• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Why?

JeffS7444

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
2,347
Likes
3,508
What are you after people?
By hanging around ASR and other enthusiast-type sites? I learn stuff from time to time, but mostly it's a form of entertainment. Enthusiasm for evidence-based audio is something that people of all faiths, non-faiths, and political persuasions can share without undue grumpiness.

Sure, we've got zany threads about the fantasy-grade stuff we might like to play with if funds were unlimited, but I'm also aware of the Hedonic Treadmill model which says that today's amazing upgrade tends to become tomorrow's same-old, and I imagine this is just as true of $1M++ automobiles and wristwatches. But when it comes to audio, aside from the room and room treatments, most of the good audible gains can be easily had even by someone with a modest budget.
 

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,216
Likes
24,177
I do my small part to keep stuff outta the landfills (FWIW)...

hamingredient pano 14Apr2019.jpg
 

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
Personally, I am after people because others came before me.
 

sergeauckland

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
3,440
Likes
9,100
Location
Suffolk UK
What are you after people?

Is it the unattainable?

Do you just want more stuff?

Can you be happy with what you’ve achieved/got?

Just why?
What am I after? Great question, and something I've thought about a lot.
I've made a career of audio, mostly in the Broadcast industry, but have also been a HiFi practitioner for even longer. Therefore, in my case, it's a desire to impart some of the knowledge, and dare I say, wisdom, acquired over the past 50 years. I detest the way the HiFi industry has gone from a hobbyist-technical base to a 'everyone's opinion is equally valid' basis, devoid of any technical merit. The snake oil and stupid pricing of boutique products just makes me very angry. If I can stop someone wasting money on yet another stupid cable or ridiculous 'upgrade' I'll be satisfied.

As to 'stuff' no, I have enough, don't want any more. I also hate buying new stuff, I'd much rather 'make do and mend' my existing stuff (all stuff, not just hifi) so I don't have buy anything new. In that respect, I'm very happy with what I've got, and can't see me making any improvements in the future. About the only stuff I'll be buying more of is CDs and LPs.

S
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
3,558
Likes
5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM
I’d love to know what you “collectively” are after.

So much here is about consumption.

Buying more stuff.

Do you need it?

I think the 'ultra high end' of audio is more about consumption and impressing others. I don't think most people here fall into that category. I certainly don't.
 

Foulchet

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2021
Messages
84
Likes
50
Killing time and satisfying my curiosity. Honestly I do not even know why I am interested in this specific topic.
 

puppet

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
446
Likes
284
What are you after people?

Is it the unattainable?

Do you just want more stuff?

Can you be happy with what you’ve achieved/got?

Just why?
It's just human nature. Like, What is life? ... How many stars are there? ... Can I visit one before I die?
All unattainable but doesn't stop us from the wonder of it all.
 

stevenswall

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
1,366
Likes
1,075
Location
Orem, UT
What are you after people?

Is it the unattainable?

Do you just want more stuff?

Can you be happy with what you’ve achieved/got?

Just why?

I'm "after" my ancestors in my existence, and will always need more stuff, particularly foodstuff, and whether I can or can't be happy with what I've achieved or have is yes and no, so no answer, thus the question is ultimately meaningless, perhaps like life?

"Just why" do pancake clocks benevolence a fish of sobriety even as unto an? Perhaps because purple aliens on the roof don't wear hats.

(I agree with whomever above said elaboration would be useful.)

On a separate note, not sure if it's what the OP intended, but I'm glad there are many people in this world who find it insufferable to be happy with what they have got, and instead rage against the cancerous patheticism parading as virtuous anti-consumerism that is complacency. Sure, emotionally there is something to be said for acknowledging positive things, and being happy to some extent with one's life, but constant striving for improvement is a good thing overall, and particularly in this hobby it's not like speakers go into a landfill just because someone upgrades, not to mention if a company spends billions on speakers, cars, rockets, etc. that money doesn't just disappear.


Perhaps this is meant more for a hoarding subreddit with plastic bag and Styrofoam based hobbies.
 

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,216
Likes
24,177
You didn't fail miserably - but the reason you're not getting the replies you're looking for is that this is not the ideal forum to pose the philosophical question you're posing.
@Eidie, you may wish to try your query at audiokarma.
 

Beershaun

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
1,864
Likes
1,910
What are you after people?
1) Knowledge
2) Community

Is it the unattainable?
No but it may take a bit of work.

Do you just want more stuff?
No. I want the right stuff and don't want to be wasteful.

Can you be happy with what you’ve achieved/got?
No. Because I am pursuing knowledge.

Just why?
1) to better myself.
2) to accomplish something that leads to greater enjoyment of my passions and hobbies through knowledge and personal decision making instead of relying on others.
3) To share in and contribute a community of like minded people across the globe whom I would have never met and known about and enrich myself and, hopefully, enrich them with the exchange of ideas and culture that give us all a greater understanding of each other and the world around us.
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
3,558
Likes
5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM

Doodski

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
20,749
Likes
20,760
Location
Canada
I do my small part to keep stuff outta the landfills (FWIW)...

View attachment 144120
I want your Fisher tube integrated amp with matching tuner!
Is that a exotic fisheye lens or the software merged pics together. Just wondering because even with a ball head mount on a tripod I have never been able to get these kinda results. :D
 

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,216
Likes
24,177
I want your Fisher tube integrated amp with matching tuner!
Is that a exotic fisheye lens or the software merged pics together. Just wondering because even with a ball head mount on a tripod I have never been able to get these kinda results. :D
A hifi colleague took the pano photo with his phone -- I presume it's a few images stitched together, but I don't "do" smartphones, so I dunno.
As a photo, though... it... umm... makes the point. ;)

PS Those are Scotts. I don't have any Fisher separates :( -- although I do have a very nice and fully restored 500C receiver that is probably the single nicest piece of hardware here. :facepalm:
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
3,558
Likes
5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM
I want your Fisher tube integrated amp with matching tuner!
Is that a exotic fisheye lens or the software merged pics together. Just wondering because even with a ball head mount on a tripod I have never been able to get these kinda results. :D
Related to that, what are the dimensions of the room? The fisheye makes it look enormous, although its probably pretty large in real life.
 

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,216
Likes
24,177
Related to that, what are the dimensions of the room? The fisheye makes it look enormous, although its probably pretty large in real life.
ca. 25 x 25 feet; it's just a "loft" above our garage.
but this isn't about me... it's about "why"! ;)
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
3,558
Likes
5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM
ca. 25 x 25 feet; it's just a "loft" above our garage.
but this isn't about me... it's about "why"! ;)
Why what? I've lost track.....:(
 

tmtomh

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
2,636
Likes
7,490
"...You didn't fail miserably - but the reason you're not getting the replies you're looking for is that this is not the ideal forum to pose the philosophical question you're posing...."

I would be realy happy if someone could explain me the philosophical question behind? I just dont get it.

To be honest it feels strange. The OP has a topnotch system and asks isnt that enough? Thats like standing on mount everest and asking others why they climb mountans??? Iam sure it is not meant like this, but if someone asks about philosophy the person should first asks about own philosophy.

That's a very good and fair point.
 
Top Bottom