HiFi Letter from NYC 2010 (7): My New Didicated Audio Room I

HiFi Letter from NYC 2010 (7): My New Dedicated Audio Room I

A Room with A Sound
Today marks the eighth day in NYC but, unusually for me, only the second time I am on the computer (via the free WiFi in the public library).

Almost from the moment I arrived I got busy with mother's new apartment in the same building, moving and packing things and never got out much. It is one more bedroom, but the significance of that is that I get to have a room for hifi only, a first for me in NYC, and of course I took the master bedroom!

This room does not really need refreshing, and the size is 10.5 x 16-18 ft. It is wall-to-wall carpeted. After some strenuous work in positioning things I was greatly relieved when my rudimentary setup proved great sounding beyond my greatest hopes. This room has a "blackness" I have seldom encountered anywhere in HK except perhaps at ML's place, and I attribute it to the thick wall-to-wall carpet. I shall report more on the sound later.

Writing is Life
One persistent feeling I had when computerless is an agitation to get back to my Blog. I must not be absent for too long! Some articles wait to be finished, while others are in the pipeline. And there were 2 readers' mail (one from the US and one from Canada) I haven't addressed.

People who don't write much, or write only to attack and criticize others, don't know what it's like to write on a more coherent, and larger, scale. There is a non-hifi reason why TAS and Stereophile, or HiFi News, are widely read; their writers are undoubtedly talented writers who imbue their articles with humor, little observations of life (sometimes surprisingly touching and candid). I may not like the preferences of some of the critics, but I can never doubt their passion. It takes a certain mindset, and a take on life, to bring an article to life.

Music is Transcendence
I get so tired everyday moving my equipment and storage units. But the hardest work, moving my >20,000 LP's, is paradoxically also the most rewarding. Browsing records after records, admiring the cover art and taking the opportunity to re-file comprise a journey of re-discovery. I would gladly file away for days! I am now about half done.

I don't actually listen that much right now, but when I do, starting with happy hour, I am so relieved that there is music in life. All the hard work is worth it.