[mercbuggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good post and I agree with almost all of it, however one thing the "superior sensory sophistication of the human machine" humans have terrible hearing compared to other animals, also I know our "audio memory" is very short.(though I don't know the exact numbers ). I know having equipment that can "hear better" than people isn't a recent thing. I mean people can't even hear a Dog whistle.

Humans have a 5 sense sophistication that is not generally matched in other species when taken as an ensemble. It is true to say that other species exceed our capabilities in individual senses. Example, we may not hear the dogs whistle but our visual acuity is significantly better than dogs, their olfactory skills may be exquisitely sensitive when compared to our own but our sense of touch (and the abilities and functions of skin, the accompanying organ to touch) should not be underestimated.

As for 'audio memory' in the sense of ABX testing it helps me enjoy a good recording every time 'like the first time'. That being said we are capable of extensive audio 'fingerprinting' and recognition so 'audio memory' requires careful definition.

With respect to 'Maladaptive Audiophilia' to quote Kosmic I see hobbyists but I am not sure I see truly addictive behavioural patterns. We generally do not need to hunt & gather in the subsistence survival sense anymore so the 'I need a good spear/bow/boomerang' has been replaced with 'I need a good pairs of cans'. The hunter gatherer existence was inherently time and processor intensive (in the brain sense) and perhaps 'limited' by the then extent of higher brain function, whether in a real sense or in a development sense (development of language, culture, education & study etc). We have hobbies to fill 'free' time and brain cycles and hopefully in a mood lifting, routine breaking, fun & interesting way.

Mind you I am still going to look carefully in the mirror tomorrow morning and check for signs of MA

.

 

[Kosmic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercbuggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I look for everything in your premise of musicality but that in itself is not my Holy Grail. The Holy Grail for me is one of intimacy, an intimacy that separates me from my surroundings (however briefly) and allows me to believe that the story I am being told (in whatever music genre) is for me alone. I was lucky enough to catch a few minutes of a Katie Melua sound-check a couple of years ago at the Lowry in Manchester (I crept in and then out after a couple of minutes - hardly criminal but afraid of being caught ). It was magical. It is recreating moments like this which are the 'grail' from my perspective.

Ambience and presence creates the intimacy....but musicality is what draws you in. Call it mind-sync if you want, but a system without musicality is out of mind-sync.

Listening to a system with amazing resolving powers without musicality, ultimately leaves you fatigued and dissatisfied.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercbuggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mind you I am still going to look carefully in the mirror tomorrow morning and check for signs of MA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercbuggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Holy Grail for me is one of intimacy, an intimacy that separates me from my surroundings.....

= 4)Uses audiophilia to escape from problems.

 

[mercbuggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kosmic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ambience and presence creates the intimacy....but musicality is what draws you in. Call it mind-sync if you want, but a system without musicality is out of mind-sync. Listening to a system with amazing resolving powers without musicality, ultimately leaves you fatigued and dissatisfied. = 4)Uses audiophilia to escape from problems.

I would always admit to 4).

, although I hope it isn't only for problems. In the case of Katie Melua it's a kind of fantasy

.

 

[Svperstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpeezy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. Are you saying that cables are subjective and someone could like a $50 cable > $1000 cable? Or are you talking about aethetic quality of cables being important? What are you saying?

Oh I know the whole cable thing has been argued to death but I was just saying that I have seen people who have tried more expensive headphones and didnt like them as much as cheaper ones, but people from what I have read generally tend to automatically say the most expensive cables are the best/

In another forum I was talking about my Gilmore Lite when someone into high end speakers post:

"I am an audiophile! I don't fool around with cheap toys. I just got some speaker cables that were $750 a meter!"

Thats the mentality I mean. It is generally expect that "more expensive = higher class" when it comes to cables.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercbuggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Humans have a 5 sense sophistication that is not generally matched in other species when taken as an ensemble. It is true to say that other species exceed our capabilities in individual senses. Example, we may not hear the dogs whistle but our visual acuity is significantly better than dogs, their olfactory skills may be exquisitely sensitive when compared to our own but our sense of touch (and the abilities and functions of skin, the accompanying organ to touch) should not be underestimated. As for 'audio memory' in the sense of ABX testing it helps me enjoy a good recording every time 'like the first time'. That being said we are capable of extensive audio 'fingerprinting' and recognition so 'audio memory' requires careful definition. With respect to 'Maladaptive Audiophilia' to quote Kosmic I see hobbyists but I am not sure I see truly addictive behavioural patterns. We generally do not need to hunt & gather in the subsistence survival sense anymore so the 'I need a good spear/bow/boomerang' has been replaced with 'I need a good pairs of cans'. The hunter gatherer existence was inherently time and processor intensive (in the brain sense) and perhaps 'limited' by the then extent of higher brain function, whether in a real sense or in a development sense (development of language, culture, education & study etc). We have hobbies to fill 'free' time and brain cycles and hopefully in a mood lifting, routine breaking, fun & interesting way. Mind you I am still going to look carefully in the mirror tomorrow morning and check for signs of MA .

I find I must taste and smell the equipment to get a good sense of the ear-worthyness, so I have to just buy and not ask questions. A good lick will tell me everything I need to know.

Of course this is why I hate buying used equipment...