And in the end...The Beatles are why audiophilia exists?
Aug 10, 2007 at 4:38 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 35
DavidMahler

DavidMahler

Headphoneus Supremus
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Does anyone share my sentiments that the reason why there are audiophiles is because of the innovations made by the Beatles, Martin and Emerick in the 60s. Yes I know stereo recordings were there beforehand (primarilly in classical)......but did the audiophile world blossom with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper? Anyone agree? And no I'm not 50, I'm 24:)
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:09 AM Post #2 of 35
you would probably have better luck posting this to the Music forum.

So... what are you saying?

Are you saying, without those Beatles recordings hi-fi stereo would not exist for the mass-consumer?
If that is what you are saying, I would have to disagree.

They pioneered a lot of different recording practices in the studio, and thus introduced a lot of progressive elements to mainstream rock music.... but saying hi-fi music reproduction would not exist without those 2 albums is pushing it a bit IMHO.

I've been into hi-fi sound reproduction LONG before ever hearing a Beatles album in its entirety. I only recently bought Love, Sgt Pepper and the white album. I may be in the minority though.

There were a lot of musicians experimenting in the studio... doing things differently to get unique sounds and convey different emotions on tape.

If I had to credit one main-stream musician to drive MASSES of people to go buy records and listen to music in stereo hi-fi, it'd be Elvis Presley since he was doing it before the Beatles (as far as I know).
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:16 AM Post #3 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
you would probably have better luck posting this to the Music forum.

So... what are you saying?

Are you saying, without those Beatles recordings hi-fi stereo would not exist for the mass-consumer?
If that is what you are saying, I would have to disagree.

They pioneered a lot of different recording practices in the studio, and thus introduced a lot of progressive elements to mainstream rock music.... but saying hi-fi music reproduction would not exist without those 2 albums is pushing it a bit IMHO.

I've been into hi-fi sound reproduction LONG before ever hearing a Beatles album in its entirety. I only recently bought Love, Sgt Pepper and the white album. I may be in the minority though



Thats a good point, but its not exactly what I'm saying. I guess what I'm saying is........while the inventions of the studio begin with Stockhausen and others from his school....its really the beatles that brought the sense of audiophilia to the mainstream and even if you were 20 when you first heard a beatle song, its still because of what they brought to the table that jumpstarted the audiophile world. There are far better recorded albums in every genre than any beatle album. But I feel as though it is the Beatles which everyone owes a debt to in terms of using the studio to create a sound world. Granted I am a classical fanatic and don't listen to much rock, but I still feel as though its the beatles that created the audiophile BOOM.
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:17 AM Post #4 of 35
im not so sure - while i love The Beatles i think talent and recording capability (analog at least) were at their peak in the 1970s with all those legendary classic rock bands esp with the increased use of multitracking and the refinement of recording technique
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:29 AM Post #5 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMahler /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thats a good point, but its not exactly what I'm saying. I guess what I'm saying is........while the inventions of the studio begin with Stockhausen and others from his school....its really the beatles that brought the sense of audiophilia to the mainstream and even if you were 20 when you first heard a beatle song, its still because of what they brought to the table that jumpstarted the audiophile world. There are far better recorded albums in every genre than any beatle album. But I feel as though it is the Beatles which everyone owes a debt to in terms of using the studio to create a sound world. Granted I am a classical fanatic and don't listen to much rock, but I still feel as though its the beatles that created the audiophile BOOM.




IMHO Charlie Parker, Count Bassie, Dizzy Gillespe and Elvis Presley had a heavy hand in innovating recording studio techniques before the Beatles. They were popular before the beatles too, so the argument could be made that they also had a strong influence in the audiophile boom.

I don't think you really can say... ONE artist is single handedly responsible for creating the audiophile boom as you describe it.
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:34 AM Post #6 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
IMHO Charlie Parker, Count Bassie, Dizzy Gillespe and Elvis Presley had a heavy hand in innovating recording studio techniques before the Beatles. They were popular before the beatles too, so the argument could be made that they also had a strong influence in the audiophile boom.

I don't think you really can say... ONE artist is single handedly responsible for creating the audiophile boom as you describe it.



great artists you name, I'm especially fond of Parker..........but I don't see how any of those named (with the exception of elvis in a very minor way) had anything innovative with regards to studio technique......I could be wrong. I always associate the birth of the studio, and the birth of audiophilia with The Beatles.....haha I'm stubborn, but I admire what you say and I always read your posts!
eggosmile.gif
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 5:48 AM Post #8 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by Assorted /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Audiophilia all started in the Renaissance when polyphonic and secular music magically sprang up and people started experimenting with stereo effects.


Haha thats true too.....guess I can't get any agreements on this one.....oh well
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 6:10 AM Post #9 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMahler /img/forum/go_quote.gif
great artists you name, I'm especially fond of Parker..........but I don't see how any of those named (with the exception of elvis in a very minor way) had anything innovative with regards to studio technique......I could be wrong. I always associate the birth of the studio, and the birth of audiophilia with The Beatles.....haha I'm stubborn, but I admire what you say and I always read your posts!
eggosmile.gif




James Burton and Jerry Donahue are legendary in guitar studio circles and did a lot of experimenting with guitar mic placement, room acoustics, and recording technics on a lof of early Elvis albums. So, while you don't hear their names mentioned a lot in mainstream public, they are credited by many guitar players as being studio innovators.

I have a hard time crediting any one musician for influencing the audiophile boom... IMHO they ALL did in their own right. The Beatles had a major influence no-doubt, but to give them SOLE credit as you are doing... just doesn't sound "right" to me, because there were so many popular artists, that were doing it long before the Beatles.
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 6:41 AM Post #11 of 35
Buddy Holly did it all shortly before he died and the Beatles have pretty much acknowledged as much. Way ahead of his time in life and in death.
 
Aug 10, 2007 at 3:09 PM Post #14 of 35
If the beatles hadn't influenced it, someone else would have.

Sometimes technology is like a force of nature. The surfer did not create the wave.
 
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