Sound and Music

Music only.

Although when I choose between 2 DAPs I pick the more involving one.

Speaker systems have additional factors for consideration.

I'd say that when I was searching for sound I discovered jazz and found that I kind of like it.  (I cannot say the same about kind of liking classical.  Yet.)

I'd also say that I would prefer sound AND music, but if given the choice of music I like that sounds (due to the quality of the source material's mastering, mixing, recording) like hammered dogcrp and music I am not crazy about that sounds great, I'd pick the good sound over good music.  That is if I could only have one or the other.

OP,

I completely agree that this is a tremendously important topic in a forum with a mixture of experience levels.

I certainly started looking for better sound to hear the music better and by and large the two improved together. Somewhere in the 1990’s after a good twenty years of the pursuit I noticed there was a line that when crossed resulted in detailed sterile sound… not musically fulfilling.

I am highly analytical. So when pursuing high end audio I would go into analytical mode and try and isolate variables that are obvious… detail, slam, imaging. I drilled down to, micro-details, and all sorts of nuances. These all led me (can lead you) away from musicality. You can have them all, but it is really easy to focus the way I did. Some folks get it from the start… typically folks that follow tubes from the beginning.

Not to be too repetitive. I went out to find out what real music sounded like… ten years season tickets to the symphony, acoustic jazz concerts, and sit with every piano played and soloist I could. The result was to change my emphasis to rhythm / pace and authentic presentation of details (not exaggerated / highlighted). Then climbed up better sound quality with this as top priority. This led me to an incredibly musical, relaxing system to listen to, that just gets out of the way. The system is invisible. It has all the details, but in perspective, it has wonderful imaging (without resorting to elevated treble to accomplish this), and dynamics… but not artificial. When I go from my system to the symphony, I get the same experience. Same with a rock concert… only without the horrible distortion and deafening volume.

It took me a long time to recognize the difference from putting together an analytical sounding system and a musical one. A well worth distinction to understand as soon as possible in pursuing the high end. I know lots of folks with very expensive systems that still haven’t figured it out. If you listen for 45 minutes to your system and can get up and do something else without tremendous effort you may be one of those.

@ghdprentice

I’m just curious. How do you react to musically satisfying LP’s that have sonic defects? Can you listen past the inferior sound? Records are so variable.

Unlike many musicians, we have this bug tha t craves good sound.

How about this take? Musicians produce the sound. Stereos try to reproduce it. Reproductions have inherent flaws and those flaws can draw one’s attention from the music and to the sound.

For reproductions that are "perfect", hi-res system really shine. For those that are not, maybe it’s better to gloss over things a little. So the flaws are not so noticeable.

Second, as audiophiles, attuned to hearing differences in components, we are our own worst enemy. Consider the people who are happy listening to some crap Bluetooth speakers. Ignorance is bliss.

Third, reproduction is subject to interpretation. Tell 10 artists to paint a given sunset and all 10 paintings will look different. Which one do you like the best? Buy does anyone ever complain about a sunset being too washing out, too bright, etc etc.?