Exhausted by the audio hobby

[mhardy6647]

I just end up vibing to bangers

Sausages?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[bodhi]

When you no longer can describe what you feel is missing then it's time to stop buying stuff.

Or one can go full subjectivist. You can debate the sanity of that ideology, but it offers unlimited improvements. Subjectivists always get better experience from upgrades, no matter which piece of equipment is upgraded.

 

[Andreas007]

If you are exhausted, how about a break?
Give yourself some time and distance from your hobby and reflect on what you are really searching for.

 

[RayDunzl]

Maybe you'll find another interest/hobby and audio will become secondary.

I've got a rack full of stuff, but not bought anything new in years.

I get something I think will work, and then make it work.

I don't remember returning or immediately replacing anything, though I did move some stuff to the bedroom and replace/upgrade it in the main system.

As for another interest, three days a week I fly my glider, and that's been my primary activity for the last 3 1/2 years.

If I spend the big bucks it will be for a modern plane, as mine is a mid 70's design, built in 1980, #97 of 101.

This week had to release some $$$ for the annual inspection by the licensed repairman/inspector.

no motor, no problem.

 

[Doodski]

I've got a rack full of stuff, but not bought anything new in years.

I get something I think will work, and then make it work.

I don't remember returning or immediately replacing anything, though I did move some stuff to the bedroom and replace/upgrade it in the main system.

As for another interest, three days a week I fly my glider, and that's been my primary activity for the last 3 1/2 years.

If I spend the big bucks it will be for a modern plane, as mine is a mid 70's design, built in 1980, #97 of 101.

This week had to release some $$$ for the annual inspection by the licensed repairman/inspector.

View attachment 403183

no motor, no problem.

I'm still amazed after some time that you can if a fair distance from the landing strip get lift off of warehouse buildings etc and then fly back to the airport. I told my friends and they sorta got it but never really got it. That's badass...

 

[EJ3]

Several thoughts:

Sometimes people are interested about a subject or a hobby and over time they lose interest. Maybe you'll find another interest/hobby and audio will become secondary.

I don't know how old you are but the "hobby" has changed and it's not as interesting is it once was.

There's only-so far you can go... Once you've got good speakers (and/or good headphones) there's not much to improve. About the only thing that would add to my enjoyment would be a bigger listening room with nice acoustics... Like the size of my house or larger... But that ain't happening!

When you are an adolescent or young adult you are more emotional. You fall in love, you might fall in love with music and you probably have a favorite band or singer and you might develop an interest in a hobby or particular subject. Most artists produce their best work when they are young, emotional, and inspired. I still enjoy music (and good sound) but no longer have a favorite band and I no-longer want to listen to music all-day, everyday. And I almost never hear new music that excites me. I still enjoy some of the old songs that bring-back the old emotions. Nor do I get excited when I hear a good sound system. I have a pretty-good one that I can listen to any time.

...Personally, I don't consider listening to music, or listening to or acquiring new/different equipment, to be a "hobby". I consider audio to be one of my main "interests". When I occasionally build speakers or and amplifier, THAT's a hobby!

I don't consider it a hobby.

100% agree, I have never considered it a hobby.
I just wanted to have very good sound. And do. Despite my only digital being CDs and maybe HD radio (depending on how you look at it).
Once a certain point of "good enough" is reached, the spending on new gear stopped, going to my actual hobbies (traveling, boating hot rodding cars and others).
And I definitely have had better sound systems in my previous vehicles than what I currently have with the top of the line available in my Chevy SS truck & my new 2024 top of the line Subaru (both with some kind of crappy Bose system [compared to custom builds of car audio gear]). In the truck I changed out the head unit to a Pioneer one and vastly improved the sound. In the 2024 Subaru, the audio is part of the main 11" dash computer control system and has no CD capabilities (I'll be adding a separate one [but my priority was to lift it 2 inches, add an air/oil separator and a few other mods already done with only 6000 miles on it {now because of the LACK of great audio, I'll change the exhaust system}). But, unfortunately, the audio system is not an easy thing to change. And, while I like the Subaru, IMHO it needs more power & better handling (things that I can easily change). As to it's stereo, currently I mostly leave it off.
And just drive my 2004 truck (whose audio system is better by a long shot).
On the Subaru, maybe I'll get a (somewhat) louder exhaust system (since I don't care for the Subaru's audio system anyway, I may as well open up it's lack of exhaust tone some).

 

[Marc v E]

I used to have the 650 from Sennheiser. I think the crinicle 7x is incredible high fidelity, but somehow I keep listening to the Bose Quietcomfort headphone. It's not the very best in high fidelity, but it's sound is pretty good and comforting, the weight so low I hardly notice them and the situations I use them are many: during work, for video meetings, plane travels etc. In the end, music, truthfullness of reproduction and usibility is key imo.

 

[EJ3]

That's how I do it. I was once a picky subjective seeker listening for differences in amps, CD players, DACs and analyzing speakers till the cows came home and that went on for maybe 9 years until I studied electronics. Now I am satisfied with an Atom DAC, Schiit headphone amp and a PC or two. I am of the opinion that after a person understands the sound they enjoy that there are many speakers/headphones that can fit that if given some hours to see what the speaker/headphones can do and for the electronics they are all solved issues many moons ago. So now I just listen, appreciate that I can have the gear to use and forget about the electronics because they are transparent. I would like better headphones and think in order to get an appreciable improvement that will require about $750 or more for headphones. But I'm in no hurry because what I have is pretty good I think.

And their is always EQ. DSP, etc. making it so that you do not have to change gear when you change rooms (or even homes, such as I did [I am in a much smaller place now BUT that will change again in a few years] {maybe to an RV for a few years & then to a larger home again, with any luck}).

 

[RayDunzl]

I'm still amazed after some time that you can if a fair distance from the landing strip get lift off of warehouse buildings etc and then fly back to the airport. I told my friends and they sorta got it but never really got it. That's badass...

For me, longest duration about 5 1/2 hours, highest altitude 8500 feet, greatest distance 19.4 miles.

A previous owner of this airplane was much more ambitious: He's dead now, from being old, not from flying.

Here is the area I've covered (red) compared to one of his "local" flights. He was fearless, would have to have landed somewhere else if he couldn't keep it up. There were six low points around a thousand feet on this flight, which is where you start really thinking about landing, because you will in about 4~5 minutes if you don't find some rising air.

To see some of his other flights in what is now my plane:

OLC - The Gliding / Paragliding / Hanggliding Contest

On-Line Contest (OLC) The worldwide leading database and scoring system for gliding, paragliding and hanggliding.

www.onlinecontest.org

The rightmost button will bring up the flight path.

 

[EJ3]

I'm still amazed after some time that you can if a fair distance from the landing strip get lift off of warehouse buildings etc and then fly back to the airport. I told my friends and they sorta got it but never really got it. That's badass...

Yes, unless they have planted a soccer field on the warehouse roof (which is cool, literally), but not so helpful in getting you an up draft that will get you back to the landing strip.

 

[Saeniv]

There's only-so far you can go... Once you've got good speakers (and/or good headphones) there's not much to improve. I've got huge DIY speakers, including a pair of 15-inch subwoofers, and 5.1 Surround. I'm sure I could get better speakers, and I could add more surround channels but I'm satisfied with what I have and I don't think I'd enjoy it any more. About the only thing that would add to my enjoyment would be a bigger listening room with nice acoustics... Like the size of my house or larger... But that ain't happening!

...Personally, I don't consider listening to music, or listening to or acquiring new/different equipment, to be a "hobby". I consider audio to be one of my main "interests". When I occasionally build speakers or and amplifier, THAT's a hobby!

I am satisfied with the speakers i currently have and headphones I own. I thought I can establish the same enthusiasm with IEMs as I had it with gear and headphones, but I lost the interest very quickly. I want enjoyable sound at the office, but I don't like the buying and trying anymore, just one IEM and get it over with. It takes time to select an IEM, find recommendations and so on, it is more exhausting than fun.
It's the same thing with gaming, there are so many possible games like IEMs that I am kind of overwhelmed by the massive selection and the time per game.

Here's an easy way to solve your dilemma : Read a one or two paragraph review in this link, there are thousands if it seems interesting, go with Qobuz (most diverse inclusive service I've found) or other and listen. If you find an artist or genre you like put that in the search box and find more. Which DJ's are playing the songs/artists/genres you like are found by clicking on the review. If you find one that plays a lot of music you you like you can stream their shows as they are archived also and may find some more good music. Time to move away from gear to music or maybe another type of gear.

KFJC 89.7FM

Thank you, that is really interesting.

At first it will just try and play you what is popular /getting pushed out everywhere but persevere. The other services in my experience aren't quite as targeted as tidal is with what they show me. YouTube music was OK. , Spotify is OK but wants to put everything in nonsense genres and feed me that until I choke. Amazon isn't bad. Qobuz does little to no personal tailoring or didn't.

Maybe i haven't given it enough time to get my interests.

 

[Saeniv]

When you no longer can describe what you feel is missing then it's time to stop buying stuff.

If you are exhausted, how about a break?
Give yourself some time and distance from your hobby and reflect on what you are really searching for.

True. I don't know what i miss, the excitement, the joy, the time i spent, the fiddling

As for another interest, three days a week I fly my glider, and that's been my primary activity for the last 3 1/2 years.

Very interesting hobby, i am at the local airport every day, but i never thought of starting with such a hobby.

 

[Saeniv]

Firstly, thank you to all of your replies and thoughts. There are a lot of good ideas and new horizons i haven't seen, thank you.

 

[CapMan]

Firstly, thank you to all of your replies and thoughts. There are a lot of good ideas and new horizons i haven't seen, thank you.

Hoping you get your HiFi / music moji back soon

 

[herr.jemine]

For me it's the other way around, all my OE headphones are gathering dust - I don't touch my HD6xx/650 anymore - I'm going to get it out of the drawer and test it - try hybrid IEMs with Multi DD/BA or EST drivers - it's a completely different sound - the cheap 1DD IEMs sound quite nice but they all lack resolution and separation - try Moondrop Blessing 3 Dusk or Dunu DaVinci - this is a different level!

For an inexpensive entry into this area I would recommend the Simgot EW300 (1DD+1Planar+1PZT Tribrid Driver IEM)

 

[Thomas_A]

Several thoughts:

Sometimes people are interested about a subject or a hobby and over time they lose interest. Maybe you'll find another interest/hobby and audio will become secondary.

I don't know how old you are but the "hobby" has changed and it's not as interesting is it once was. When I was growing up in the 60s & 70s good sound systems are rare and the best we had was vinyl. The "snap", "crackle" and "pop" always annoyed me, although it didn't seem to bother most people. There were other limitations too, but it was the analog noise that really annoyed me.

Now, a smartphone and earbuds are better than anything I, my family (or anybody I knew) had. Car stereos are also WAY better than they used to be. Good audio is not "exotic" anymore and you can get very good sound without it being your "hobby".

Photography also used to be a hobby. Serious hobbyists had their own darkroom. Now anybody with a smart phone can take good photos and enhance/alter them with photoshop. In the 60s & 70s a lot of audiophiles were also amateur photographers and in our town there was a camera store that also sold higher-end audio equipment. B&H Photo sells audio, video, and photo supplies.

There's only-so far you can go... Once you've got good speakers (and/or good headphones) there's not much to improve. I've got huge DIY speakers, including a pair of 15-inch subwoofers, and 5.1 Surround. I'm sure I could get better speakers, and I could add more surround channels but I'm satisfied with what I have and I don't think I'd enjoy it any more. About the only thing that would add to my enjoyment would be a bigger listening room with nice acoustics... Like the size of my house or larger... But that ain't happening!

When you are an adolescent or young adult you are more emotional. You fall in love, you might fall in love with music and you probably have a favorite band or singer and you might develop an interest in a hobby or particular subject. Most artists produce their best work when they are young, emotional, and inspired. I still enjoy music (and good sound) but no longer have a favorite band and I no-longer want to listen to music all-day, everyday. And I almost never hear new music that excites me. I still enjoy some of the old songs that bring-back the old emotions. Nor do I get excited when I hear a good sound system. I have a pretty-good one that I can listen to any time.



...Personally, I don't consider listening to music, or listening to or acquiring new/different equipment, to be a "hobby". I consider audio to be one of my main "interests". When I occasionally build speakers or and amplifier, THAT's a hobby!








I don't consider it a hobby.

I agree. Unless you are building, modifying and/or measuring as drive force it is not a hobby. Collecting things like records can be judged as a hobby as well.

Listening to music or watching a good film is recreation.

 

[CapMan]

agree. Unless you are building, modifying and/or measuring as drive force it is not a hobby. Collecting things like records can be judged as a hobby as well.

Listening to music or watching a good film is recreation.

I disagree and so does the dictionary

 

[Thomas_A]

Sure, the border between recreation and hobby is not a sharp one. it becomes a hobby when there is a deeper involvement. If you start to collect audio gear just to have a collection, it is sort of a hobby. But buying a hifi setup for normal use is not a hobby. Buying a car for normal use is not. But if you buy veteran cars for restoring and have a collection it is.

 

[mhardy6647]

 

[MAB]

I am satisfied with the speakers i currently have and headphones I own. I thought I can establish the same enthusiasm with IEMs as I had it with gear and headphones, but I lost the interest very quickly. I want enjoyable sound at the office, but I don't like the buying and trying anymore, just one IEM and get it over with. It takes time to select an IEM, find recommendations and so on, it is more exhausting than fun.
It's the same thing with gaming, there are so many possible games like IEMs that I am kind of overwhelmed by the massive selection and the time per game.

Thank you, that is really interesting.

Maybe i haven't given it enough time to get my interests.

I don't like IEM. I don't use them very often, and I don't worry about finding a pair that I like. There is nothing wrong with that. It's just what I prefer. There are so many models of IEM, manufacturers make them look like little candies, I think the hope is they will cause OCD reaction in potential consumers. I find it a bit overwhelming and just ignore that segment, and don't suffer any FOMO over it. This is a common theme in the audio industry, trying to get you to be anxious enough that you will spend more money on more stuff in search of a unicorn, and it does lead to exhaustion.