is it important to remember from where you have come?

[BigStewMan]

 Who can judge who appreciates something more?

I can; but, i don’t like to show off.

[oldtimer]

or somebody without that back story experience who just writes a check for a cool car and knows how to hit the gas pedal?

 

Or somebody who just knows how to hook up speakers to an amp?

[Paducah Home Theater]

Another driving analogy, there's a saying in racing that the first 200 mph is cheap. It's the next 20 mph that's expensive. I just don't see how anybody could truly appreciate those last few mph without vividly remembering what a less capable car handled like. You're going to be scared out of your mind at either speed if that's your first car. You get plopped down in a supercar with no baseline to compare it to, and sure, you'll enjoy the hell out of it. However there are probably nuances and details that you simply won't appreciate unless you can vividly remember what driving a lesser car feels like. How is your audio system any different? Same basic concept that the OP asked. You have to experience the not so good before you can truly recognize and appreciate the good stuff. Doesn't really matter what the subject is.

Edited December 8, 2014 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[oldtimer]

Ah but all you did was buy the not so good stuff then manage to afford the better.  So experience in one is a check in the other?  Tell me all about how you learned an instrument and performed on stage and truly know what sound is supposed to sound like.  Otherwise you are talking out of both sides of your mouth.  Nowhere did I say one goes straight to the supercar.  Your premise was that you had to have worked as a mechanic on the supercar.  Now umm yes keep talking.

Edited December 8, 2014 by oldtimer

[oldtimer]

You have to experience the not so good before you can truly recognize and appreciate the good stuff. Doesn't really matter what the subject is.

 

So driving is not experience?  Start with an e21, next an e30 then maybe an e46.  All you have is experience driving the cars.  Do you have to have been a mechanic for them to gain appreciation?  Nah.....

[Quiet_Hollow]

 

Fellas....there's already a thread for your discussion started here:  https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/148425-thread-crapping-honey-pot/

[oldtimer]

Spoil sport.

[Paducah Home Theater]

Tell me all about how you learned an instrument and performed on stage and truly know what sound is supposed to sound like.  Otherwise you are talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Strange request out of the blue but whatever. Lots of other people surpass me in this subject but since you're playing some kind of weird gotcha game I'll play along. Played bass for 10-12 years, piano for probably 8, harmonica, tenor sax, alto sax, baritone sax for years, took drum lessons from a pro in Nashville although never made it on stage drumming due to being horrible. Played rhythm guitar in multiple bar bands, acoustic guitar and back-up bass for 3-4 years in a large church band. Hung out at a recording studio and a custom guitar shop quite a bit, have one of the owners $4,000 hand built axes. Yeah I've dinked with live sound a little bit.

Edited December 8, 2014 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[oldtimer]

It wasn't out of the blue and it was a while back. (see post 19) It was a direct corollary to somehow having to be a mechanic to appreciate driving a certain vehicle.  Thanks for eventually responding.  So now the question remains:  Do you think it necessary to have been or be a musician to appreciate your system?  I say no it doesn't.  All of your previous posts point to the opposite.

Edited December 8, 2014 by oldtimer

[MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE]

Back to Schu's thread.......so I cam accross a old pic of me and the wife.....an old pic....it was me and her standing and sipping on our coffee, well there it was.....between us......it was.....a Bose 901..... oh my god, yes I owned a set of 901's and they were powerd by my old Sansui......that was my system.

I got the 901's when I was in Seattle and the Sansui I got when I was in El Paso, and some how they all ended up back here in Baltimore.

Now at the time I new of Klipsch and even listend to them. A friend of friend got four Chorus and two Carver Cubes and that sound had always stuck with me.

So that day some 24+ years ago.....when my wife was looking through the Sunday paper and said ......"hey hon what are Klipsch LaScala's"? Well the rest is history

So yea I remember from where I have come from......in audio anyway.....

As far as Jeeps.....never really wheeled any....I went with another 4X4 :-)

[A1UC]

I am extremely fortunate to have been able to build systems that match and exceed my high expectations. It has been in excess of a decade-long pursuit, coming from a recycled rack system amp and used Peaveys to finally having the speakers and systems I have always wanted, based on Heritage Klipsch. I wanted those speakers since youth - and I not only have them, but I find them to be even more of a valid choice than when I first became familiar with them, which is quite a feat given that I first discovered them over 30 years ago.

 

I learned something from my years of hanging around this forum and building my systems: Get what you really want - even if it means delaying the gratification. This often means taking some serious time to find out "what I want" really is. I did a fair amount of road miles just finding out what it was I really wanted. I researched, plotted, planned - then struck when the time was right. Building the systems, piece by piece - even tube by tube.

 

In my systems, I have very little that I'm looking to change. I will likely swap my Peach for a NOSValves NBS preamp, simply because I like that unit as a decades long preamp solution. So more of a lateral move. I am also investigating a possible upgrade to the Belle Klipsch (Volti Audio top section upgrade) as well as a cabinet restoration, since I now know I will be staying in this dwelling long term. However, I will not be making that change until I hear it. I may also end up just changing the horn, but still want to do a cabinet restoration - then keep 'em 'til I'm dead.

 

I'm not one of the "gear flippers" - if I had felt a need to flip the gear I wouldn't have bought it in the first place. Granted, mistakes can be made, but I try to approach this with some sort of educated purchasing, so a given result is predictable. I've done quite well so far.

 

 

 

The same thing crossed my mind last week , I think except for a couple more items I will be done . I looked at the cost of upgrading what I have now to something better and it would be such a costly upgrade I don't ever see myself doing it . I think for the cost of my current gear I'm not going to do much better without spending 10k per and that wont happen . Now its time to enjoy what I have built and work on room treatments .  

 

 

I cannot imagine the need for upgrading an NBS preamp and VRDs. You would have to spend some serious money to get even a marginal improvement in performance. Even at 6K for the three pieces with cap upgrades, I feel like that's stealing them. When I see some serious audio freaks turn in more expensive gear and buy these pieces while these same people consider it an upgrade, I know there's just no reason to go looking for greener pastures. The money needed to beat these buys a helluvalotta room treatments - and music.

That was my point anything  Pre Amp Mono Blocks Dac Speakers I would have to start looking in the 10k each piece price range for a improvement , all I can do now is work with the room if we end up staying in this house . I hope to know very soon if I am moving . The place I'm looking at has a basement finished of 2500 sq ft and is sectioned off in 4 . This would be my new play ground , there are days I hope we don't get I don't know if I would be able to control myself   

[A1UC]

Back to Schu's thread.......so I cam accross a old pic of me and the wife.....an old pic....it was me and her standing and sipping on our coffee, well there it was.....between us......it was.....a Bose 901..... oh my god, yes I owned a set of 901's and they were powerd by my old Sansui......that was my system.

I got the 901's when I was in Seattle and the Sansui I got when I was in El Paso, and some how they all ended up back here in Baltimore.

Now at the time I new of Klipsch and even listend to them. A friend of friend got four Chorus and two Carver Cubes and that sound had always stuck with me.

So that day some 24+ years ago.....when my wife was looking through the Sunday paper and said ......"hey hon what are Klipsch LaScala's"? Well the rest is history

So yea I remember from where I have come from......in audio anyway.....

As far as Jeeps.....never really wheeled any....I went with another 4X4 :-)

I had 901's bet it was 30 yrs ago from what I can figure

[oldtimer]

there are days I hope we don't get I don't know if I would be able to control myself

 

I know I wouldn't either.

[totalcomfort]

I didn't want to admit it, but yes I had a pair 601 III. Still have them just built a custom box and

using both as a center in the den.

[nitrofan]

The 1st time i ever heard 901's was right after hearing belles for the 1st time. I always thought i wanted a pair until then. Same amp same room right beside each other. They sounded horrible in comparison at least to my ears. I couldn't afford the belles but my wonderful wife found a way to get me lascala's from the same guy. Appreciate what you have and be thankful that you have the opportunity to enjoy it.

[Paducah Home Theater]

So now the question remains:  Do you think it necessary to have been or be a musician to appreciate your system?  I say no it doesn't.

I'll state this as least confrontational as possible. Generally speaking, I think you need some kind of a baseline to truly appreciate nicer things ("appreciate" meaning as you would appreciate fine art with an educated background, not that you're thankful to have it), no matter what the subject. If you can't remember where you came from at all as the OP asked, and have no education or any kind of background on the subject which is what you are asking, seems to me that you have no baseline to determine whether something is in fact actually good or not, and how can you truly appreciate something unless you know this and have a vivid memory to compare it to?

That's not to say you can't ENJOY something very much in this situation though. Ignorance is bliss you know. For example I have this rich friend who collects lots of nice motorcycles. He can't understand why I enjoy my old trail bike. It is a total piece of crap to him, and to most other people who are into bikes. Yet, I enjoy it very much, it does everything I need. I do not care to upgrade. I purposely keep myself in the dark and decline to ride much nicer bikes regularly even though I have the opportunity, due to knowing I'll suddenly be disappointed in mine if I get used to them. When I ride, I'm happy, mine is perfectly fine to me, and I don't really want to change that. So, even though I enjoy my old bike, and may even appreciate the fact that I have it at all, I'm not about to claim that I can appreciate its finer aspects.

Edited December 8, 2014 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[BigStewMan]

Generally speaking, I think you need some kind of a baseline to truly appreciate nicer things

i think this is 100% true; however, unless i misunderstood, this isn’t what you said early on.  You said there was no way your doctor friend could appreciate his jeep as much as you do yours, right?  You don’t think the doctor has his own baseline by which he judges? OldTimer can surely speak for himself; however, he is absolutely correct that one with no experience can enjoy equally as one with great experience. You both can enjoy your jeeps (or whatever) equally and for completely different reasons. 

[Rivernuggets]

I think it's a good thing to recognize where one's audio quest began and the amazing improvements achieved along the way.  Just keep the enjoyment of listening alive and well.

I keep a list of all the gear I've purchased and sold.  It helps to look at it, especially when I need to slow down or pause the madness.  Stopping completely would be no fun.  I always keep a lazy eye out for a Klipsch model I haven't heard yet.

 

MetropolisLakeOutfitters and oldtimer deserve a round of applause.  A back and forth that is staying civil.

[eth2]

That was his problem.  Lets say I am a driver who never was all that mechanically inclined yet I knew how to drive and really enjoyed doing it.  I never got started with a problem child and worked on it myself, or maybe I started with a problem child and had someone else help get it straight.  Now I really enjoy the crud out of driving this particular vehicle.  I drive the capital H out of it and continue buying the same brand and driving the capital H out of each.  You say you still guarantee that you get more enjoyment out of than I do simply because you did some mechanical work yourself?  You are making a judgment of your personal satisfaction over another's which by definition is totally subjective and therefore non guarantee worthy.  If I buy a car I love to drive it was with money gained by the fruits of my labor is it not?  Smugness is not a virtue in the bible as far as I know.

 

I think that Metro's point is simply that working for something, anticipating its arrival and finally achieving it add to its overall value. I can remember earlier in life when I had to save for something, wait, and wait, and wait, to make it a reality. Achieving that goal was always far sweeter than now when I see it, buy it, and use it. 

 

As for someone enjoying music when they know more about it, of course they do. I cannot appreciate the intricacies of music as can a skilled musician. That does not mean I do not like and enjoy it, just that the more subtle details escape me.

 

Lastly, I do not think Metro was being "smug."

Edited December 8, 2014 by eth2

[Rhetor]

To answer the question in the thread header:

No. It is most important to enjoy where you are now without envying someone else's life or gear, or how or when they purchased. Today, enjoy what toys you have AND celebrate what others have . . . toys and circumstances will change--more or less, better, worse, or different.

Thank heavens we are all having to scrounge through garbage to find a potatoe for today's only meal like much of the Earth's residents. Measuring and valuing our our own journey to stuff WHILE making value judgments on someone else's "lesser" journey to stuff is a first world indulgence and smack's of class envy.

I certainly do not have the greatest equipment in the world, but I am enjoying it today, unlike little Kimba in Africa scrounging for a potatoe and enough nutrition to buy one more day.

Other than celebrating with them, what someone else has "better" than me or evaluating "how" they got it easier than me bespeaks with a tinge of envy and judgmentalism . . . Jeep or sound equipment.

Not a rant, just a verbal sigh that a potentially interesting Klipsch Community thread would go south.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Rhetor