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Do You Love Music or Do You Love Hi-Fi?

I know a lot of hi-fi enthusiasts who seem to have poor taste in music but can talk all day about their audio gear. I got into the high end audio hobby because of my love for music first and foremost, and this has done a pretty good job in guiding my decisions around what equipment to buy. Don't get me wrong, I Jones really hard on gear, but at the end of the day it's not about the gear but how great the music I love sounds on the gear I buy. I study music and learn all I can to discover new music to enjoy, regardless of the genre, but I am certain that I will not be investing in the latest Jennifer Warnes vinyl re-issues. I also wonder why Mo-Fi issued the first three Foreigner albums on vinyl. Are there really that many hard core audiophiles asking for this? There are so many great recordings that are begging for the high end vinyl treatment, it makes me wonder who these people are making decisions about what to release on these labels? I'm sure the entire Don Henley catalog is coming soon from one of these labels.
OK, I'm done ranting, but I really do want to hear what others think about this. Or is it just me? Is it about the gear or is it about the music for you?
128x128snackeyp
snackeyp's avatar
snackeyp OP
455 posts
 
I now realize that I should have titled this thread "Do you have good taste in hi-fi but bad taste in music?" because I was trying to make two or three points when I started writing it. I was annoyed by the number of unworthy music titles being re-issued on high grade vinyl and SACD. Of course I know "unworthy" is highly subjective but I believe that in general I have very good taste in music and am worthy to make judgement calls like this. Others may disagree.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
I agree with you. On a similar topic, why can't all new releases be SACD hybrid disc. Esp classical. Is the process much more difficult or expensive?
mantisory
95 posts
 
My main problem is that there is very little new Jazz and especially classical music being released on vinyl (don't have an SACD player)
While I can't really say what is good or bad taste (I like a LOT of different music), it would be nice if the pressing companies started releasing quality albums of NEW classical, and NEW jazz recordings. Yes, there are a few I suppose, if your taste runs more to the mainstream, but not that much. Even if it was released for sale on places like HDTracks, it would be a bonus. But my days of buying CDs are over :)
B
countingbackwards
138 posts
 
When you take an already small market (esoteric music buyers) and multiply that small number by the percentage of those esoteric music buyers that are audiophiles, you're left with what, 50 units that will get sold? That's not marketable, even in today's digital-marketing world.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
It seems as if most Classical SACD are from smaller labels and lesser known orchestras. Don't know if that is 100% true, but it seems that way. There are a few exceptions.
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