"So I think there are three types of audiophiles. Stage I is loving music and replacing hearing it live with cheap audio equipment. Stage II is loving music that is well reproduced. And Stage III is great reproduction and realism."
Tbg, that post of your's back on 2-9 really rung a bell with me as it in some ways mirrors my own evolution. However your 3 stages of audiophiles given above does not include ALL types of "audiophiles". I know PLENTY of audiophiles that have a rudimentary level of music knowledge and limited musical tastes and seem more focused on sound reproduction than music itself. Many of these guys spend an inordinate amount of time on a sound that is pleasing to them. Many of these guys also gravitate towards the quality of recordings OVER music content. Some of these guys know much less about music than many music loving friends and family members that are NOT audiophiles nor have any aspirations of becoming one. One of the first questions I generally get from them is "how much did this cost you?" These music lovers ARE aware of well reproduced audio equipment but have neither the time, space, finances or ultimately interest to pursue it. For them they can enjoy from a simple playback system as well. What got ME into it was the complete lack of satisfaction of symphonic music through my receiver, tt and modest speakers which had changed over a period of 20 years as a teenager to the time I discovered, as did you, well reproduced. When you see a live performance by a world class orchestra it is very humbling coming home and listening to music that gets very little close to what you just experienced.
The issue of the Stage III audiophile is interesting. I have found myself limited to Stage II for the simple fact that #1 I don't have the resources, space or committment to pursue it and most importantly #2 While it might be a worthy goal to try and capture the intangable elements that separate live music from reproduced, I have yet to hear a system to date that actually does that or quite honestly even approaches it. The bigger, the greater the resolution, the deeper the bass the MORE of everything just highlights, too often to me, the absolute importance of the recording so as to not be distracted by the shortcomings of the whole. Then there is the actual experience of a live performance over reproduced. What is most important to me is getting closer to the music itself, set-up, vibration isolation, power etc., maybe Mapman's point, without sweating on making it sound live, spoken like a true Stage II audiophile I suppose. I certainly admire your goals and would love to hear your system, particularly since you are passionate about symphonic music and are seriously attempting to recreate it in your home. You and those like you have my deepest respect and admiration.
