A light-hearted essay on my audiophile journey/obsession

[essrand]

Dear all,

I penned a light-hearted essay about my journey and this hobby that is so deeply addicting.

My Audiophile Problem

It is one of life’s minor sorrows that my audiophile hobby has seriously impaired my power to love music, for music-lovers typically…

medium.com

Would love for you all to take a read, and comment.

Perhaps your journeys are similar?

Cheers,
Bhaskar

 

[panditji]

Fantastic article Bhaskar.. A very entertaining read and very well written.. You should pursue writing and hopefully it will act as a balm to your audiophilia condition.. Every one of us would be able to relate to your story even if our journey was much cheaper and shorter.... Do share your article with other hifi magazines and forums as a lot more people will enjoy reading it...

 

[Jayant_S]

Superbly written Bhaskar! I can relate to your experience at a small fraction of the spending
The lock down has done wonders to my music appreciation vs gear madness. I'm not going back there, I fervently hope!

 

[firearm12]

Very well written insight to your audiophile journey, mine was not similar, i never wanted miles davis to play in the room, rather it was the curiosity of what sound do we get on hifi systems. During lockdown, when all audiophiles are getting more and more closer to their systems and music, here i am with lesser indulgence and more distance from my system, probably looking at the last pair of speakers and amplifiers i will have in my lifetime.

 

[vivek_r]

So fun Bhaskar! You gape at others and I gape at you. Coincident, Nagra, Devore!

And wonder - did I have too many children? Should I put them up for adoption?! What does Bhaskar do for a living! And so on!

As long as one is not hurtful to others, and is not compromising money (sod peace of mind - worrying about hifi takes the edge off worrying about global warming or income inequality), this hobby is fun.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

Would love for you all to take a read, and comment.

Fantastic piece of writing. Loved it!

Perhaps your journeys are similar?

Not quite, although my primary interest was in setting up a HT. I do think folks interested in stereo only setups are more likely to relate to your writing.

 

[RajithKumar]

Wow Nice writing...Most of us can relate their experience with this.

 

[essrand]

Thank you very much, everyone, for reading my essay. It feels great to share this journey with a people who truly get it, and have been there and grapple with this hobby/addiction which is so much fun.

Fantastic article Bhaskar.. A very entertaining read and very well written.. You should pursue writing and hopefully it will act as a balm to your audiophilia condition.. Every one of us would be able to relate to your story even if our journey was much cheaper and shorter.... Do share your article with other hifi magazines and forums as a lot more people will enjoy reading it...

Thank you!! Writing has been my balm during this lockdown period. The long term plan in life is to become a writer

Superbly written Bhaskar! I can relate to your experience at a small fraction of the spending
The lock down has done wonders to my music appreciation vs gear madness. I'm not going back there, I fervently hope!

Haha, you wish!!

 

[Deleted member 15865]

Dear all,

I penned a light-hearted essay about my journey and this hobby that is so deeply addicting.

My Audiophile Problem

It is one of life’s minor sorrows that my audiophile hobby has seriously impaired my power to love music, for music-lovers typically…

medium.com

Would love for you all to take a read, and comment.

Perhaps your journeys are similar?

Cheers,
Bhaskar

That was an entertaining read. Found myself smiling constantly - not so much at the experiences (kind of expect them by now from co-rehab audiophiles though yours was much richer - literally ) but at your metaphors and humorous writing style! To nitpick, I don’t agree with there being a failed musician in every audiophile - if that’s true, the one inside me was still-born.

Thanks for introducing to Sedat Anar. As a return gift (hoping you haven’t heard him yet) I give ‘Harry Manx’ on slide-guitar, Mohan-Veena and the works!

 

[essrand]

That was an entertaining read. Found myself smiling constantly - not so much at the experiences (kind of expect them by now from co-rehab audiophiles though yours was much richer - literally ) but at your metaphors and humorous writing style!

Thanks, only we audiophile truly get it.

To nitpick, I don’t agree with there being a failed musician in every audiophile - if that’s true, the one inside me was still-born.

True that. But don't you sometimes wish you were a musician when swept deep into their magic. That you wish you had those super-powers.

Thanks for introducing to Sedat Anar. As a return gift (hoping you haven’t heard him yet) I give ‘Harry Manx’ on slide-guitar, Mohan-Veena and the works!

Will check them out. Haven't heard them yet.
Oh! if you like Sedat Anar, here are two others that I am obsessed with:

Kayhan Kalhor (literally every album is a gem, also his collaborations with Shujat Hussain). His collaboration with another santoor guy is my favorite album of all time: "I will not stand alone".

Also check out Rahim AlHaj: When the soul is settled: Music from Iraq

 

[Deleted member 15865]

But don't you sometimes wish you were a musician when swept deep into their magic. That you wish you had those super-powers.

Not till now. I am glad I am able to immerse in their magic and get swept away. Modest ambitions!

Kayhan Kalhor (literally every album is a gem, also his collaborations with Shujat Hussain). His collaboration with another santoor guy is my favorite album of all time: "I will not stand alone".

Yeah, Ghazal, Silk Road Ensemble, Kronos Quartet - international fusion collaborations delight the mind as well as the heart.

Also check out Rahim AlHaj: When the soul is settled: Music from Iraq

New one for me - shall check out.

 

[keith_correa]

That was a good read! I enjoyed the piece about Murud-Janjira better, though it made me very very sad!

 

[Sean de Silva]

Thanks for sharing a well articulated account of your sojourn in the world of HiFi ! I thank God everyday for not blessing me with the curse of golden/platinum/rhodium ears when it comes to gear and the incurable HiFi disease called 'upgraditis'

 

[Jayant_S]

To nitpick, I don’t agree with there being a failed musician in every audiophile - if that’s true, the one inside me was still-born

I have to chip in here and disagree, Sachin. There's a failed musician in all of us.
We wouldn't be on AV forums at all if we were mildly successful at making music

Heck, in all your years of music listening, there must have been atleast one point when you thought "God, I wish I could play the guitar like that/sing like that/...." I've had such pipe dreams all through college and even gave it a shot. When I came face to face with my monumental ineptitude, I settled on the futile search for audio gear Nirvana.

 

[SEBASTIAN PRINCE]

I have Marantz CR 612 connected to Sonodyne DSA 320 amp and 3165 Tower speakers. But not happy suggest me something to improve results May be I should add SW or any other suggestions.

 

[ktks1]

Very well articulated thoughts on the hobby/journey/disease that we all have While portraying that the grass is always greener on the other side, you've also brought out the sad state of used audio equipment market in India.

Perhaps your journeys are similar?

I moved back from the states just when I started reading and realizing that there was something better than HTIB or soundbar! Despite the upgrade bug bite, India is not a place where I could quench my thirst for the elusive concert sound and the experiments that would follow.
.
.
And I'm still thirsty

 

[essrand]

That was a good read! I enjoyed the piece about Murud-Janjira better, though it made me very very sad!

It made me very angry and sad and desperate. I tracked down two historians and read a few research papers to understand the history of this amazing fort to write this piece. It could easily be a world heritage site, but ....... argghhh makes me mad.

John DeVore (maker of Devore speakers) read this piece and shared it on his FB page.

This is what he had to say.

Very well articulated thoughts on the hobby/journey/disease that we all have While portraying that the grass is always greener on the other side, you've also brought out the sad state of used audio equipment market in India.


I moved back from the states just when I started reading and realizing that there was something better than HTIB or soundbar! Despite the upgrade bug bite, India is not a place where I could quench my thirst for the elusive concert sound and the experiments that would follow.
.
.
And I'm still thirsty

Yeah, in some ways it's a good thing. Keeping me in rehab and detoxing me from the addiction. But yeah totally agree with you on that sentiment.

 

[Sushant Sharma]

John DeVore (maker of Devore speakers) read this piece and shared it on his FB page.

This is what he had to say. View attachment 45880

Bhaskar, I really enjoyed this read when you posted it. Dont know how I missed that bit about psychedelic vs trippy..hahaha..I laughed so hard. This anecdote conveys something deeper and I found the analogy very witty.

 

[Nitin K]

Excellent write up & very relevant. . Life is short, I guess after a while the time may come to stop chasing the upgrade bug & just sit back & enjoy the music.
But then............ the devil appears & holds the blue pill in front of you.. What happens next is a very common occurrence in the audiophile world.

 

[keith_correa]

It made me very angry and sad and desperate. I tracked down two historians and read a few research papers to understand the history of this amazing fort to write this piece. It could easily be a world heritage site, but ....... argghhh makes me mad.

I really don't understand us at all. On the one hand, we (the government included) just love to bask in the fabled glory of our past (historical and mythical, both!) and will toot that horn constantly; and on the other, have absolutely no respect for nor the inclination to preserve the past. It evokes sadness and disgust, both!