Why it isn't all about the Music ... [Rant]

Where he rants a bit !

There is something most audiophiles will claim as a truism.  There are flame wars over this, but frankly like most things on the internet, it is people shouting at one another with a "stance" rather than trying to find the truth or common ground.  When an audiophile, nearly any audiophile, is making this claim, it simply isn't true.  What claim, you ask?  They say, with nose in the air sometimes, "It is all about the music."  If you have stared at an audiophile setup you know right away that this is about as truthful as a politician making a promise on election eve.   If you haven't seen them, let me fill you in: A typical audiophile component has a sort of look to it - be it an expensive faceplate, a clear-coat finish, or a speaker with exotic veneer that would make a furniture maker jealous.  Cabling (another source of controversy as in "do cables make or fail make a sonic impact" - which is the wrong question, by the way) that is either silvery wispy or a carpet-snake in thickness - all clad in attractive cloth or other material.  All of it lavishly made audio jewelry.  Pointing this out and what it implies will either get a defensive response or denial most of the time rather than facing the truth they already know or suspect.

Gorgeous, clean looks. From the amazing Jeff's Place Blog
This kind of relaxing setup doesn't happen
by accident, and with a 'don't give a care' attitude...

 I will put it right out there:  Enjoyment of music is an aesthetic experience.  And because of that, it is entirely subjective and everything, but everything matters and to further roil the waters, I'll say there are a lot of factors that play into that enjoyment besides the music - and the most important of these is your mood when you listen.   

Yes - your emotional state affects the subjective evaluation and enjoyment of music.  Don't believe me?  Have you ever been "not been in the mood" for something you normally would like.  But when you are in the mood you thoroughly enjoy yourself?  I'm talking about that phenomenon. The way a fancy restaurant has a decor they set up and maintain is a perfect example - because while food is important, it is not the entire experience of eating at that restaurant.  Another example is the way you might bring out a nice set of China for a special meal and light a few candles to enhance the dinner you made.  I think many of us treat listening to music like trying to eat a fancy steak on a picnic bench at the town dump or on an unairconditioned city bus in the summer - you can do better to enjoy yourself, and enjoy yourself more by enhancing your surroundings and getting yourself in the mood even if the meal the the same!

Quite possibly the most awesome living room ever! The
Speakers are AvantGarde Acoustics - and they cost a small
fortune, but are supposed to be terrific!

To get in the mood, sometimes getting a glass of wine or whiskey, and sinking into a chair in a semi darkened room as you spool up Miles Davis.  Or get your kids excited about a CD of They Might Be Giants (Yes, a review is coming!) and everyone gets dancing in the room as the music spins up - are little things you can do, too.  Sometimes making music listening an event is just the ticket.  If it sounds like Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis are in your Living Room, perhaps treating it like these "close friends" of yours could actually show up helps turn a few songs into a personal concert?  The looks of the playback gear is important, too, by taking the time to make sure the audio cables are routed with care (note I didn't say invisible - the whole cable industry works hard at times to make cables that are gorgeous!), and the components are looking good and organized in a furniture grade stand are good moves (as much as you can with 2 kids, 2 cats and a dog), because that little bit of effort will also pay you back in enjoyment. 
 But before an audio purist gets their hackles up, I will state it right out there and make it worse for them - it not only works that way, it should work that way. (And incidentally the man-cave sometimes arises out of an extreme misapplication of this idea.  You goal isn't to create a diorama of a sound system that is the man-cave stereo - it is to create the environment, and foster the attitudes for the whole family to have a blast listening to music!)

Not to mention being slightly dangerous
(See exposed tubes),
I am not sure I could ever get in the mood
to enjoy music if my rig looked like this?

But as you build your system with your whole family in mind, remember an important part of the whole experience is the feeling of quality, and attention to detail, music as an event and how cool the system looks.  All of it will aid the aesthetic illusion you are trying to create when you play music.  Taking a little time to get yourself in the mood, and to get your whole area looking good and set up with care will help you get in the mood more often, and it will greatly enhance you and your families enjoyment.  Trust me on this one.