I reached the limit of what I can do in my house, my wife lost patience with it all, my family needs grew bigger, and I lost the space for my audio setup. And the honest truth is that I'm not sure I care. I had reached a point where nothing I listened to impressed me. I couldn't enjoy anything I listened to because I could always hear some kind of deficiency.....I can't afford much more anymore (without my wife shooting me). I'm thinking I should just sell everything and get out.....I'm an idiot. I should have not spent so much time focused on sound quality and spent more time on sound _enjoyment_. But now I can't seem to undo that......But what I really want to know is if any of you have been in this position, and if so, did you find your way out of it?
Sounds like you went down the linear path, and then were forced to take two steps back, and weren't quite happy with things at either point.
It sounds like you do enjoy music, but there's an aspect to the enjoyment that you associate with the system at hand with periodically hearing improvement, and when there is pause, and you can't do this any longer, the main system isn't as interesting...but another system that might night have changed for a couple years you still enjoy, because you haven't expected more out of it.
Sort of the wow of the system instead of the wow of the music.
With the kids, and the obvious need for space, I understand losing the dedicated space, but honestly, I think this is the opportunity to listen to more music, but in a different manner. I am assuming that the system in your tagline no longer exists?
How often do you realistically listen to the headphone setup? If frequently, keep it. I am assuming this was the last step after losing the audio room -- having the ability at any hour, in almost any space, to list to "good audio" in the little private time that's left behind, if any, with kids around.
What am I getting at? A few things:
1. Daily Life. Make music a part of your daily, background life. Don't necessarily associate it with private time in a private space and chase after extremes. Buy yourself a tuner or XM Radio or take feeds off of the web.
Dedicate space means dedicated listening. Have music of some sort, any sort in the room or rooms that you family spends the most time in, not the least. Make it a focal point.
2. Convenience. Make things convenient and accessible. Put cheap little units in more places than less. Have no care for what it is, as long as it plays music. Find a little unit that fits under a cabinet for the kitchen for example.
3. Shackles. Knowing your past habits, put some shackles around yourself. If you're going to put together a system of any sort, go with something that's a one box receiver. Don't give yourself the opportunity to think about interconnects or preamps or things of that nature.
4. General Sound. Even if you didn't have to get rid of the audio room, it sounds like you were chasing after changes and improvements vs. something pleasing. The two don't always go hand in hand. If you find yourself willing or wanting to buy something -- find something that will fit into your living situation, but that may have a bit more glorifying sound to it. Thinking an old vintage receiver, or a Fischer integrated amp or something. Something on the warm side of things.
5. Kids. Get the kids listening and dancing around! You'll be happy you have a system of any sort.
Feel free to drop me a PM -- I've been in this situation before.
