Has audiophilia changed your music taste?


Before I got into this hobby, I was big into heavy metal. I am very much into progressive bands like Dream Theater and Queensryche. My collection consisted of rock 90% and classical/jazz/other at 10%. Ever since I started getting into audio, my listening has changed and so has my music collection. What used to be 90/10, lean to rock, has changed to about 70/30 and changing weekly. Lately, I can't keep Patricia Barber off my system. I absolutely love her. The thing is, the other day I put on some Pat Travers and the listening only lasted about 30 minutes before it was back to Patricia Barber. For some reason, rock doesn't sound as good as it did before. Maybe it is my system or maybe it is me.

Anyone else like me?
matchstikman
I have read interviews with engineers who admit they engineer a lot of rock music to be played on inexpensive equipment and car stereos. It is my opinion that a lot of Rock suffers from audiophile treatment. It isn't meant to be appreciated for its detail and focus -- it is meant to be a barrage. When your system pulls it apart and stages it, IMO, it sounds terrible. Stuff that was meant to be part of a barrage is now sticking out where it doesn't belong. So, I find myself listening to Rock less and less.
I also think it is natural for tastes to change with age. I no longer need angry teenagers to express my emotions for me. For example, I find myself relating less and less,
to the notion, "I hope I die before I get old." So, I find myself listening to more classical and jazz, female vocalists, as well as old R&B and blues.
For me it's hearing all the music I used to love;but had junk for a system at the time. So now I still love that same music,but now I hear so much more of what was recorded.
I begin to wonder if I'm kidding myself and I'd say probably no.
I mostly listen to uncommercial music that at its most times has an excellent mastering.
Thus even hearing a great recording of some country music or Christmas gospel I can only say recorded great, but as to listening I'd feel myself a complete fool to change a taste to that side or such.
Being an audiophile hasn't changed my taste in music, but has changed my appreciation for well recorded material. A good example is the latest release from Santana "Shaman." In my car, I love listening to Shaman, but at home the quality of the recording is less than appreciative.

If anything has expanded my taste in music, it's the current lack of creativity in rock. Very few of todays bands have the sustenance to produce consistently good material. Additionally, most rock recordings are compressed and their sound isn't conducive to critical listening.