How to Appreciate The Rig I Have Better?

Welcome to the club, I also feel that amps and DACs barely make a difference compared to headphones.

Oh well, more money for other things I suppose.

Stop chasing gear.

Get more music.

Make a New Year's resolution to spend 2012 getting into a genre you're not into.  When 2013 rolls around, you'll be happier than dropping thousands on more gear.  You have nice stuff; use it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

Stop chasing gear.

 

Get more music.

 

Make a New Year's resolution to spend 2012 getting into a genre you're not into.  When 2013 rolls around, you'll be happier than dropping thousands on more gear.  You have nice stuff; use it!

There's no better way to increase the value of what you already have equipment wise. Hell, I'm gonna take your advise too, Erik! I'm thinking metal. O.o

That said, higher end gear is a double edged sword. One half is the improvement you get from great recordings, the other the improvement you get in terms of realizing how bad bad albums are. Mid-fi is parked at an interesting middle ground of these two extremes (in almost any case I can find anyway) and tends to offer the best value. You get resolution when you need it, and forgiveness when you don't. It's not true for all gear, but most companies tend to park their warmer or more "hi-fi" stuff in that sector, where the high FIDELITY stuff is at the extreme high end.

For me, the thing I'm doing right now is cleaning out my music collection. if it sounds bad, it is going to the used music store. I'm trying to get rid of anything I never listen to, etc.

What kind of music are you listening to, anyway?

Quote:

Originally Posted by edmelvins 

Thanks for the advice! I've been collecting CDs for some time now and I'm glad that I have. That's why I'm thinking about selling my HP-P1 and several headphones and use that money to buy more CDs that I've been wanting to buy. But before I make that decision I want to make sure that I'm not missing anything. To be honest, I can enjoy the music as much no matter what headphones I'm using. Now I'm more confused. :D

If the gear sounds good, I wouldn't sell it. If there's some improvement I'd keep what you have, and not upgrade until it is just so boring that you have to for fear of dying of boredom.  Reason is, this type of stuff you grow into. When you upgrade, unless you're at summit-fi already, you're gonna have to grow your ears a bit, and this takes a lot of time. I rocked a Little Dot I+ for just short of two years. It's funny, that little amp tought me so much about myself, and most importantly...

It tought me the most important thing to realize in terms of determining when you need an upgrade. I realized my music taste was thinning and thinning and thinning to the point where I was listening to only a few albums out of my collection of some 130+. I realized my gear was restricting me to a certain type of music, slower more ambient stuff. In short, I realized I was restricted and upgraded out of that restriction. I'd wager I'm good for quite some time going forward now, but this is what I'd call the golden rule for when to upgrade. Others may have a differing opinion, and your mileage may vary. ;)

The M80s were designed to sound good straight out of an iPod, so your experience isn't a mystery in my opinion. 

This may be obvious, but sometimes obvious things are the most easy to overlook.  What quality files are you playing on the iPod?  It's easier to tell small differences on lossless formats, for example.

I sometimes find you don't notice the improvement straight away. Listen to your new kit for a week, then return to your old kit. I'm sure you will notice the difference.

For me, I stop visiting Head-Fi.... sad but true, the less you're here... the less you'll worry about the rig.

Listen to some Taylor Swift. *sigh* If only her albums weren't recorded so poorly.

I just tried this, my rig just burst into flames!! Now I appreciate what I used to have 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia 

Listen to some Taylor Swift. *sigh* If only her albums weren't recorded so poorly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by markkr 

I just tried this, my rig just burst into flames!! Now I appreciate what I used to have 
 

You're really tempting me to re-enact the gimp scene from Pulp Fiction.

Don't listen to your rig for like 2 days. It'll sound really, really good when you finally listen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronz 

Don't listen to your rig for like 2 days. It'll sound really, really good when you finally listen.

Alternatively, listen to some iBuds for 2 minutes and then switch back to your main rig.  It'll have an even stronger effect.