MDP
Behavior Moderator (be nice police!)
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I recently spent some time with Jim in his dedicated listening room getting aquatinted with his new system. I've been there before on a few occasions, but that was listening to his previous setup, which included his big Tannoy speakers with outboard crossovers and some very expensive ancillary gear.
Jim invited me to come because he's gone through what happens to many of us on our audio journey.And as many of us have, his views have evolved. At the beginning of our journey, some of us are really paying attention to how correct or realistic the sounds we are listening to are. We want to have our music be as realistic as possible. And for some of us it can become sort of a quest to get there. There's nothing wrong with that goal until it becomes the only reason you're an audiophile. What I mean by that is that in acquiring speakers and other gear that only gives us the technical truth of the music, we lose the very thing that we loved about music in the first place.......the way it makes us feel. Music and lyrics that bring out emotions from deep inside us!
Jim put together his new system for a fraction of the money of his previous setup. Fyne speakers,a Pass integrated and cheap wires.
His purpose was to show that a fairly inexpensive system, set up properly, could bring out those emotions that we all enjoy so much when listening to a piece of music that touches us.
After spending a few hours there listening to music that I wasn't even familiar with,I can assure that he totally succeeded. It was even better than his old, much more expensive system.
One of the things we talked about was when a music system achieves the goal of being emotionally involving, it also becomes something that we can share with the people we love. I know personally that since the arrival of the Kharmas and the Gryphon integrated that my wife has wanted to sit with me, and she has commented on how beautiful it sounds.
I'm sure Jim will chime in and explain his goals, and if I was incorrect on anything I hope he corrects me.
Overall it was another ear opening day in my journey through the audiophile universe.
Jim invited me to come because he's gone through what happens to many of us on our audio journey.And as many of us have, his views have evolved. At the beginning of our journey, some of us are really paying attention to how correct or realistic the sounds we are listening to are. We want to have our music be as realistic as possible. And for some of us it can become sort of a quest to get there. There's nothing wrong with that goal until it becomes the only reason you're an audiophile. What I mean by that is that in acquiring speakers and other gear that only gives us the technical truth of the music, we lose the very thing that we loved about music in the first place.......the way it makes us feel. Music and lyrics that bring out emotions from deep inside us!
Jim put together his new system for a fraction of the money of his previous setup. Fyne speakers,a Pass integrated and cheap wires.
His purpose was to show that a fairly inexpensive system, set up properly, could bring out those emotions that we all enjoy so much when listening to a piece of music that touches us.
After spending a few hours there listening to music that I wasn't even familiar with,I can assure that he totally succeeded. It was even better than his old, much more expensive system.
One of the things we talked about was when a music system achieves the goal of being emotionally involving, it also becomes something that we can share with the people we love. I know personally that since the arrival of the Kharmas and the Gryphon integrated that my wife has wanted to sit with me, and she has commented on how beautiful it sounds.
I'm sure Jim will chime in and explain his goals, and if I was incorrect on anything I hope he corrects me.
Overall it was another ear opening day in my journey through the audiophile universe.
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Are you considering following Jim's path to greater simplicity (or less complexity)?
