For some audiophiles any topic other than gear brings a yawn. Even music.
Traditionally, and by that I mean in my experience, non-gear posts don’t fare very well in terms of interest. Views, likes, and such. Metrics. Back in the day I was once told that I posted too many music posts and how they detracted from the gear. I thought that an odd observation and one I did not agree with as my main interest in gear is how well it plays music which inevitably, for me, leads to music discovery which is the key to a long, healthy, and happy hifi life as opposed to obsessing over gear. Once we get so deep into the hardware and away from music, joy typically runs away taking a meaningful experience along with it. At least as far as I see it.
Of course I post about music, metrics be damned, with our two Friday posts–my Album of the Week and Stephen Mejias’ #NewMusicFriday. I also post weekly and monthly music posts for Patrons and mention at least three specific albums in every product review. The thing about metrics is they don’t tell you everything and the stuff they leave out are the most human.
My interests as a human extend beyond music and gear. I make art most days and collect things other people have made. Everything from books to antiques to art to curiosities which you can see scattered all around the Barn.
Why bother? Every object, book, and record has a story to tell and I am a lover of stories (and songs). When I look at the books that line the A-Side’s shelves, each one brings me back to when I first read its pages, the circumstances surrounding the time and place we first met, and the limitless dialog they inspire with one another and within me.
The same holds for objects and art and I’ve spent years tracking down certain pieces, more than a decade in some cases, to find the thing I want for a price I can pay. I suppose you could call me a gentle and patient hunter.
Having these other interests surround me also helps keep everything in a broader context which in my case means less fussing, less obsessing over what I consider to be the meaningless minutiae that can turn what should be a joy-filled experience into another anxiety inducing sink hole (like social media). Just look at the way some people talk about hifi and you’ll see what I mean with more angst and conspiracies in play than a Dan Brown novel written on a bad acid trip.
So here’s a post mostly about nothing. Nothing other than the many joys and wonders laying in wait for the fortunate among us who can take the time and have the resources to collect, reflect, and of course the luxury of making music an important part of our lives.
