Do you think audiophiles have a much deeper appreciation of music than the general public?
Nov 4, 2013 at 5:57 AM Post #106 of 134
The question is somewhat hard, so my response is somewhat equivocal.
 
The public in America listens to music a lot. Audiophiles here are the same.
 
Audiophiles listen to music more carefully. Sometimes we listen to the sound of equipment, but more often we listen to the music.
 
Do we enjoy our music more? Probably yes, but not as much as we think.
 
This is a great thread so far. So many different, sensible opinions without anyone's getting upset. Keep it going.
 
Nov 4, 2013 at 10:50 AM Post #107 of 134
I can only speak for myself. I am a hifi enthusiast because I want to feel Ike I am listening to live music. Music enthusiasts want to see their band live, therefore I am a music enthusiast?

I guess music enthusiasts need to be broken down into two groups; detail oriented and non detail oriented. I think most hifi enthusiasts fall into the later.
 
Dec 6, 2013 at 10:53 PM Post #108 of 134
There are people who love to listen music, and can enjoy it without caring about the gear used to reproduction...
 
And people who love to listen music, but prefer it with quality and detail...
 
And also there are guys in mid life crisis, buying expensive gear to aim for perfection, sometimes being unable to listen the music and capture the soul of it but paying more attention on how the equipment sounds.
 
I think i float between the last two groups...
 
Dec 6, 2013 at 10:55 PM Post #109 of 134
I float between the first two.
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 5:08 AM Post #110 of 134
I float between all 3... often all at the same time :xf_eek:)
 
I don't agree agree with the "mid life crisis part" though. This obsession happens at all ages. The main difference is that older people are more likely to have more disposable income.
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 8:35 AM Post #111 of 134
I saw a few arguments here trying to link between musical preference and sound appreciation, which I find odd. I personally (probably largely thanks to my father), have a relatively diverse taste, albeit with a distinct preference for down-tempo electronica of various sorts. Which brings me to my point. I listen to vast amounts of electonica because I like the sound (synths etc). That being said, there are a great many tracks in the genre which are musically dull (at least to my ears). So there is always a balancing act.
 
But saying one genre is more or less hifi than another (there was somebody who said trip-hop was lofi, I don't know what you are listening to), seems silly. Because even in the so-called "overproduced" sound there is a certain aesthetic which some people might find pleasing (the use of distortion was considered by many to "ruin sound"). Better gear helps you get better resolution of these things just as much as the sibilance in a singers S's, or the pluck of the pick on an acoustic guitar.
 
I don't think one can truly enjoy music on an iPhone speaker, because what you can hear is often lost in a sea of other noises pretty easily, and distortion-heavy genres (metal, thrash-core and the likes) sort of drown themselves out, sometimes hi-hats go entirely unheard. But iPhone speakers are, IMO, the extreme lo-end of the spectrum. Laptop speakers, I find fatiguing,but to get an idea of the music, they're fine.
 
As to older recordings, my favourite example of this is a vinyl I have of Louis Armstrong, that dates back to the 40's. From a hifi point of view, it's appalling. It sounds like there was a room where the musicians were playing loudly, and a condenser mic at the end of the ventialtion tube. But there is such an ambience of FUN to it. It sounds like they're ENJOYING themselves, and that (emotion) is something that should be apparent regardless of hifi, a good reproduction of sound just enhances that, and IMO, adds a fair bit of magic to music (I would LOVE to hear that same performance having been skilfully recorded and produced with technology available today).
 
So in summation, I think that people who love music are more likely to become audio enthusiasts, which increases the percentage of music lovers among the audiophile population. But it is still bold to equate one to the other. And, as with any other consumer goods, audio gear also attracts some knobs who want to show off how clever they are, and how much better their soundsystem is.
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 9:03 AM Post #112 of 134
I don't agree agree with the "mid life crisis part" though. This obsession happens at all ages. The main difference is that older people are more likely to have more disposable income.

 
Most of hi-end stuff screams midlife crisis... The looks and vibe that they sell is all about that.
 
The third one is just a cartoonish depiction of the group that is more concerned with the gear they use than with the music they listen... People in the second group can also spends gobs of money on gear, but in the end, when the upgrade or whatever is done, they will sit and listen, and enjoy the music... the third group will be looking for tweaks and raising the cables from the floor.  
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 9:21 AM Post #113 of 134
The way I see it, those who think of their gear purely as a means to the end of doing the most justice to the musicians and their recordings are on one side of this question while those who think of the music as a means to demonstrate the high quality of their gear are on the other side.
 
The first group are the true appreciators of music.  The second group are obviously not.
 
I think there are plenty on this site in the first group and that's good.  Unfortunately, I think there are also plenty here in the 2nd group and that's not good. 
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 12:56 PM Post #115 of 134
Audiophiles might have a deeper appreciation for the way music is reproduced on their gear, but no, not a deeper appreciation for music as an art form. In fact, adiophilia seems to occasionally miss the point in music because there's such a focus on mastering, gear, realism, soundstage, imaging, ad nauseum.

In fact, I'd never think to listen to albums in certain genres of music simply because it sounds good on my gear (or conversely, rejecting certain albums that I own because they aren't up to 'audiophile' standards). I see this a lot in these forums though, and it makes me scratch my head. It's like TOTAL discernment in audio quality, with maybe not as much discernment in music as art.

After further reading, what Andolink said :)
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 1:11 PM Post #116 of 134
   I'm not that sure about this statement, I mean, a guy that spends thousands on audio gear should love music too... 

 
I think you may have misread his post. That first group he was talking about can spend whatever they want on audio equipment as well, even if it's thousands of dollars. He's being critical of the reasons people want to acquire this equipment. Some people want to make the music sound as good as possible while others are more interested in the gear itself. Both of them can be huge spenders, but one is obviously more interested in the music he/she is listening to than the other.
 
Dec 8, 2013 at 3:11 PM Post #117 of 134
I haven't really worked out the relation between my need for better sound and my general enjoyment of music.
 
It's hard for me to enjoy some genres of music without the right gear. I can enjoy thrash metal on an iPod and cheap Grados, but I can't really enjoy classical music without somewhat more expensive headphones and an amp of some sort.
 
Sure, when I'm trying out new equipment I'm more attentive to sound effects than music. That turns out to be the crucial test of the gear: do I forget (or want to forget) about the sound effects? It's happened a few times.
 
Dec 11, 2013 at 11:56 PM Post #118 of 134
When I buy headphones and gear to support headphones I aim to hear the audio as it was meant to be heard originally.  I love music and have attended hundreds of concerts.  There is a magical moment when I hear a familiar piece of music that sounds different when I'm on the T1 or HD800.  It's like reaching inside the sound.  
 
We are a small minority of the population, so what I need more gear.
 
Dec 12, 2013 at 12:05 AM Post #119 of 134
I think audiophiles have a deeper appreciation for the sound quality of the music. I know audiophiles who refuse to listen to anything that has a poor recording, or poor production, even though the music itself can be pretty good. I'm not a hardcore audiophile, but I do appreciate good sound quality as well. 
 
So what about lo-fi music recordings on hi-fi equipment? 
 
Dec 12, 2013 at 12:33 AM Post #120 of 134
I didn't use to notice the quality of a restaurant's or store's speakers. Now, I notice if it's bad or decent, and why.
 

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