Insight from a retired Musician/Teacher/Audio restorer? Most people (over the age of 40 or so now, more than ever) have never been TAUGHT to listen critically. Don't believe me? Here's a non "My Brand's awesome and yours is pathetic" analogy: Old analog lines were hum prone, and (depending on moisture and changing ground potential issues/atmospheric conditions) could have static or some low level buzz. But you heard EVERY WORD in spite of it. (Similar cases have been made about vinyl surface noise or tape hiss as well.) Now think about the massively "detail" destroying compression algorithms and noise gates on Cell Phones. (I won't even go into texting......it turns out we've gone backwards there as well.....) I get the first and last words of sentences obliterated (both directions) constantly. We've been trained to NOT listen. We've been conditioned to accept what we're given, and we think it's AWESOME. (It ain't. Drop all the games and tomfoolery and give me a frikkin' phone that doesn't sound like a party line from the Pleiades, please.) Off soapbox. If I sound old, I am. But I remember seeing Soylent Green when I was about thirteen. I ain't going that quietly, lol....
Why Don't More People Love Audio?
Can anyone explain why high end audio seems to be forever stuck as a cottage industry? Why do my rich friends who absolutely have to have the BEST of everything and wouldn't be caught dead without expensive clothes, watch, car, home, furniture etc. settle for cheap mass produced components stuck away in a closet somewhere? I can hardly afford to go out to dinner, but I wouldn't dream of spending any less on audio or music.
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- 519 posts total
- 519 posts total