Why Don't More People Love Audio?

To Bombaywalla,

Point #2 analytical listening. I checked with my wife who has no interest in high end audio. She doesn't listen to how the music sounds. All she is interetsed in is what song is on and if she likes the song. I began my analytical senses by buying a $10 woofer and hooking it up to my tape recorder back in college in the early seventies. i know I wanted to have strong heavy bass. I didn't care whether it was boomy or not, I just wanted bass. So I took the bare woofer, and pointed it into a corner where it would exhibit a "boom boom" during certain passages.At that point every song that i listen to from then on had to meet a certain criteria. I found that I enjoy music but, it had to sound pleasing to my ears. On the other hand, when I had a friend over and wanted to show off my system, most of the ones who liked music really didn't appreciate my systems dynamics. They either liked the song or they didn't. This is what separates the analytical from the "just plain" music lovers. I have records that I like the music but, can't play them because the recordings are so bad. Every CD with old groups that I purchase has to have a notice that it was digitally remastered or i won't touch it...

Just my .02......

Larryb "The most popular types of music - pop, rock and rap is reproduced better on non-audiophile systems."
Huh?
Maybe it's that people who like this type of music aren't the type who are willing to spend a lot of money on a stereo. People making stereo stuff know this and tailor the sound to classical (Sonus Faber for example, Musical Fidelity for another).
I like rock, pop, and some rap and IMHO is is VERY difficult to find a stereo which can do justice to this type of music. ATC active 100's and Naim being the exceptions to the rule.

Eagleman6722,
Ok! I now see what YOU mean by "analytical". OK, each time I read "analytical" in your text, I'll substitute it with my equivalent word for it - "discriminating". To me "analytical" means somebody critically dissecting the sound into dynamics, soundstage width & height, transparency, air, blah, blah.... All those audiophile words you might have read time & again.
I think what you are after is good & excellent recordings that make the music sound more real rather than the mass-produced CDs you find @ Walmart. Am I right? If so, in my words you are a discriminating music listener rather than an analytical music listener. Anyway, IMHO. FWIW. YMMV.

Bombaywalla,
Actually I am both. Discriminating as you describe for CDs and records that sound good and analytical. I just changed tubes in my Audio research sp9 Mk2 to Amperex USN-CEP's which completely changed the character of the pre. Last week I bought a TAD-150 on the write ups and advise of Agon members to see if I am getting the best bang for the buck. One of the pres will go, probably the ARc if I agree with the reviews. Then in March when I have a little spare coin , I am sending my McCormack DNA-1 to Steve McCormack for a Rev -B upgrade. So i guess I evolved from discriminating to both over time....

Eagleman