2017 vs. 1990s - How far we have come


Hi Everyone,

I'm just taking a moment to think about how far we have come in the quality and enjoyment of music over the last 3 decades or so. I'm listening to Jazz.fm at 96kHz/16 via a Squeezebox Touch an NAD D 3020, and custom speakers (free design is available here ) on my desk as I work.

I have to say, the sound is pretty fantastic. We do a lot of comparisons to evaluate the relative merits of any given system, but we choose what we compare to. If we compare what we can get now vs. in the late 1980's/1990's I have to say things are really really good, and we should all take time to think about that now and then.

My total outlay is around $800 in electronics + the speakers.

First, I can pick among almost any radio station in the world. When guests from China show up, I have a station from Beijing playing when they arrive. I have 3 or 4 really good jazz stations on tap. There's Spotify and Tidal (great old school catalog) in addition to my 800 albums or so, some hi rez, mostly Redbook.

Digital amplifiers and DAC's are sooooooo much better than they used to be. Some of the DAC improvements in the low/mid market is outstanding. Especially Redbook. Digital amps, even cheap one's, sound so much better than the initial trials around the 1980s I heard. I mean sooooooo much better.

Don't get me wrong, there's a warm spot in my heart for vinyl and tube amps. But let's not pooh pooh an all digital/Class D solution either. The convenience, price and features are really outstanding now.

There will always be room for a discerning ear however. I don't mean to say all DAC's and all Class D amps and all speakers are now great. They are not. I am saying that for the music lover and audiophile your entry level to really good sound is a lot less expensive than before. Let's celebrate this, and also celebrate that this allows us to share not just shopping experiences but culture as well. The better music transmission is, the easier it is to enjoy and share all sorts of music, and culture. We should delight in that.

Best,

E
erik_squires
@slaw Maybe that's why I was never a fan of the album. Well, not the mega-fan so many were. I like some of the songs, of course. I was young. :)
I'm with you Erik on the silver DIY cables.  Over the years, I've had many different IC's, nothing too exorbitant mostly Straightwire and high end Monster and I've also had several different DIY silver cables.  I don't go crazy trying to listen for nuances, and whenever I've had the silver cables, it was always just right.  Same thing when I have tube gear, it's always just right
I'm with Slaw!  Thriller was one of the greatest recording masterpieces of our time.  Recorded by the great Bruce Swedien.  Bruce was Quincy Jones favorite engineer, and recorded many jazz records before and after.  

Another is Earth Wind and Fire "I Am"  George Massenburg was the engineer on EWF, he went on to record Billy Joel, Toto, Journey, Little Feat Weather Report, Lyle Lovett (Joshua Judges Ruth), and many more.  He pioneered that sound of being very clear, wide dynamics, low color (the opposite of motown) with excellent low end.   

Now when I say "great", it has nothing to do with the songs, we are talking strictly the sound: recording, mixing and mastering.  Very few records sound as good as these two in pop music today.  There are some, but not many.

For great sound, follow the engineers, not the artists.   

Brad 

      
Dynamically, the song Bille Jean is a tour de force of dynamic range and punch. All one needs is a decent vinyl pressing and a system that can show it.

However, it is overplayed and nearly illegal, like ’Stairway to Heaven’. Right up there with the Sheffield Track Record, Bachbusters, and various bits of Krall here and there. And whatever else has built up to being offensive over the years.

When we do shows we don’t do anything but music that grooves. Music that moves people.

Yes, follow the players (session), producers (sometimes) and engineers (mostly always).... and you can find some fantastic stuff that way.
I remember years ago when I found Haley Bonar’s "Big Star". I liked it so much, I did not play it often, so as to not get tired of it. Crazy, right? Crazy like a fox. This is kind of my "own personal musical seduction therapy".

I remember too well the overplayed 70’s radio hits that had an over-effect on me.

@teo-audio, I get your premise but still, most of the songs on "Thriller" move me. I just choose to listen every once in a while so as not to get overwhelmed.