The nth degree

[idc]

Is it really worth pursuing the hobby of hifi to the nth degree?

If you do is that not just obsessive and self defeating as you can never reach perfection?

Is 90% not good enough to stop there and enjoy the music, even if there is a minor weakness in the reproduction of the music?

 

[True Blue]

To know when you are at 90% means you must know what 100% sounds like!! Yes it is worth pursuing to the nth degree if it means you are happy. As long as it does not impact anyone elses life negatively then why not be a perfectionist.

 

[matthewpiano]

idc:

Is it really worth pursuing the hobby of hifi to the nth degree?

If you do is that not just obsessive and self defeating as you can never reach perfection?

Is 90% not good enough to stop there and enjoy the music, even if there is a minor weakness in the reproduction of the music?

Personally, and from bitter experience (!) I now don't believe it is worth pursuing the nth degree. Its elusive and becomes obsessive. In my case it has all too often been self defeating.

I'm trying things from a slightly different angle now. I've gone for a high quality amp and speakers and I'm using my Squeezebox (soon to be updated to the new Touch version) to play lossless (ALAC) files. I'm also going to invest in some sort of new portable player to use with my Beyer Dynamic DT770PROs for private listening at unsociable hours. Less hassle, less mess, and more music.

 

[JoelSim]

Erm

 

[Anonymous]

Well if you take it to the nth degree that is SERIOUS money - if you look at true hi-end, then 90% could cost £40-50k, if you consider some stuff goes up & up in price - £30k dcs CD player anyone? Top Krell amps err 'how much!?!?' Speakers £65k or more .......

So that is what you could call the nth degree and I wish I could afford it - to at least have the choice whether to pursue it or not!

That said - I am about to embark on a pretty major upgrade and I guess many would call that realm the NTH degree !! So I guess I must think it is worth it.

There is some good descriptive in a couple of recent magazines dedicated to the high-end, which makes very convincing reasoning in regard to spending that sort of money i.e. hi-end system upwards of £10k or so ..... to the stratosphere and beyond......

Cost per day, spread over 10-20 years of enjoyment from such a system - it almost seems reasonable!!

 

[Anonymous]

you define your own nth degree noone else and its the point where youve splashed enough cash and are enjoying the music not the stuff its playing through

hifi isnt a real hobby thats the music it plays so when you remember that you stop

 

[the record spot]

I don't think you need to spend £000s to be fair. You can obviously, but with some background reading, a few trial sessions here and there, you can be onto a pretty decent set-up for relatively small cost over the long term.

Knowing what kind of sound you like and the abilities and merits of the kit you hear to enable that are pretty high on the list of hi-fi buying priorities IMO.

 

[idc]

the record spot:....... Knowing what kind of sound you like and the abilities and merits of the kit you hear to enable that are pretty high on the list of hi-fi buying priorities IMO.

Agree, for example the difference between Grado and AKG headphones. They sound different, so therefore neither is then perfect as who can say which sound is the perfect sound. Though some make pronouncements as if one is perfect. So best to choose which sound you prefer and leave it at that. So I tend to listen to my AKGs more as I enjoy the detail and sound stage over the Grados greater dynamic, just. I also don't then fret as to whether there is a headphone out there that would be better than either.