How often do you critically listen to your system?

ctviggen · « **on:** 10 Sep 2006, 02:20 pm »

I ask this question because -- due to circumstances beyond my control -- I think I've listened to my system about twice this year. As my system is both HT and stereo, I have watched a few movies and do use the system to watch TV (at most a few hours per week). Last year, I didn't do much better, maybe averaged one critical listening every one-two months. Makes me wonder why I own this system!

So, how often do you critically listen to your system? (Where "critical" means sitting in the sweet spot and doing nothing but listening.)

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 02:34 pm »

On a good week, pretty much everyday from 30 minutes to hours in each session.

On a average week, 3-5 days from 30 minutes to hours in each session.

On a bad week, once or twice or not at all if I am traveling.

George

fredgarvin · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 03:41 pm »

If I'm home, I listen everyday. Although not always critically, because I tend to plug in the Strat and play along! This is a dilemma, since I want to both listen and play on a daily basis so I usually listen as long as I can before I give in and jam...with classical symphonic stuff and piano concertos I am able to just listen, however.

Soundbitten · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 03:41 pm »

I sit in the sweet spot a lot but I'm usually doing something else besides listening .

PhilNYC · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 03:53 pm »

I really only "critically listen" when I'm setting up new gear or trying new tweaks etc. Otherwise, I get in about 1 CD every day for "dedicated listening"...with the door closed, sitting in the listening chair, with no distractions. But in this case, I'm mostly just trying to enjoy the music, and not really be critical with regards to sound quality etc.

Mag · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 05:49 pm »

I get about 26 hours a week, with 15 to 20 hours on the weekend. A problem I'm experiencing is I don't know what to play anymore as I'm tiring of listening to my favorites all the time. I buy one or two cds a month but this only helps if the music is good.
I don't analyze like I would if I where thinking of upgrading. My system is as good as I can get without major equipment changes which I can no longer afford. There are no apparent weaknesses in the sound so I just enjoy it.
I get the most satisfaction listening to well recorded music, but liking the song is just as important.
Usually I watch tv while I listen, I have the sound off and read the close captioning. But to be 100% focused on listening the tv must be off. Its amazing how this one little distracting takes away from being totally immersed in the music.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 Sep 2006, 05:49 pm »

Music is on a lot when I get home in the evening from work, but I usually have the tuner on and am doing stuff. I listen critically in the sweetspot probably 3 hours a week.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 12:50 am »

I know whether I like something is seconds...so I don't specifically set aside any time at all.

And, I've learned, critical listening with CD is an oxymoron (double entendre?) of sorts. Only vinyl compels me to sit and listen without doing anything else for a spell

SET Man · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 01:16 am »

Hey!

Well, not enough I would say

When I do have time to listen usually I really do sit and listen. Yes, they are two things I do when I'm in my sweet spot

I usually read magazine... audio magazines and etc or I would be surfing the web using my laptop... hey! I'm typing this while I'm listening to music right now

But usually would I get pulled by the sound and the music so much that I sometime just have to stop reading or surfing the net and just lean my head back, closed my eyes and just let get into the music.

And the good thing about this is that this happended alot.

Take care,
Buddy

oldtimer · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 01:39 am »

I only really do this when I make changes to my system. Other than that I just listen to the music, and forget the system. I listen to music every day,.... this what I use to re-charge my self.

Happy listening
Nigel

ipy · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 02:01 am »

Not often enough

as Buddy has mentioned as well. In my case, mostly weekends & holidays & in the sweet spot even less hours. In the sweet spot 4 hours & perhaps 20 hours on semi-serious/background music.

I figured on say a US$20k system, assuming 0 value at the end of the 3 year period, it works out to be $5.00+ per hour

Scotty · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 02:40 am »

I listen a minimum of 2hrs. a day for enjoyment. I spend a lot of time just looking for new music to listen to. Discovering new music and instruments that I have never heard before is a lot of fun and one of the most rewarding aspects of this hobby. The last time I listened critically
was about five months ago when I received some new cables for my source from Gregg Straley. I listened critically for about 2.5hrs to get a handle on what had improved. I then called Gregg up and said this is great what do I owe you.
Nuff said.
Scotty

macrojack · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 01:09 pm »

My system is on all day but the order of most use is fairly telling as to critical listening habits. Primarily FM, them TV or CD, then vinyl and, lastly DVD.
I can't say that I've ever enjoyed "critical listening" because I was never very interested in finding fault. After all, that would mean spending more money. A lot of what this hobby was for me years ago was listening to music while moving about doing things or simply zoning out while sitting in the sweet spot. A secondary aspect involved buying, selling and trading gear in order to create the best system I could for the least money. This was necessitated by my earnings picture.
How can you let the music take you away while focusing on minute details and critically evaluating your equipment? It just seems to me that those are mutually exclusive.

bgewaudio · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 04:51 pm »

Quote

How can you let the music take you away while focusing on minute details and critically evaluating your equipment? It just seems to me that those are mutually exclusive.

Good Point..........Guess this raises the question "when does it all end?"

macrojack · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 06:43 pm »

I've said it for years. Harry Pearson led us all down the primrose path with his absolute sound nonsense. It was good for business but it created a manic lunatic fringe who unfortunately were allowed to lead the parade. Who knows the specs of their washing machine or their water heater? Can you tell me the make and model? Yet every one of us knows minute details about our audio equipment and can recite them exhaustively with no prompting whatsoever.
Tvad sounds like he's seen the light. Srajan has been talking about realsization for a year. And yet Wilson continues to sell his grotesquely overpriced speakers faster than he can make them. What a world!

arthurs · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 06:52 pm »

say it ain't so Tvad....say it ain't so......

JoshK · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 06:54 pm »

Over the past year and a half, I have gotten, I would guess, less than 2.5 hours in the sweet spot, 1 hour of that was with Occam when we were doing the Felicia project. I have far too much to do and when my wife and I sit down it is usually to watch a little TV or a movie.

However, we do listen to a lot of music. Usually we listen for a couple hours when I come home from work while we are working on things and usually all day on the weekends. I am usually playing DJ except when I really get my hands full and then it is the radio.

flintstone · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Sep 2006, 10:12 pm »

Well, I've had most of my system for a good while so I don't critically listen to it very often at all. I do critically listen to many recording though...I can't help it, they sound sooooo good

Dave

RH Customs · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Oct 2006, 06:50 pm »

I only critically listen when I'm readjusting my speakers. But as for listening about 2-3 hours a day everyday.

RH

Mike B. · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Oct 2006, 04:14 pm »

During the summer, I don't listen in the sweet spot that often. As the weather deteriorates, I begin to do more listening. I have a fairly open design home, so the tuner is on most of the time. I can get really carried away with image placement and other audiophile things, but that usually interferes with enjoying the music. I wonder if there is a 12 step program for those times when we obsess rather than enjoy?