When I was 15 or 16, I asked for and received for Christmas a 10-band graphic equalizer with spectrum analyzer that I’d seen in a catalog. I had built my bedroom stereo a piece at a time as I could afford it, and this would be the star on top.
Big mistake.
It was fine, objectively. It worked as designed, didn’t introduce any appreciable noise, and the like. I enjoyed it for a couple of months. And then I realized I was constantly adjusting it. “OK, I remember liking a bit more mid-bass with this CD.” “Now that sounds pretty good, but what if…” “Should I record the equalized sound onto my compilation cassettes, or not?” I was fiddling with it all the time at the expense of my greater happiness.
Anymore, just give me bass and treble knobs, and I’m a happy guy.
Actually I noticed some time ago that iTunes allows different tone and volume settings on a per-song basis. I’m trying hard to forget that. I’d have to take a week off from work.
I have the same problem with umpteen-way power seats in cars. I suppose the problem is largely meliorated with power seat memory, which is typically included anymore in cars that have hyper-adjustable seats. But still, if I ever own such a car, I
envision myself messing around for weeks before I pull the trigger and set the button.
I’ve never resented adjusting the fore-aft distance, adjusting the back for rake, and driving. Adjustable height is okay, I guess, and I’ve successfully lived with an adjustable lumbar support. But adjusting the seat bottom for tilt, the bolster position, and the like, are all pathways to misery.
For some reason, this neurotic second-guessing about how happy I really am has never extended to software. For example, there are literally trillions, and maybe more, possible configurations for a run-of-the-mill Windows environment out of the box. Introducing external images and sounds to the equation, the number becomes infinite. And yet, I’ve always been happy with just a few tweaks to the default settings and going on.
I’ve never installed a graphic equalizer program, though. Graphic Equalizer 2005, a well-regarded one, looks like a steaming slice of hell to me:
That there are apparently people who sit and play with this software for general listening purposes astounds me.
At the same time, I don’t want to stop having the choices in a broader consumer sense. I’ll play with a radio frequency scanner for months before I’m happy with it, and never resent a second of it. I have a little desktop stereo at work that includes all kinds of settings for brightness, displayed text, shuffle play, and on and on (but notably, only bass and treble tone controls, plus a loudness switch). I like that too.
I hadn’t considered it in these terms before this post, but perhaps it’s disparate buttons, bells, and whistles that I like, and it’s only when they’re inseparable components of the larger experience that I resent. That would make sense for all of the examples I’ve given, both positive and negative.
(On a quasi-related conclusive note: I have no idea exactly what I get when I order “large regular black coffee” at Starbucks, but it’s always quite good. Don’t ever tell me about the rest of it.)
Thanks to autoblog.com for the seat control image. Thanks to newfreedownloads.com for the software image.
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You were probably doing better with that equalizer than any of the Dolby noise-reduction schemes: Dolby A, Dolby B, or my favorite – Dolby T. That’s where you get a big beach towel, moisten it slightly, and throw it over the speakers.
As for your coffee, when you order it black, it starts off black, but then they introduce a deblackening agent out of habit, then after that they put in a reblackener to satisfy the order.
This is the Bo I know and love. I believe you when you say you would take the week off to tweak your iPod. Thank you for resisting the urge.
My thoughts on Starbucks: I think if you go through the drive-thru they don’t do all the gyrations they do if you go inside. If you are standing there, they have to make it LOOK like your cup of coffee is actually worth $5.00. Thus the deblackening and reblackening steps. If you go through the drive through, they just pour a cup from the closest pot.
I hate Charbucks. Tastes burnt. Go local – Aromas makes the best coffee in the world. It’s Free trade, too.
Unshelled: You are wise. Thank you for continuing to share this wisdom so freely. (And I almost never listened with any NR.)
Lea: My cup of coffee is about $2.00, IIRC. ‘Course, my bill almost doubles if I have one of those slap-your-mama-good sour cream doughnuts. Haven’t done that lately, and my waistline thanks me.
Saintseester: Is that that place on 72 just east of all of the Borg stores? I generally stay out of the north side of town on my commute.
It is in the target shopping center, way over by the Firehouse sub shop. I’m telling you – excellent coffee. And homemade bakery items. Scones are good. When it is cold, we’ll go hiking then take the kids in for a hot chocolate one day.
He also has a frequent flyer card. You earn points toward free coffee. yay! coffee! Nothing like a nice hot cup o’ Joe.