost entirely unnecessary.

I never thought my system could sound anywhere near this good.

I am not my audio system.

Most tweeters make me uncomfortable.

The analog crossover is on its way out.

The frequencies below 30 cycles are almost not worth the effort….almost.

I love opening boxes almost as much as I hate packing boxes.

It is possible to reach audio nirvana.

Most classical music bores me to tears.

I wish classic rock was well recorded.

Rap music can be really clever.

I found out I like country music, at least some of it.

For many, audio makes up 95% of their life. I have been there, it’s OK.

I took listening to my father play his piano for granted.

If a review is over 2,000 words I begin to lose more interest by the word.

If a preview of a component is 3,000 words, I will never ever take the reviewer seriously.

I am really proud of more than 50% of what I have written.

Audiophiles are not entirely my favorite people. Refer to Groucho Marx’s famous quote about club membership.

I never trust anyone who says “It’s only about the music for me….”

I have the utmost respect for more than five manufacturers.

Choose warmth over accuracy if it sounds more engaging, unless you are willing to continue to upgrade.

One day, I will miss writing reviews more than the actual reviewing. (I’m confused … –Pub.)