Has audiophilia changed your music taste?

This is a good example of how a discussion about music
preferences has turned into a pretty typical pissing match,
complete with straw men, people talking at cross-purposes,
looking for an edge, "are you trying to say...[insert silly position here and argue against it]. With the usual attendant communication failure, with whipped cream,
chocolate sauce, and cherry on top.

The prize has to go to whoever it was who argued something
like, "my musical tastes haven't changed because they
didn't NEED to change, MOFO -- I had great taste at 17,
and I have great taste now!"

Oh...okay.

LOL.

Carry on, gents.

Figure out who listens to music and who listens to
their system.

Let me know who wins.

Although I still gravitate to particular rock subtypes, I have a few albums that I bought directly from being an audiophile. I have also gotten more in to classical and some of the more acoustic music in general that is more common amoung audiophiles. My rock music is still the priority, but audio has pushed my music budget around. It'll be a cold day in hell before I buy jazz, but writing this sentence probably means I will someday (Not really).

Okay -- Sorry about the earlier cranky post.

I've had a nap and I'm in a better mood now.

>>I'm not suggesting that any of the great performers whom you listed are equivalent to the "audiophile tripe".<<

No -- quite the opposite. I'm saying there is a world
of difference between the "Tripe" [Or, musical equivilent
of those train records] and the list of performers I mentioned.

I will take part of the credit for the misunderstanding.

I probably didn't express myself clearly.

I listen to Clifford Brown for many reasons. He plays
the hell out of his instrument -- AND -- because I am
lucky enough to have what I consider to be a great
system -- I can get even closer to his music.

And, if I haven't made this point clearly enough --

I think it is far too simplistic to try to split people
into these two camps -- those who listen to the music and
those who listen to their system.

It is convenient, it makes for easy one-ups-man-ship,
but I also think it is silly and can short-circuit a
better conversation.

Finally, my answer to the question at the top of this
thread is: Yes, I find myself listening to different
music now that I have a nice system. I think it is
great music and it sounds great on my system.

It is less filling AND it tastes great.

It is the chicken AND the egg.

It is the Lady AND the Tiger.

It is round AND flat.

I didn't listen to this much classical and Jazz when I
was younger. For whatever reason, I've acquired a taste
for this music -- AND -- I find that it also sounds great on my system.

I put it on, I listen to my system and find that -- voila --
great music is playing and it sounds great, both my system
and the music until the system disappears and there's
only music and then it ends and I think, boy am I glad I
have this system!

No, and with all due respect, the day I switch to "audiophile" (ie sound not music - chair squeaks, paper shuffling, amp humming, and someone coughing) stuff is the day I sell my system and go back to my mini system.
Which by the way sounds almost as good as Levinson. You see, I'm a believer in equipment break in. After 17 years of "getting better every day" it's almost there.
Sean brought up a good point about overly detailed systems. But when you spend so much money you may want to impress yourself or your friends. Which detail does. As least for a while.
I just try to ask myself, is this how a live event would sound?

I think I should explain my sarcasm about break-in. I've been demoing equipment at home. If I return something because I don't like it, the dealer will invariably tell me the component is not broken in yet. Or I haven't listened long enough. So I got tired of the - break-in will solve all the problems you're hearing - routine.
The dealer who said I didn't listen long enough has a good point. If I listen enough my ears probably would adjust to the distortion. Then it would sound okay. But when I audition I will go for 3-5 days not listening to my stereo. Then my ears have adjusted to neutral. Then when I listen, I won't be used to the distortion and it will sound wrong to me.