Over-obsessive about my system's sound quality?*

I am obsessed with evaluating the sound quality that comes out of my record player/sound system. It's almost to the point where it is not even enjoyable for me to listen to anything on the platform anymore because i constantly am evaluating the sound quality and not actually listening to the music. anyone else feel this way? sometimes i am happy with the sound and its fun, but most of the time I am left unsatisfied.

However, on other platforms like listening from my iPod in my car and on my iPhone through Apple music i do not do this and actually enjoy the music. i can't figure out why. does anyone else have this problem?

 

If you can enjoy music on iPod and iPhone then you can enjoy it on your home system.

Put something on you thoroughly enjoy and turn it up.

Don't think about the sound quality. Take a break from this place if you need it

 

Get better gear.

 

Play new music that you can't analyze (yet).

 

Get out of the sweet spot.

 

"i constantly am evaluating the sound quality and not actually listening to the music." This is what's called an "audiophile"

"i do not do this and actually enjoy the music " This is what's called a "music fan"

I'm kidding...mostly

 

While I've learned to appreciate the higher fidelity I now have access to (and truly love!), I remind myself sometimes that I learned to love MUSIC with a transistor radio in the late 60's, improved upon by an early 70's car stereo, to humble Pioneer SX-424 and Koss Pro AA headphones in '74 to... Music first! Honor the art with the best equipment you feel comfortable within an intelligent budget amid all your other life priorities. And yes.. perhaps take a forum vacation so you don't hear about everyone's new stuff! (me hypocrite.. spent way more than intelligent for my current finances. Don't do that!!)

 

Although this may sound a bit brutally honest to some, that's exactly it.

After looking at your profile, OP, the gear you have is entry-level. You cannot hope to get even a mid-fi listening experience with it. With vinyl, you need to spend a lot more to get a listening experience that will rival and possibly better the digital one. The potential for a much more fun and rewarding listening experience is definitely there with vinyl but you need a serious upgrade if you want to really start to enjoy yourself.

Vinyl isn't for everybody. It's a novelty to some. Since I wanted to be sure it was for me, I decided to give it an honest shot by buying a 1K turntable in the VPI Nomad (version 2) equipped with an Ortofon 2M Blue cart. Its onboard preamp being good and VPI producing a solid turntable, the experience showed me the true potential of vinyl. After about 7 months, I bought a VPI Prime, Dynavector 20X2L cart, and a Dynavector P75 MK3 preamp. True, all this cost me many thousands of dollars but the sound has been infinitely upgraded to such a quality that I really enjoyed it.

And now, I just bought myself a Lehmann Decade phono preamp to upgrade from my beloved P75 MK3. The sound is already so good that I'm quite excited about this latest upgrade!

Bottom line is simple ; you can't squeeze water out of a stone. Your gear is good entry-level stuff but it'll never wow you so don't try to make it sound like something it can't aspire to and decide to either upgrade your vinyl rig entirely, give it up in favor of a cheaper and easier listening experience in digital, or stick with what you have and accept the limitations of your current setup.

 

Fixed it.

The hobby should be about having fun. The experience should be relaxing. It's not a job that you should feel the need to analyze all the time. I hate analyzing the system. Love listening to the music. For that reason I rarely join in forum tests, which sounds better? Can you hear a difference? Blah.

If not having fun then a step back needs to be taken. Pour a beer and listen. Stop reading reviews. Pour a drink or whatever Stop analyzing.

 

I think a lot of people end up listening to their stereo system and not the music.
You could put a blue stylus in your cartridge.

 

I agree with @Strat-Mangler when he says that with the entry-level gear you got this is inevitable. You should be unsatisfied. I know it because I have entry-level gear myself.

The good part is that at this entry level every step ahead is a truly "night and day" upgrade experience. I remember when I bought my dedicated phono preamp. It simply blew me away. I was really impressed with the improvement and it showed me how awful my system sounded with the phono stage of my integrated. The same when I bought good headphones. I couldn't even imagine how crappy my previous one was until I got the new one. Literally a night and day difference.

I suppose that in high end level differences when upgrading must be subtle but not at our level.

 

I like this. I did the same thing by stepping down in gear but whichever way you do it, when you remove audiophile expectations, the music becomes the important thing, not the gear.

For the OP: Dance more. It helps.

 

I started with the same receiver and almost the same turntable (but different speakers) as OP and had the same problem with vinyl playback. Almost drove me away from the hobby. Before it got that far what I learned was that the phono stage in the 8020 is, frankly, terrible. I got a vintage McIntosh receiver and the difference in sound and in enjoyment was night and day. Then I got away from the 2m red because of IGD and have been happy ever since. I just listen to the music these days. Sure I dream about other upgrades now and then (what's this forum for if not that), but I'm satisfied in a way that I was not before.

The 8020 is a fine budget receiver for digital, and for testing purposes I've run tape out from the McIntosh to the aux input on the 8020 to good effect, but in comparison the phono stage is absolutely terrible. It's totally muffled and doesn't even do justice to the modest pro-ject/2m red combo.

OP, I'm sure you're like me and on a budget, but you should do yourself a favor and get a proper phono stage. Maybe borrow one from a friend or buy from a place that has a generous return policy. If you're like me you'll be shocked by the difference.

 

I mostly agree with this statement, but I do believe you should be able to get enjoyable sound with your speakers as long as you're not straining them.

It helps to remember that no system is perfect by everyone's standard. I know many would criticize my gear to no end, but I enjoy it and that's what matters. Some of the most enjoyable experiences I've had were with modest systems.

If you can't afford upgrades, stay away from the dealers and trade shows.

 

I'm sure somebody with a 150K system would criticize the 25K system of another member but that's not really what I'm referring to. Basically, I'm stating that while some gear does punch above its weight class, most of it doesn't and none of the gear the OP owns would ever deliver anything but a lo-fi lostening experience. Hoping to coax a higher grade sound of it is wasted time and the only way to really get what he's after is to upgrade to something above the entry-level grade.

Your Yamaha integrated amp, for instance, would be a gigantic upgrade, as would be a Dynavector 10X5 cart, etc.

 

Thank you for your input. Where did you hear that the built-in phono stage was terrible on the 8020? I guess you have first-hand experience to back that up so that shouldn't matter. I was thinking that my amplifier may be the issue, too. I was also considering going for the Ortofon Blue stylus, but it is $200 and I just spent $430 on my turntable. If I buy a different pre-amp, won't I still have to hook it to my current amplifier? Will it still improve the sound? Are my speakers good quality?

Which cart are you using these days?

 

Recommendations for a dedicated phono preamp?

 

I agree that the OP's gear is not hi-fi by the typical standards of this forum. I haven't heard the Pioneer speakers, but I imagine they're likely better than the average Bluetooth speaker or sound bar that most settle for these days.

I had a very enjoyable system years ago when my complete system totalled $800, but that was with digital sources. Starting down the analog path was the catalyst for my obsession.

If one can't afford substantial upgrades, I do believe they should attempt to maximize what they have, regardless of its performance limits.

 

would i be better off buying a good preamp (i hear the schiit mani is good) and still using my current amp or going for a vintage integrated amp?

 

I heard it with my own ears, as you say. And yes like I said even running the tape out from my mcintosh to the 8020 is leagues above using the phono stage in the 8020. In that arrangement, the mcintosh was essentially functioning as a big phono stage. I don't know about your speakers, but if you are enjoying digital but not vinyl you're in the same boat i was and should benefit greatly from an upgraded phono preamp.

I've got the AT440mlb as my cartridge these days.

 

get the pre-amp

are you confused about upgrade paths?

 

I have no experience with the other things in your system and I'm not an expert, I would be reckless if I say anything. What I know is that it's a tough decision if you wanna upgrade anything else in the future because of compatibility issues. You gotta take your time and do some research.

 

All depends on your budget. If you stick with MM carts, an integrated amp with a phono stage would save you money and upgrade your sound on two fronts.

 

I hate to say it, but Ctiger2 is right. With your system, you shouldn't be obsessing about the sound, unless you actually want to improve the system.