AudioAficionado.org - I am a "Sound Create Producer Listener"

This is by no means an "epiphany", it is not an "awakening", it is not a "revelation"... it is simply yet another "observation" and this time it is really starting to sink in. :yes:

I have been into high end audio since late teens and was fortunate to have had many a gear grace my system over the years of various price tags and topology, SS, tube and hybrids. Big watts, small watts, small speakers, big speakers, CD players, vinyl, have heard a few great analog tape systems, have auditioned even more gear than I owned, both my place and others... I think I know what a great system sounds like and there are many ways to skin a cat sort of speak here. Preference or the perception of what sounds great to someone but not someone else does come in to play here very often.

These topics come up from time to time. What is more important, gear or music? What is a true definition of an "audiophile"? Is it a person who enjoys the most accurate reproduction of sound possible because of the passion for music or is it a person who uses the process of listening to music as the means and a channel to support his passion for all things and gadgets that are HiFi? I'll be the first to admit that my music collection was very small back when I started being involved with this hobby. Sure I listened to music a lot, mostly on the car radio, MTV at home, portable radios, walkmans, etc.. But I really did not own that much music. I had maybe 40-45 records, maybe 50 cassettes, perhaps a few dozen CDs when they first came out and that was pretty much it. My music collection did start to grow once I got into audio but not by leaps and bounds. I was mostly listening to the music that I already owned and got fascinated by how much better music can sound. I would have to say that my interests in music started to broaden after discovering high end audio. :yes: I was suddenly and simply more interested in music than just occasional favorite song that happened to be playing on the radio. I don't know if I would listen to music that much if I didn't discover our hobby. :scratch2:

So in my opinion, a true "audiophile" is definitely both. :yes: A person who enjoys music, enjoys what he or she thinks is faithful or at least close to faithful reproduction of a recording on any form of media and is fascinated and consumed in the never ending hobby of researching, auditioning, purchasing and enjoying various audio gear. Surely there are many musicians out there who do not own a high end system, therefore, high end system is not necessarily for music lovers only! There are many more music lovers out there that don't own or have even heard a high end system as there are "audiophiles".

There is an undeniable component to our audiophile passion and hobby of being involved with, tinkering, upgrading, swapping gear in the never ending quest of reaching a higher level of satisfaction with our systems. A "Zen" like state if you will. This applies to many interests, hobbies, collectors and their collections but let's get back to the topic of audio.

What would be a "Zen" like state? What is audio "Nirvana"? Is nirvana simply achieved by hearing the most beautiful sound you have ever heard in your listening room? Even if it comes out from some very inexpensive black box driving some DIY speakers with no name on them? Perhaps for some it would be... I think 98% of "audiophiles" would still be thinking of how to upgrade that little black box and what else they can do to improve in their system. Such is the nature of our hobby of high end audio. :yes:

Which brings me to the next question: "When we do listen to music, are we listening to music or our gear"? You know what I am talking about. :yes: When we listen, does our mind wonder as we keep glancing over to the rack, gazing upon the gear with all the knobs and meters as yet another "upgrade plan" takes over our thoughts and the mind starts reeling in the images of the next and even better component taking the place of the one that is always in question in our minds??? :D Surely there is always that "questionable component" that needs upgrading as the thought of "your system is only as strong as it's weakest link" occupies our thoughts. Before you know it, the whole CD or a record side is done playing and we haven't really heard much of anything.... Hmmm, let's try that again... Nope, 2 tracks in and the thought process takes over... Now it's something else, "surely my system would sound better if the room was different, if there were more acoustic treatments... hey what about that XYZ preamp I saw on Audiogon the other day?"... "Man, Ivan must be on cloud 9 with his system"...."I wonder how Dan's new speakers are sounding right about now".... "Wait, did I measure my toe in and symmetry of my speakers last time I moved them? Are you sure??? :D

I am not a hypocrite, I have been there myself all these years. I am not going to proclaim I have been always happy and it's all about the music! Sure some systems made me lose myself in the music most of the time, some made me cringe all too often and I always found something to criticize in each and every one, however small the flaws may have been. I also have always been looking for something new, something exciting and often more expensive than the previous system. Such is the nature of this hobby. One can't help but to covet the latest and greatest that promises to bring even better performance to what very often is already an outstanding system.

Enter Shindo. Here is where it gets more interesting than usual. Please keep in mind that I am not simply ranting on to somehow fulfil my ego that I own Shindo gear or sending smoke signals to my Shindo tribesmen, to join in to fuel the fire of Shindo mystique and intrigue. It's not about that at all.

What I have noticed happens much more than usual when I listen to Shindo is that all those thoughts that are usually distracting me from enjoying music are simply not there.... All the usual thoughts of "oh, this record sounds great, what cartridge should I try next though". They are replaced by thoughts and visions of musical instruments, the musical message unraveling in front of me, I am drawn in, I am there, the performance is in my room and for me, I am listening to music!!!

While I could hardly get through any full CD or even a side of a record before my mind started to wonder, I am now so much more interested in what's going on, I can hear and focus on the words, the meaning, the message, my mind is relaxed, I am into the musical flow, I am enjoying my favorite artists and when I listen to something new, I am now more involved with the thought of "This is great, I should really explore this artist further", "I wonder what is else is available on vinyl from this one"... I don't want the record to end!

I have to say, like a great Chiropractor, Shindo has realigned my musical spine and all the distracting spasms are now gone. Like a Zen master, Shindo has taught me to relax, close my eyes and breathe in the music that is all around me. Like a yoga instructor, it has taught me the balance. It is good to covet great gear, even Shindo comes at a premium price but there is time for music and there is time for everything else, including upgrades! :D Like a great Sensei, it has taught me to listen and appreciate what I am hearing.

I am therefore listening with new found level of understanding. I am not saying there is no other gear like it out there, it's just that Shindo was the first gear to do what I have described so far. I am sure many have found similar qualities with the gear they have come across in their travels but in my case....

I am a "Sound Create Producer Listener".