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
Your music horizon is just expanding! If you had given me Sinatra or Beatles cd/lp , prior to me turning 30 I would have looked at you like you had 3 heads.

I think it may have something to do w/ getting older too?
Audi & Volvo station wagons look really kewl to me lately as long as they are black, w/ tinted windows??? I can't explain it, I just have to get a grip & shake it off!
I don't think I'm kidding myself at all.
I'm not even sure as many point out how you can split the difference between your own tastes developing and a developing system.
I lot of what is described as Audiophile music puts me to sleep-Partrica Barber,Diana Krall etc. and even to a lesser extent Norah Jones-the free CD's given away occassionally with UK HI-FI mags just seem to represent a bland mixture of music for people who have descended into a safe listening zone.
Of course I listen to light music and would prefer it if everything was recorded decent.
Everybody has their own thing and nobody can be totally oblivious to information having some influence on them.
Even when I read the music reviews in the Hi-fi mags I've nearly always either got the releases I want or have read about the others.....
As a teenager I bought the music weeklies to learn and read about music,as an adult (lol) I buy at least 4 music monthly magazines a month-the reproduction is second to me and I would rather go back to a £300 mini-system than to stop discovering and buying new music.
I have found that Classic rock can sound it's best on vinyl.
When played on a great TT like a Thorens or Linn LP12 etc. Also MFSL CDS can be amazing. It is hard to listen to poor recordings on a great system but whats the point if you cant rock the house with Physical Grafitti. The Led vinyl reissues are great. Still pleanty of hiss but they have super fidelity! Tubes can also help tame some borderline material. Lastly a great CD player makes a big difference. I like the ARC CD2 very smooth and easy to listen to.
Yes. I've shifted toward acoustic jazz from pop rock. With my system, I can hear the engineering on rock recordings and it bothers me. I can also appreciate the quality of good acoustic jazz recordings. I like putting on a well produced jazz recording of a small group and imagining they are playing in my room. When I get a sense of realism, I enjoy the music and feel good about my system -- a great combination.
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.