Every one of us eventually asks ourselves: Am I listening to the music, or just listening to my system?
It’s a fair question. We tinker, we tweak, we swap out cables and components, all in pursuit of something just a little bit better. And yet, there are always those who seem eager to scold us for it—as if the act of refining our system somehow takes away from the love of music itself. But I think that’s a misunderstanding. For many of us, the pursuit of better sound isn’t a distraction from the music; it’s part of the joy.
For me, it’s never been an either-or choice.
The building of the system—the careful selection, the experimentation, the thrill of hearing an upgrade take things to a new level—is part of what keeps me motivated.
Some people find happiness in simply pressing play. Others, like me, find just as much happiness in how that music reaches us. I love the music and I love the journey of crafting a system that brings it to life in the most magical way possible. If that means a lifetime of experimenting and improving, so be it. That’s part of the fun.
So don’t let anyone tell you to just stop and enjoy the music. If you love the chase as much as the destination, then you’re already exactly where you need to be.
