Thanks to Mike Lavigne for the photo of his wonderfully curated system.

A journey of self-acceptance via good sound

There exists a dichotomy within the audiophile community. There are those who find that the aesthetics, design, and the overall sexiness of a component is as important (or more) as the sonic qualities. These aesthetic choices expand to their whole system, and each component must be visually complementary to the other. Wrapped up in this can also be the heritage of the equipment, and the reputation of the industrial designer behind the design. German and Swiss manufacturers embody this philosophy – Nagra, CH Precision, MBL, & Goldmund to name a few.

Then there are those audiophiles that have embraced utility. The end goal is the ability to create music out of electrons. Any equipment that performs better, fits a preferred engineering philosophy, and is within budget will become a part of the system. Stamped metal casework, turntables that look like a combination of a toilet seat and a can of tomatoes … plastic? No problem!

Where do you fit on the spectrum?

I used to fit firmly in the aesthetics camp. Along with many beautiful lines of audio components I possessed over the years, I loved my sapphire blue British manufactured Jaguar XJ8, the Armani suits, 20 year French cognac, and $100 barber shop visits. Times they change, and so did I.

My audio system morphed along with an internal growing feeling of not having to measure up to my inner critic or an outer gaze. I’ve ended up with very little to prove aesthetically. Ah, age does loosen the tie, belt, and buttons. And in a way my audio system has matched it. I have become more focused on pure performance, and at the same time my version of sonic nirvana has become much clearer. In order to get there, I’ve delved into creating my own cables with graphene and piezo electric shielding. I am developing an EMI absorbing paint that seems to make a difference in my system. The chaos of cables and little black boxes that make up my streaming network would make an aesthete faint. My crafting abilities are increasingly poor, and nothing I touch results in an elegant statement.

But I am enjoying the music more. I feel I am being transported further into the original recording. Even when I hear visually stunning ‘A List’ systems costing in the upper six and seven figures, I come home and hear some things in my system that I value above all else - an emotional connection and depth of feeling resonating with the artists I love. And I’ve come to realize that this sound is a projection of my inner voice. And I wouldn’t give that up for the world.