Painful audiophilia!!!

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ACUA
Posts: 552
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:21 pm
Location: Tucson Arizona

Painful audiophilia!!!

#1 Post by ACUA »

:noob: so I am really in the mood to vent/rant/ramble about a problem I have. I value this forum as a place with some intelligence as well as a majority agreement on an extremely important topic. Sound, is important to me, or more I find that im sensitive to sound in an analytical way borderline obsessive compulsive. It all started right as I was starting high school. Every high school kid aspired to have a car and have a big sound system in it. The first time I sat in a vehicle that had a low frequency extension with some authority I was hooked it was awesome to feel the beat, to have the music sort of swirl around me I can’t really begin to discribe it. Problem was to be loud and clear costs a lot of money and the most money created the best and loudest system. I never had the money. Today I still don’t have the money. I have had to try and work around the lack of money part since day one, I’m glad because I worked hard to compensate and I’m better for it. It’s been 16 years in the making by now I am an audiophile and it’s a problem. I tried to work for local pro sound companies and could not convince them I had anything to offer. They would let me move boxes for free but not anything technical ever. I admit that I wanted to skip the low man part and jump right in at the technician stuff and no one in the industry would have that so I understand my lack of success. I did the same with car sound and home/theater all same result can’t even get an audience to prove my self in and if I do they pay nothing and want me to do low labor portion of the job. It’s like theright of passage and by the time I was in that place I felt I had more to offer and it never worked out. I have always studied more than these so called pros as well and when I was excited to show that I know a thing or two it was received as a challenge and it never worked out. Today I have been all over the industry dabbled in almost all aspects of system building diy to the core and I feel I’m pretty advanced in my sound knowledge. I am still not capable of engineering sound equipment better than what I see already existing or even beginning to design the electronics or software. I have been having some luck running my bfm dj rig and actually made a few dollars which for the first time I feel like “darn right I know what I’m doing and I’m worth some money” but I am not really good with the administrative function and am not likely going to explode with fame and success. I don’t really do any track scratching or mixing and I’m not a fun enough personality to gain fame. All I have is decent sound from a rig that does not really look the (typical) part.

The point is I have sort of hit a wall. For years I was learning and developing my ability to have better and better sound in all places home car etc. I have basically hit dead ends in all perceived directions except to try a YouTube channel. I now know pretty good sound from my experience all over which has only made my pig headed audiophilia worse. Now I can’t just build a system and enjoy it unless it reaches basically that standard that has been set. Any system I listen to or want to build must have a lot of bass and good DSP or I lose sleep about it.

I wanted to build a computer system and my wife wants one as well but every time I try to budget a system that I will diy the price just gets all out of hand. I will set a budget and try to design a system around that ya I’m going to stick to it, but within a few more minutes I think no can’t build a passive system if for a little more I can go active then because if that now this and on and on and on in circles until I get nowhere and months go by and my poor wife is mad at me cause there is still no computer system and sound is my life right I should have it done well in a few days. Like my pig headed audiophilia will not let me build a 100$ rig and call it done but no I mush have dsp and horn loaded sub under desk all adding to $400ish or more!! And I don’t have that kind of money I need motorcycle tires or an awning in back of my house or a new microwave(true story). It’s like I know what real good sound is and how to get it and I have also learned my place in the audio world and am not learning much these days or I don’t see it as an investment anymore so I don’t want any of it...... what the hell man what the hell.

Some days I consider setting up my dj rig in my house as if to be a permanent configuration and just enjoy it for what it is and stop all this madness and move on to needle point.

Anyone been where I am at, anyone actually find the boredom to read this whole wine fest!!!
Advanced Concepts Underground Audio

CoronaOperator
Posts: 1648
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:07 pm
Location: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#2 Post by CoronaOperator »

ACUA wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:10 pm
Anyone been where I am at,
Been there since 1987
Built:
17" width 10" driver Autotuba
2 x 29" width dual Lab12 Tuba60
6 x DR250 2510/asd1001
In progress:
2 x DR250 2510/asd1001
For best results, point the loud end of the array towards the audience

Signalsdrone
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:36 am
Location: SW Ontario

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#3 Post by Signalsdrone »

I want everything, P-Bass, Stingray, Ludwig drum kit, BMW R1200RT, Yorkville powered mixer, Jeep with a honkin' stereo to blast Beach Boys music while crusin to Lake Erie for ice cream.

I'm not rich, can't have any of it. All I can do is dream.

What do I have, great 6 yr old son who's my world, loving wife, three dogs that are good most of the time, close family that lives nearby, house on 18 acres of forested land, a decent job with a pension plan.

My life would be a dream for some people. So, I take care of the things that matter most, the things that I have, that make life worth living. Tomorrow I'll still be dreaming.

That's called life.

ACUA
Posts: 552
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:21 pm
Location: Tucson Arizona

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#4 Post by ACUA »

I have some of that stuff, and you do sound like you have everything a man should ask for so let’s toast to that. :clap: all I am saying is my audiophilia disease is damaging me to the point that I go an make a rant like I did and am not focused on the things you just mentioned. Shame on me.
Advanced Concepts Underground Audio

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Tom Smit
Posts: 7457
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:24 pm
Location: Sarnia, Ont. Canada

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#5 Post by Tom Smit »

Don't be to hard on yourself. By the same token, don't let that passion control your life. I know that can be difficult to do, but do you must.
TomS

Signalsdrone
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:36 am
Location: SW Ontario

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#6 Post by Signalsdrone »

ACUA wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 8:56 pm I have some of that stuff, and you do sound like you have everything a man should ask for so let’s toast to that. :clap: all I am saying is my audiophilia disease is damaging me to the point that I go an make a rant like I did and am not focused on the things you just mentioned. Shame on me.
No shame on wanting something. Everyone has wishes, you just can't let them consume you. Work towards your goal but do it intelligently and take the time to take care of those who've helped you get this far.

Goals take time but as they say, "good things come to those that wait."

:D

Grant Bunter
Posts: 6915
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:12 am
Location: Ilfracombe Queensland Australia
Contact:

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#7 Post by Grant Bunter »

When you don't have a lot of money, you have to do things in steps!!
Save and build, save more, add more.
That's not just about sound, it could be about anything.

Put a computer together for your wife.
Add the computer's sound stuff when you can afford to do so.

Somewhere along the way, you're going to have to get comfortable about where you are at any given point of time when it comes to the sound stuff.
You can continue to learn, continue to do DJ gigs, continue to expand your business.
But you cannot continue to let it rule your life.

Being a great sound or even mediocre sound guy doesn't define anyone as a person. It might be what you do, but isn't who you are.
What defines a person is not the sum of that persons accomplishments...
Built:
DR 250: x 2 melded array, 2x CD horn, March 2012 plans.
T39's: 4 x 20" KL3010LF , 2 x 28" 3012LF.
WH8: x 6 with melded array wired series/parallel.
Bunter's Audio and Lighting "like"s would be most appreciated...

commander_dan
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 7:19 pm
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Painful audiophilia!!!

#8 Post by commander_dan »

ACUA wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:10 pm Some days I consider setting up my dj rig in my house as if to be a permanent configuration and just enjoy it for what it is...
My rig lives in my den most of the time, I use it to mix or just play background music whilst doing other things. I don't need any other sound system now that I have this, it's the best and I will keep it for life.

Now that you also have one of these systems, it's like you can now cross that off your bucket list. Enjoy having a great sound system for the rest of your life. Move on to other things that need doing 👍
Built:
6 T30 (24", 3012LF)
2 OT12 (MA, 3012HO)
2 T24 (18", 3010LF)

Running:
DCX2496
XTi 2002
XTi 4002
TRAKTOR Z2
TECHNICS 1210 Mk5's

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