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High End and Classical Music

Being quite new in the world of high-end, I would like to ask the following question: how many Audiogon Forum members are listening exclusively or almost exclusively to classical music? My impression is that regrettably rather few "high-enders" are interested in classical music. On the other hand, having a lot of friends - professional musicians - I also know that among them there are hardly any high end owners. I am one of them myself. Recently bought the following components: Mark Levinson 383 & 39, ProAc 3.8, cables Van den Hul The Revelation and MC Gold Hybrid. Although I am completely satisfied with this system (sounds tremendously!), I realised too late, that for the kind of music I am listening al the time (especially early music and baroque), there are maybe better combinations. So the question is: are some components more suitable than others for a particular kind of music? Thanks in advance for any reactions.
koen
wirehead
140 posts
 
I'm with Sean. I just got into audiodiction recently and once I stopped buying equipment every other day I started to listen and wanted that "hair on the back of the neck" feeling. I'm a Deadhead and bluegrass fan and I started to listen to Miles and 'Trane and now Copland and Holst. For me the journey started with the equipment and keeps getting better. I'll listen (and buy) anything that is well recorded, as classical seems to be. Problem is its tough to put American Beauty or the Seldom Scene on, I think I've been spoiled, or grown up.
pug99's avatar
pug99
12 posts
 
Many of the audiophiles I know are like myself, they have a wide range of tastes. I truly love fine classical such as, Mozart, Dvorak, and my favorite, Banntok. However, I also invest time listening to Lionel Hampton, John Lee Hooker, la Vienta, Belafonte, Chet Atkins, and every piece of traditional music from other cultures I can lay my hands on. Time has taught me when you limit yourself to one or two types of music, you cut yourself off from the rest of the world. There is no greater shame.
sdantlerff8b
1 posts
 
Listen exclusively to classical; movies increasingly encroach on music's territory, however. (Gone With The Wind competes with Berlioz Requiem, etc.)
grungle
54 posts
 
Heh, only one person listening to electronica?
Jeeze guys.
Seriously though, for an interesting commentary on genres vs. hardware take a look at this:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/audiohell.htm
His premise is that the most satisfying systems will not be optimized to one particular genre, and should maximize contrast between the different recording techniques (and quality) of various types of music.
I haven't had a chance to apply this philosophy, but I do regularly listen to a great many kinds of music (if I do say so myself) and this may save me some wasted time.
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