Robert wrote a piece which I rather liked with the heading:
The Cure for Audiophile Burnout, Upgrade-itis and Other Audiophile Ailments
Phil, one of my newer customers, responded to his post with these comments, which Phil has graciously allowed me to repost here:
Hi, Robert, thanks for the post. I recall reading that post on Audiogon too, and I felt at the time I should respond with what I’ve been learning of late from you and Tom Port: Better Records are what count, (pun intended). I know, I’ve purchased a few Hot Stampers from BR, and damn!!! I’m excited!
Those few Hot Stampers are now guiding the rebuilding of my whole system.
I’ve stopped buying reissues, remasters or original pressings just because “they’re supposed to be good.”
And, I’ve begun listening. And I’m buying more than one copy of the same title to learn how to listen, for differences in the stampings, where I can. Granted, not thorough shootouts by a longshot, I’m not deep-pocketed enough for that, but now I understand what you guys have been working at for so long, trying to get it through our thick skulls out here in the audiophile community why it’s important not to blow money just grabbing a single album for the title/mastering house/engineer, etc, and think it’s done.
If I’m understanding you guys, it’s about the listening.
And getting the stereo in shape to get all the music out of these best albums.
So, I’m starting the path. I’m devouring Tom and your posts to follow as best I can.
And you’re absolutely right, since beginning this journey (and oh how I wish I’d started so much earlier), I’ve been excited about this hobby, more so than anything I’ve ever done for personal growth, health, adventure.
Thanks Robert. Thanks for all your hard work. It will not go wasted.
Robert replied:
Phillip,
This is all great to hear. To know that even one person out there appreciates what I’m advocating for is hugely rewarding. Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
Adding:
And to answer your question, listening is, of course, essential for growth in this hobby. How can it be otherwise? If we don’t train our ear to hear what is and what is not on these records, there’s no way forward.
Robert
Could not have said it better myself. It is indeed hard to find the way forward when you’re stuck in a Heavy Vinyl or Compact Disc rut. Which direction would forward be anyway?
Fortunately, returning to first principles is the best way to get started when digging yourself out of whatever hole you’ve dug yourself into. I freely admit to being lost in the 90s — this after having been heavily into audio for twenty years — and was fortunate to find my way forward only because I had no other choice. (And being irrationally obsessed with my favorite music helped a lot.)
Phil has started his journey, and because he is dealing with two guys who not only talk the talk but have walked the walk (as our blogs attest), his success is almost assured. If all goes according to plan, he will never suffer the burnout that afflicts the hoardes of credulous audiophiles whose approach to the hobby was doomed from the start, by their lack of skepticism more than anything else. (They should have read Richard Feynman on the subject of the ignorance of experts, ourselves included.)
Phil, thanks again for the kind words and we look forward to finding you even more Better Records to play!
Best, TP
Further Reading