[ra990]

I agree, this is definitely an addiction, but (as long as you aren't taking on too much debt) a relative healthy one. I also get greater joy and can achieve really profound levels of enjoyment, excitement, physical sensation from music played back on super high res stuff that others just don't. I think there's a term for it and a lot of people into this hobby have it, a type of synesthesia but with audio instead of colors. When I play music with deep bass, I feel it all over my body, my chest, my knees, literally in my bones...like there's a sub in the room. When I close my eyes and listen to a pristine recording of jazz musicians in a room, my hair stands up, I get emotional. I don't know anyone else outside of this hobby that experiences these things like I do, so it makes sense that I chase after that feeling because it is like a drug for me. It may sound crazy to people outside of this hobby simply because music doesn't do the same thing to them.

 

[Orlok]

There's a lot of positivity in our "addiction" and I think that's what we need to focus on: the music and great sound. They go hand-in-hand; it's just that we want the greatest sound possible.

I often think about how right now is the best time ever to be a music lover when I reflect on the past: starting to really get into music when I was 7 or so back in the 70's, looking at the big LP covers with wild-eyed fascination, assembling a large vinyl collection (a small number of LPs which I still have but only for sentimental value since I don't even own a turntable anymore), making cassette copies, dreaming of owning reel-to-reel, then getting on the CD bandwagon but finding it was just too expensive to replicate my LP collection, then iTunes and iPod and finally where we are now with all this amazing gear (both stationary and mobile) with instant access to a virtually infinite library through streaming. What we have now was unimaginable only a few decades years ago.

To be able to experience this kind of amazing sound, convenience, and abundance of content with flexibility and mobility is something I am truly grateful for. And I always preferred headphone listening from a young age after experiencing the Sony Walkman back in 1980, I believe. That was just so mind-blowing. Then I saved my hard-earned money from working at a fast food joint during high school to make my first big headphone purchase: the legendary AKG K-240. I remember those days fondly.

And now look at what we have! Utterly amazing stuff and look at how far things have come over just the past 5 years. Back in 2016, I made the "quantum leap" from mid-fi stuff to the original Hugo and the HD800S along with the Mojo and JH Audio Layla. And I still own them and use them even though the two HD800S units have been passed down to my sons. That leap set the foundation for the audiophile journey even though I was still mired in guitar gear addiction at the time. It was an amazing experience.

Some people are addicted to golf. Some to boating trips or fishing. Some to scuba diving. Some to gaming, gambling, what have you... All I can is that I am pretty damn happy to be addicted to music and great sound. I'm looking forward to many more years of this and that's why I'm quite content to bide my time and acquire few pieces here and there as I see fit and as I can afford. I've come to realize that there is no "endgame" destination. I think the constant chase of endgame is what can make it less than fun. The journey itself is what makes all of this so rewarding.

 

[jlbrach]

listening to music actually transports me back to past events and times...different songs have special meanings or make me think of and remember all sorts of things both good and bad....certain songs make me think of my high schools years or my college years etc...it is worth whatever I have paid and more to me and as long as one can afford it strikes me as a wonderful hobby

 

[OceanRanger]

The short answer is you don’t, get both. They are complementary headphones. Sorry, I shouldn’t be nudging you along since this is the thread you come to for help

listening to music actually transports me back to past events and times...different songs have special meanings or make me think of and remember all sorts of things both good and bad....certain songs make me think of my high schools years or my college years etc...it is worth whatever I have paid and more to me and as long as one can afford it strikes me as a wonderful hobby

Me too. It is amazing how quickly the first few seconds of a song can bring me back to a specific place and time. That is one of my favorite things about this hobby.

 

[jlbrach]

exactly!!!

 

[Orlok]

I agree, this is definitely an addiction, but (as long as you aren't taking on too much debt) a relative healthy one. I also get greater joy and can achieve really profound levels of enjoyment, excitement, physical sensation from music played back on super high res stuff that others just don't. I think there's a term for it and a lot of people into this hobby have it, a type of synesthesia but with audio instead of colors. When I play music with deep bass, I feel it all over my body, my chest, my knees, literally in my bones...like there's a sub in the room. When I close my eyes and listen to a pristine recording of jazz musicians in a room, my hair stands up, I get emotional. I don't know anyone else outside of this hobby that experiences these things like I do, so it makes sense that I chase after that feeling because it is like a drug for me. It may sound crazy to people outside of this hobby simply because music doesn't do the same thing to them.

I think it's safe to say that we are of a very tiny community in the big scheme of things and 99.9% of the world's population cannot experience music in the way we do and even demand. Heck, even musicians shake their heads at us! Well, that makes us special!

 

[mammal]

I dunno, I guess I need to self reflect more. This thread is helping out though, and thanks to @mammal for sharing his experiences.

If something is an addiction (from medical standpoint) it is an addiction nevertheless. No one here has the right to judge you or tell you what to do. I would naturally agree it is better to be addicted music, than to alcohol. That being said, if you are worried that it could possibly one day get out of hands (research audio extensively while you are at work, or have other commitments that you are not meeting), not sleeping because you just keep researching until 5 am, not wanting to meet people or family, because audio is your life, then the hobby has possibly taken over your life and that is unlikely a good thing. Similarly, if you go into debt and cannot afford living anymore, that is also a slippery slope.

I had a friend who was addicted to camera lenses, he spent hours and hours researching, spent all of his money on camera lenses until it caught up with him and he lost his job (he isn't photographer by trade). Then he got into therapy and they identified he wasn't dealing with his emotions and traumas he had. The therapist told him that researching lenses wasn't different than binge watching Netflix for weeks (many people do that are going through rough times).

I agree with you all that this is a wonderful hobby and reading forums, researching equipment, trying things out is all good. However, I wouldn't want to blindly and categorically rule out that there are addicted people who need help, and we shouldn't be just telling everyone a blank statement that as long as you like what you are doing you are fine. Everyone should take care of themselves and their mental health, to many of us that is exactly what music does to us, it helps us. But there are people who spent hours categorizing their music collection as a way to escape.

 

[Ciggavelli]

If something is an addiction (from medical standpoint) it is an addiction nevertheless. No one here has the right to judge you or tell you what to do. I would naturally agree it is better to be addicted music, than to alcohol. That being said, if you are worried that it could possibly one day get out of hands (research audio extensively while you are at work, or have other commitments that you are not meeting), not sleeping because you just keep researching until 5 am, not wanting to meet people or family, because audio is your life, then the hobby has possibly taken over your life and that is unlikely a good thing. Similarly, if you go into debt and cannot afford living anymore, that is also a slippery slope.

I had a friend who was addicted to camera lenses, he spent hours and hours researching, spent all of his money on camera lenses until it caught up with him and he lost his job (he isn't photographer by trade). Then he got into therapy and they identified he wasn't dealing with his emotions and traumas he had. The therapist told him that researching lenses wasn't different than binge watching Netflix for weeks (many people do that are going through rough times).

I agree with you all that this is a wonderful hobby and reading forums, researching equipment, trying things out is all good. However, I wouldn't want to blindly and categorically rule out that there are addicted people who need help, and we shouldn't be just telling everyone a blank statement that as long as you like what you are doing you are fine. Everyone should take care of themselves and their mental health, to many of us that is exactly what music does to us, it helps us. But there are people who spent hours categorizing their music collection as a way to escape.

Ok, thanks for your comments. Fortunately, I do not think I’m at that level (or even close to that level), where it’s affecting other parts of my life like that. But, if it does in the future, I’ll know it’s a bad sign.

 

[Orlok]

While browsing the Apple News feed, I saw this interesting article and thought I'd share as it tries to explain the "high" that music produces in our brains. They need to use us as test subjects for this study.

https://apple.news/A8LOUoM-OT86_QY9zuabOFw

 

[mammal]

Has been very quiet here for the last month, how is everyone doing?

 

[ThanatosVI]

Has been very quiet here for the last month, how is everyone doing?

Been struggling few weeks ago, eyeing different DACs like the Rockna Wavedream or Lampizator Atlantic and amps like Woo Wa33 but now it's ok again.

Ideally I'd love to have the Wa33 with 6SN7 tubes instead of 6c45, in other words an 3ES for non electrostats. For now I refrained from asking if they would offer that.
Nearly pulled the triggern on some crazy expensive E.A.T tubes, but they are unavailable now, therefore my wallet is safe again.

Meze is teasing pictures of a possible new headphone model, this puts my wallet in great danger...

So how is it for you, everything alright After the dCS Bartok.

 

[mammal]

Ideally I'd love to have the Wa33 with 6SN7 tubes instead of 6c45, in other words an 3ES for non electrostats. For now I refrained from asking if they would offer that.

One has to be careful with that, or else they may make you a custom one, haha.

So how is it for you, everything alright After the dCS Bartok.

Yes, thank you for asking. Enjoying the Bartók I have on loan, while patiently awaiting a black unit to be delivered to me.

and amps like Woo Wa33 but now it's ok again.

I would like to hear WA33 for sure, especially since Joe from Abyss told me that it is his no. 1 recommendation for tubes.

Planning to go and audition Hifiman Shangri-la SR, Sennheiser HE-1 (listened to it for a couple of hours in 2016), just to compare my current setup to what I consider unobtanium, haha. My wallet is safe though, as I am sticking with all-in-one unless something better than Bartók pops up.

 

[ThanatosVI]

One has to be careful with that, or else they may make you a custom one, haha.

Yeah, I am better not asking until I am ready to pay for such a custom build.

Yes, thank you for asking. Enjoying the Bartók I have on loan, while patiently awaiting a black unit to be delivered to me.

Black Bartok, I see you're a man of culture

I would like to hear WA33 for sure, especially since Joe from Abyss told me that it is his no. 1 recommendation for tubes.

Planning to go and audition Hifiman Shangri-la SR, Sennheiser HE-1 (listened to it for a couple of hours in 2016), just to compare my current setup to what I consider unobtanium, haha. My wallet is safe though, as I am sticking with all-in-one unless something better than Bartók pops up.

I'd love to Audition those two Systems as well. While the Shangri La comes only with amp the He1 also features a DAC and would only need a source.
Also interested in a comparison between Shangri La with its own headamp or Shangri La with a Woo 3ES.

 

[mammal]

I'd love to Audition those two Systems as well. While the Shangri La comes only with amp the He1 also features a DAC and would only need a source.
Also interested in a comparison between Shangri La with its own headamp or Shangri La with a Woo 3ES.

It is so difficult to find an opportunity to audition (especially next to each other) all of this high end gear. I actually found it (pre-pandemic) easier to test drive high end cars (albeit not hypercars, haha).

 

[iFi audio]

Has been very quiet here for the last month, how is everyone doing?

We're still alive, thanks for asking