Well....if you are having fun, you've won, I think. It's the bizarre need to rationalize/justify/signal with one's fun that causes problems.
I had a lot of fun for a long time, but chasing audio nirvana eventually made listening to music stressful. Just my experience. I hope you always can find the balance of enjoying the tech and the music.
The endgame is just arguing on the internet while no longer listening to music
What about that fairly famous audiophile Ken Fritz who passed not very long ago, long obsessed about his gear and at the expense of his family?
Ken Fritz alienated some, not all, of his family. He had the resources to make his dream audio system. Though just about everyone here at ASR would question his choices I don't think any of us here are in a position to question his decision to make a dream system. For me, his collection of LPs went way beyond "collection" straight into "hoarding". But if I had the money, I would doubtless make a dream audio system, albeit one significantly different than Fritz's.
www.headphonesty.com
I admit to zero insight in that story. Any hobby has some irrationality at its core. Addiction is in my option a different level. I was. never addicted to cocaine, I just enjoyed it. I did quit it easily.
Denial is not a river in EgyptI can quit anytime I want.
I'd have to have a different house in order to have my "dream system". Fortunately, my tastes are relatively simple - I'm happy with my Infinity towers and a Sonus sub streaming Tidal in a small room, like I am right now.
You obviously have a couple of great systems. If I was writing a PhD on audiophile motivations, I'd interview you. And I mean that in a constructive way.
This was started before his death and goes past as well https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/ken-fritz-audiophile-documentary.22806/
Also super curious here. You clearly are super aware and knowledgeable... what do you think you are missing? Genuinely curious.
I'd like a room large enough that my musical friends could play together. This is a group that usually maxes out at 15 players, guitars, mandolin, upright bass, squeezebox, drum kit, sometimes other instruments. Such a room obviously would be better for music playback of recordings. What is currently missing in my home playback is the bottom octave. Having some distance from the speakers would help with imaging, having surround done right would have even more advantages. I want self-powered speakers such as Gelelecs or Neumanns that are extremely linear and low distortion. Right now, I have Infinity towers and a Sonus sub in a small room, the room not big enough to support the lowest notes (though the gear doesn't produce those notes either). But even more important to me would be having a room big enough for my musician friends. One of those musicians has a room almost the right size, just a bit smaller than ideal, though the room opens up to a large living room and kitchen area. That room also has a high raked ceiling which also helps with the sound.
Guess a lot of it is in the eye of the beholder... and yes, seems like he could afford it. And yes, my guess is that in the eyes of many people he behaved like an addict and the consequences were not positive, therefore, confirming the conclusion.Ken Fritz alienated some, not all, of his family. He had the resources to make his dream audio system. Though just about everyone here at ASR would question his choices I don't think any of us here are in a position to question his decision to make a dream system. For me, his collection of LPs went way beyond "collection" straight into "hoarding". But if I had the money, I would doubtless make a dream audio system, albeit one significantly different than Fritz's.
An Audiophile's $1M Dream Stereo System Gets Sold for Just $156K After His Death
He treated his speakers better than his children. Now they've broken it apart for sale.
But the Nile river is also known to change course regularly, just like the Mississippi and many large rivers. Sorry for the metaphor but doesn't it explain our constantly flowing tendencies in things audio? I think all of us in audio know that not all of our investments were for improvements, they were seasonal sideway changes in flow.
