Recently, I got new speakers and when I hooked them up, a/b tested against my old speakers, and heard tighter, punchier, deeper bass, more clarity and detail, I confidently told myself that the new thing is better, but over time I noticed that I was just not listening to music that much. Listening to my favorite albums or checking out a new one for the first time used to hold my attention, but now after a few songs, I would drift off down a YouTube rabbit hole and can’t get through an entire album. I put my old (apparently inferior) speakers back and I suddenly can’t get enough music.

I’m not going to go into over-analyzing those particular speakers, because I have had the same thing happen with headphones and amps as well. I think my takeaway here Is that in my time watching reviews and trying to judge what good sound is, I have inadvertently trained my self to look for certain characteristics of sound quality that aren’t actually what I enjoy the most… so how do you know what it is about sound quality actually keeps you listening as opposed to what checks the boxes you’ve created to distinguish “good” audio quality.

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  • mindhead1@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    There is the newness factor, but also the experience factor. The more i change my equipment the more I’m becoming dialed into what I like.

    For example, I always thought I liked a warmer bass heavy sound with some treble sparkle (V shape). As my equipment evolved/improved I’m finding I like clarity, detail and a rich neutral to slightly warmish mid range and a more neutral bass response and am more treble sensitive than I realized.

    I’m also learning about system synergy. These things are subtle, but noticeable. I recently picked up some new speakers that hit the mark for me and I’m listening to more music than normal. I listened to a lot before.

    However, when I hooked those speakers to my tube amp they weren’t getting it done for me the way many older speakers do. So instead of selling the old ones I’m keeping them for the synergy. I like to switch out what I’m listening to for my main system every 3-6 months to keep things fresh.