Anybody out there in Forumdale feel that their system has all the micro detail that they want and so you eschew (god bless you) tweaks, etc.?
I eschew (thank you), as much as possible, out of concern for budget and practicality. There’s never enough great sound.
The question came from a member of our little hifi group who told us last night, that he removed all his footers and some other tweaks because his system was “perfect as is”.
The rest of us are planning to speak to his wife about our concern for his mental state.
I can go, philosophically, either way. Contentment is a great mental state (of which I know little) and something to work towards in all things.
I wish enough was enough before I joined this forum. Now I have too many options and the availability of too many opinions!
Little tweaks are fun. Big tweaks require permission and/or forgiveness. I can still get away with buying new music—SACDs these days.
Sounds more like this individual has a personal problem.
I would never presume to say my system was “perfect,” no matter how much money or room I could throw at it. But I’m so happy with the way it sounds right now, that I’ve recently started to question whether the urges I have to “upgrade” are more about getting the newest thing than about improving the sound to a degree that’s even noticeable, let alone worth the money.
I don’t mean to suggest that M1200s aren’t better than M700s, or that a BHK preamp isn’t better in all kinds of ways than my SGCD, but those are silly expensive to me, so I don’t even consider them to be possibilities. But getting a new VPI Prime Scout to replace my old Aries Scout? Replacing my old single Hsu sub with a pair of small RELs? Yes, those appeal to me. But are they anything close to necessary at this point in terms of the sound? That’s the critical question. Even if the answer is “yes,” I feel like it may be time to say “no” instead, and get off the merry-go-round. Or carousel, depending on your origin and breeding.
I feel there’s always room for improvement for all things. I also understand the frustration with having so many moving parts that when one thing is out of whack, it makes you want to throw your hands up. There’s nothing wrong with being content.
An intervention is warranted…
I occasionally wirthdraw tweaks I was not sure about if I „wanted“ to hear something.
An example was to remove the Isoacoustics Gaia from my main speakers (but leave them on the sub) although they had some positive impact there, too, but not mainly in my (current) case. Another on was to switch off all my active HF/RF protection and renewable it step by step when I missed some top end energy.
I recommend to question resonance optimization measures, because they are very much depending on individual situations.
This certainly doesn’t fit in the “tweaks” category, but while cleaning out a closet, I pulled out my ancient (maybe 20 years old?) Cary Audio CD-308 cd player.
It’s no match for my PST/DSD but I’m shocked how good this thing sounds.
For the moment at least I am happy with the system as it is. I do have a couple more sets of speakers to test out to see if there is some magic I am missing but no hurry to do anything right now. I dont think they qualify as tweaks though.
I am going to try a set of Isoacoustics bases under my subs and put the Isoacoustics that came with my speakers back under them.
I think I will be selling my fully optioned Oppomod 203 as I dont think I have run 10 CD’s through it since new and it hasn’t been turned on in at least a year.
I think I am going to not do too much more until the MKII and the AirLens are released.
Though yesterday’s price on the P15 is making me reconsider.
And, with planning, more affordable and effective than ever, IMO.
When you’ve had enough.
Answer: Too many tweaks are not enough…
“Schaefer - the one to have, when you’re having more than one.”
Wrong kind of tweak?
It’s a journey, you all know. It means that the pleasure comes from moving (sitting on a sweet spot) more than at the arrival point. I always find a new summit when I reach the top of the mountain. Lots of records and CDs to listen to. I enjoy music not system (I repeat everyday to myself). The day I stop buying music will be the same day I stop tweaking in order to elevate the pleasure. Enough is enough till tomorrow.
Enough will never be enough for me because of my chronic curiosity. I’ve said it many times, curiosity costs me a lot of money.