Audiophiles & music-have you got it wrong?


This thread is partly inspired by comments on "would you refer this to all the interested parties" but also by general comments made on a regular basis.

Of course each person to their own, I do not advocate my views are the definitive ones and I do consider myself a music fan who takes an interest in high end equipment rather than being an out and out audiophile.
However despite some reservations about certain audiophile beliefs I don't come on these forums and say burn in it doesn't exist,interconnects are a rip off and exhibit little more than fine tuning etc.etc.
Why?
Because I don't feel I've explored these issues fully nor do I really wish to therefore my comments would be largely uninformed even if they are accurate from my point of view.
And yet some audiophiles seem to make constant negative remarks about the price and quality of music currently available-are they right?

First up the price of music-this is not to say greed doesn't exist within the record companies but are CD's really that expensive when we compare them to how much we spend on our equipment?
My collection is now worth close to double what my equipment is.
Am I nuts or do I have things in perspective?
I consider I am probably at the extreme end of things with regards buying music but aren't some of you at the other end of the extreme?

Is it the quality of the recordings that's an issue?
Ok-I can't say sometimes that recorings don't disappoint or indeed the fact that older CD's can be badly mastered.
However is it possible that some have attuned their ear to a level of perfection that only exists in a limited number of recordings?
Nothing wrong with that but should our hobby be about matching that ideal or should it be more like how I see/hear things-getting the best audio reproduction possible but accepting that recording will always be flawed or indeed subjective?
Is Robert Johnson any less powerful despite the primative nature of the recordings?

Finally there's no new good music.
I read that endlessly here on Audiogon.
And I ask one question-how do you know that?
Do you read about new music?
Have you the interest to search it out the way you tweak or try to perfect your system?
Do you know what's been remastered recently?

There is plenty of new music that is good but even ignoring the new stuff,there is an endless supply of music already existing that you've probably never heard.
Do you try to expand your tastes?
Does it even interest you to try?

If your relationship with this hobby is about the equipment then fine,that is as valid as any music lovers quest however please refrain from these glib criticisms if you haven't taken the time to make sure you know what you are talking about.

ben_campbell
Sean a very considered and thoughtful response however you are not the type of guy who is making the type of criticisms that tend to get my back up.
I am not suggesting everybody should be like me,as I have a lot of free time and not too much responsibility but I do believe the blind spots many audiophiles are finding are as much to do with their attitude as anything else.
Ben, as usual your fighting for the music and doing a good job.

Although I don't have as much invested in my music as my hardware, I have a considerable collection. I am open minded to new music to the extent that most of my visitors will only listen to a fraction of what I own.

I listen to some of my library with one group of visitors and some with another. There is music that it seems only I enjoy or share with my son, who is typically more open minded than my music group.

There is music that my son won't tolerate including boy bands, Kenny G, freeform Jazz and Missy Elliott. Although I believe his disagreement with Missy comes from her winning the MTV award that Johnny Cash deserved.

It was Johnny's NIN remake that moved him so deeply that he spent the remainder of this allowance for the CD.

Then when I think I have him figured out, I hear Carl Orff coming from his computer system. Not the ever popular Carmina Burana, but an obscure German radio movement. Proud and amazed, then I hear Eminem, Wilco, Dirty Vegas and Sigur Ros.

Last week he introduced me to (what I would call) Country Rap. You might say it's the best and worst of each. The artist name is Bubba Sparxxx and new to my listening experience. The cut I heard was not objectional, but not nearly as amusing as the expression on my sons face.

Oh to be that young again.
so much music; so little time. a minute is still a minute. I have oodles of different music and oodles more I want to buy (including my new found friend Tom Waits--) There isn't an Evelyn Wood speed listening course is there? Ben, you're always a good read. peace, warren
Ben,

I'm definitely a music lover although I wish I could afford to be more of an audiophile. Case in point: I have so much vinyl software that storage and organization is overwhelming my music room. I've been wanting to buy a certain new preamp but spent the available funds for a new tig welder and plasma cutter instead so I can build a record storage system the world needs. Well, at least my little world needs this type of system. ;)

I listen to more live music than any of my acquaintences but stick with genres and artists that have withstood the test of time. New music is being produced that I'm sure I would enjoy but getting exposed to it is the challenge. In the US, radio sucks. Television? No help there either. Remasters? Gimme a break. How many copies of DSOTM do I need?

I maintain that many of the glib criticisms you refer to are well deserved. To be honest though, the comments that are rubbing you the wrong way have been repeated for decades. The good news in all of this are folks like you that take the time to post new finds of merit.

You my friend, are cutting edge, a new age prospector for tunes. I'm trialing edge and appreciate the effort you put into finding fresh music which will also stand the test of time.
Patrick-thanks for the kind words.

By remasters I do mean worthwhile releases-like several last year that took CD replay to new levels.

Amongst these were Beatles and Dylan and of course at last On The Beach by Neil Young in all it's ragged HDCD glory.

Sure some companies suck the life out of classics but what I'm referring to is knowledge.
I've seen many many posts on Audiogon that refer to the poor quality,usually early generation CD releases by major artists.
The simple fact is that these have been surpassed but audiophiles remain ignorant for whatever reasons.
I've seen posts on Queen,Peter Gabriel,Blue Oyster Cult,Joni Mitchell,Yes,The Police even something like One by the Beatles got lost to some people.

Information is a two way street-in some fashion you get out what you put in-if you search in the wrong places you'll find dross.

Yes these points have been made for decades which if you think about it just means we've got old because even the golden era of popular music wasn't rated by the oldies then!