Found a cure for my upgrade-itus

[recstar24]

I currently have a 3G 10 gb Ipod with pocketdock, d-25s, sr-71, cardas mini-to-mini, and grado sr-225. I am very happy, however, I feel upgrade-itus is still present in my system. On days when I'm really sick, I want to upgrade to rs-1s. I want a high-end meridian player, like a G07 or G08, as well as a bigger dap. I've thought about other mini connects, like earcandy, but I am very pleased to say that I am more than happy and satisfied with my sr-71 and haven't had any thoughts about upgrading my amp...

...okay, I lied, i thought about an xp-7 like 5 minutes ago, but don't worry, that thought is gone.

Then, I was struck with an epiphany. I realized that my cd collection sucks, and that there is so much great music out there that I haven't even begun to fathom and explore; music is like the universe, and my repertoire is only a solar system within it.

Instead of using the money to upgrade to all this reference type equipment, I think I am going to devote for a very long time to simply exploring as much music as I can, and enjoying it with my current equipment. A G08 costs $4000, rs-1 costs $700, earcandy at least $100, totalling up to $4800. Then it struck me that my cd library is so limited, I would be better off speding that money on what actually matters; the music itself. $15 a CD, that's like 320 cd's...now that's something worth enjoy and working for.

I'm not sure why I'm posting this, I'm thinking there are others that can relate to my "cure," and maybe inspire others to reconsider their spending options. Of course, if you already have an amazing collection, then by all means, maximize it. But if you are like me, or can relate in some sense, just realize that the best part of head-fidelity is the music itself.

Ryan

P.S. Anyone who replies to this thread, I would appreciate if you could recommend at least 1 CD that you feel must be a part of a serious CD collection - I love rock (radiohead, interpol), jazz (Brubeck, Coltrane, miles), classical (Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky), and hip-hop (Roots, Kanye, MF Doom/Madvillian). Thanks for the support!

 

[EdipisReks]

Bjork - Homogenic. i definitely agree with your idea to buy music, as your set up is perfectly fine.

 

[Jimix]

RJD2 - Dead Ringer

awesome turntablism/hip-hop

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimix RJD2 - Dead Ringer awesome turntablism/hip-hop

oooh, good choice. RJD2 is awesome.

 

[karma]

When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought hooray, a cure for this money-sucking affliction! Alas, it's just another way of spending more money one should.

One rock album that has really caught my ear lately is The Zutons - Who Killed the Zutons. Fun stuff.

 

[rob1031]

Try Dream Theater

. my favourite band. if you think its weird (its normal if you do) then give it a few more listens, listen to the details of each instruments, put them back together. and ah.....excellent music... might be a little heavy for you.
try "Images and words" <--- the progressive materpiece, and "Falling into Infinity" for lighter material. One of their best albums is "Sceneces from a Memory" which is a conceptual piece which is my favourite but a lil darker and heavier.

P.s. This music is called progressive metal. there is progressive rock as well. dont dismiss it cause its metal (assuming you dont like metal, if you do, even better), because altho it has the style of metal, its quite different. it is said to be the fusion of metal/rock with jazz

other bands:

progerssive rock: Yes, rush, pink floyd

jazz.... Frank Gambale. heard of him? Fusion guy ... he's a genious
Chick Corea (keyboardist) Jazz keyboardist. if you havent heard of him you shouldnt be able to like jazz (heh)
well jazz... i love duke ellington but im sure you know him
give a listen to Django. the TWO FINGERED jazz guitar player

you like radiohead? try muse. i like some of their stuff


by the way these are the non-mainstream bands. if you like sum41, blink182, etc, you may not like these (even thought i started lieing them too..but i found the better musical world <--- this is just an opinion....kinda

)
its mature and musical listening...not pure easy fun happy songs.


note: you may dislike all of the thnigs i mention because i am the ultimate music guy that no one understands

(not really haha )

 

[bigshot]

For Modern Jazz, I would recommend... Art Pepper "Meets the Rhythm Section" and "Modern Art"; Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colossus" and "Way Out West"; Shorty Rogers "Courts the Count" and "Wherever the Five Winds Blow"; Miles Davis "Birth of the Cool"; Bud Powell "The Amazing Bud Powell"; Dave Brubeck "Time Out"; Charlie Parker with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, and Bud Powell "Jazz at Massey Hall"; and Bill Evans "Waltz for Debbie".

For Classical, I'd recommend... Ravel "Daphnis et Chloe" Dutoit, Montreal SO; Chopin Complete Etudes, Pollini; Orchestral Music from Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung, Szell & the Cleveland SO; Mozart Piano Concerti Nos 6, 17 & 21 "Elvira Madigan" Anda & the Camerata Accademica of the Salzburg Mozarteum, Charles Ives conducted by Leonard Bernstein and the NYPO; Beethoven Sym No 6, Bohm Vienna PO; and Beethoven Sym No 5 Kleiber Vienna PO.

For Rock, I'd recommend... Donald Fagen "The Nightfly", Joni Mitchell "Court & Spark", Jimi Hendrix "Electric Ladyland", Little Feat "Waiting For Columbus", Frank Zappa "We're Only In It For The Money", Rolling Stones "Aftermath"; and Beatles "Rubber Soul".

Others... Frank Sinatra "Best of the Capitol Years", Prez Prado "Mambo Mania/Havana 3 AM", Louis Prima "Capitol Collectors Series", Johnny Cash at San Quentin and at Folsom Prison, Hank Williams "40 Greatest Hits", Cab Calloway "Hi De Ho Man 1931-33"; Roy Orbison "The All Time Hits of Roy Orbison"; Louis Jordan "Best of Louis Jordan"; any of the volumes of "The Golden Age of American Rock n' Roll" on the ACE label; Louis Armstrong "Complete Hot Fives and Sevens"; Count Basie "Complete Decca"; Carter Family "1927-1934" (or any of the "Border Radio" CDs); and Snoop Dogg's "Doggie Style".

DVDs: Leonard Bernstein Young People's Concerts, The Art of Conducting, "La Traviata" by Zefferelli, "Magic Flute" by Bergman, "Saludos Amigos/Three Caballeros" and "Fantasia" by Disney; the Beatles "Hard Day's Night" and The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash.

You'll find that many of these are available at a deep discount price. (A few are pricey imports, but not many.)

See ya
Steve

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[Publius]

I'm in exactly the same boat you are. I have over $1000 invested right now, and there are a few avenues I still need to explore equipment-wise, but I feel like I need to get more involved in music I haven't listened to death before I go any further. It's amazing how a 7 day playlist can sound bland eventually.

I anticipate that I'll want to start seriously thinking about upgrading gear once I get past 500 CDs, and not really think about high-end standalone sources until 1000-2000 CDs. Given that I have about 300 CDs right now I'll be needing to make quite a few large Waterloo runs in the next few years.

I've been really enamoured of Prefuse73 for hiphop; take a look at "One Word Extinguisher". In Rock, try The Shins.

 

[aeriyn]

Shiina Ringo "Karuki Zaamen Kurino Hana"

eBay it, it's generally around 16 bucks with some not too cheap shipping, but man, it's one hell of an awesome album. I recommend it to anyone who needs a good aural orgasm.

 

[justanotheruser]

how long does that last?

i find many songs sound just incredible the first few times you hear 'em but aweful later...

...but most importantly I also found the opposite. if you listen to certain songs that you'd usually just dismiss and skip over at least a few times, some really grow on you...

 

[james__bean]

RJD2 is just great. I've been listening to his rare and unreleased album lately and he's got a couple new tracks on there that are pretty cool. For other hip-hop albums, Talib Kweli Reflection Eternal is one of my favorites. (You've already mentioned the Roots so I won't mention any of their albums.)

 

[Helter Skelter]

Pink Floyd - Pulse

Best. Live album. Ever.

 

[myself, aka me]

Jeff Buckley - "Grace"
Legacy edition has a bunch of coolness on the second disc, and a DVD of the Grace videos and the making of Grace. Solid album, I love it.

Shihad - "Killjoy"; "Shihad" and "the General Electric"
New Zealand metal. Awesome live. www.marbecks.co.nz and they take 12.5% gst off. I think the first two listed are imports at amazon, the last one might be available at a regular price.

hide - "hide your face"; "Psyence"
everything under the sun. My current favourite rockish artist. www.cdjapan.co.jp but expensive.

bic runga - "beautiful collision"; "drive"; "live with the christchurch symphony orchestra"
country? folkish? That's what freedb told me. The beautiful part is the voice of Bic, she's got a really really good voice. Second favourite female vocalist for me.

 

[morphie]

My 2 cent:

Hip Hop: DJ Premier albums, Capone N No Reggae albums
Jazz: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong
Rock: Dire Straits, The Police, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles, Supertramp

Those all sound real great to me, especially with Grados. Hope that helped.