When I listen to my system.......


As I have stated many times, I listen to the musicianship and the composition. As I listen to SRV, just as an example, there are three musicians working together to create a "performance". How is it that anyone can put tone, sound staging, or anything else with the "sound" before the performance. There is much information on our recordings, and generally, many of these recordings are just so so with the fidelity. In fact, why do many listeners only listen to top notch recordings of higher fidelity, of the "sound", rather than appreciate those qualities I look and listen for. Is it because I was a singer / vocalist in my youth? Is it because I was around musicians who shared the joy of "music"? Is it because at a very early age, I was introduced to big band music and eclectic performances by so many, via my dad (he would have been 100 today; happy birthday dad). Yes, I consider myself an audiophile, because I spend money on gear and am careful with my dedicated room....my system allows me to hear more of the performance. But, it is the "music", the "performance", that matters most to me. I suppose I am feeling a bit nostalgic today, because of my pops. I am bringing this up again, because I do not understand the mentality of folks who listen differently than I. I know this subject might be ad nauseum to many, but some of the folks I used to design systems for, became less interested in the music, and more about the sound, placing the music and performance secondary, or not at all. I am just venting. If you would like to add to this post, I welcome all thoughts. No judgement from me. I wish everyone well. Enjoy! MrD.

mrdecibel

@mrdecibel

I’ve always regarded myself first and foremost as a music lover but if I didn’t care about sonics I wouldn’t be typing this!

Stiil, I want to be carried away by the emotional/physical/aesthetic aspects when listening. Carried away from what? From thinking!  I don’t want to be in left brain mode, analyzing resolution or sound-staging or whatever. That’s simply not why I listen, or look at art, or read poetry, for that matter. But I recognize this is just one approach.

 

 

I love listening to music. I am not particularly interested in the performers. I know a number of folks that play an instrument and they are fascinated with the performers and how they are getting the sounds, or the composition. They listen very differently than I do. I love The Art of Noise as well as symphonies. I get great joy from well reproduced music. For me that is the gestalt… the full spectrum of what music is… rhythm and pace as well as detail and imaging.

I have been led astray in the past by getting too fascinated by being able to hear more minor details and let the music suffer and my system began only sounding great with perfect recordings. So, pursuing high end sound can influence what and how you listen.

There are folks that constantly swap equipment, perhaps enjoying the evaluation process more than actually sitting and listening to music. Some folks own two or more high end systems with vastly different sounds (like solid state and tube) enjoying the sound quality to match their mood.

I like the direct emotional link to the music. One that draws me in and makes me close my eyes and sway. Making most recordings sound great. So, that is the kind of system I put together… it excels balance between all the aspects… detail, bass, tonal balance, imaging, rhythm and pace… etc.

 

Good gravy, the either-or conundrum again. The Internet gives us infinite choices. We can have it all if you are willing to explore the glorious choices.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. 

 Thanks @ozzy62     One would hope, transiting these forums, that conclusion would have become obvious by now..*sigh*

Well, it gives us all something to troll each over....;)

(...kidding...mabbe...😏...)