Do we ask too much of our audio systems?

I keep reading that nothing beats live music for sound.  I think that depends upon the type of music.  I enjoy “hard guitar rock” (as opposed to heavy metal), but it comes off much better IMO on a recording than it does live.  Yes, it is fun to see the band up there before you jamming, and the enthusiasm of the crowd, but in my experience the live sound is more like noise than music.  I’m a big fan of Three Doors Down, and I was at their concert a couple of years ago, about 20 rows back, and the screams of their guitars made it impossible to tell who was playing what or what the singer was singing.  It was the same with Kenny Wayne Shepherd — much better on recordings than live.

Now, if I were into orchestra music, I can imagine it would be different.  That seems more suited to hearing individual instruments more than with rock music (plus the acoustics of symphonic halls versus those of your typical sports arena).  The closest I came was attending an open-area concert by Tony Bennett and his 4-piece backing band — very nice (though I’m sure he would be the first to admit that he didn’t have the pipes then that he had as a younger man.)  

But for someone like me that grew up with 60’s-70’s-80’s rock music, there was a reason that we complimented an artist that “sounds the same live as they do on their records”.  There have been few live albums that I have enjoyed as much or thought sounded as good as their studio albums.  Yet, I still like to go hear live music when I can.

bob540, +1 *G*  Nothing beats 'live', although my main issue is the audience. The 'white noises' of cheering, screams, whistles, and the sheer volume play hell with my ears....

Which is why I go to most 'contemporary' concerts with ear plugs...;)

When engrossed in the performance, most venues fair reasonably well.  Worse was a Dave Matthews in a basketball arena; the reflections made it hard to enjoy.  Some things should not be done....

Like real estate, location, location, etc.

I can 'play loud', but at that point I've opted for 'roadie' ear plugs.  Also over the head ear protection when running tests for room eq....

Do we ask too much?  Oh, sure...the more $ spent, the more expected.  It becomes a socially acceptable addiction of sorts. *L*  'Nirvana' remains just out of reach but one still yearns to hit the porch....

Not having the disposable treasure for the quest, I've resorted to amuse my muse within my means.  Not 'perfect', but 'acceptable'; a way to enjoy what I like to listen to without frying the budget.

Spouse support has grown over the years by this approach as well.
There's a pleasant aspect to that, so I'll continue 'doing what I do'. ;)

BTW...geoffkait, " Music soothes the savage breast."

Breast?!  Sounds exciting...please expand on that....intriguing....;)

I think that you can achieve a live sound experience with a home system and I don't believe you have to spend a fortune to do it.

As with anything you do need the proper tools and don't forget how much your room affects your sound.

One of the many traps of the audiophile hobby is thinking if the system is better, the music will sound better. 
  In my experience, yes and no. The more revealing a system is, the more it will emphasize both the strengths and weaknesses of recordings. I personally have found myself ignoring great swaths of my collection not because I didn't like the music, but because the recording isn't up to the standards of my best recordings. That wasn't an issue before I started buying High-end equipment so many years ago. 
      Over time I've learned to just kick back and relax on the couch on lesser recordings instead of sitting in the listening chair, with no concern about flat or incoherent soundstage, etc etc.. This approach has worked for me. 
    The vast amount of recorded music was not done with "critical listening"in mind. It was and is a product made to sell, and mixed to sound reasonably ok on radio and on the systems of the era, and the tastes of their intended audience.

Every recording I own has its own sound, and I don’t mind one bit. As somebody once said, "If it’s good, it’s good." That might have been said more than once...not sure...as Bob Dylan says at the end of his shows, "get me outta here." I always wonder what the "live sound" reference really means...Orchestras that sound absolutely different depending on seating? Acoustic Jazz musicians listened to from a seat on the stage with the band? The hundreds of live concerts mixed by me? (those are all simply wonderful sounding events) Me again, noodling on an acoustic guitar? I think some recordings simply appeal to the audio geek as great sounding, but if the music isn't interesting it sort of doesn't matter...a system is tweaked to personal taste all over the map it seems, with no bottom line although many dive deep looking for it...somebody said once, "if it's fun, it's fun," and that likely wasn't Bob...or maybe it was.