Dedicated listening or multi tasking?

PeterA · Mar 10, 2018

Ron Resnick said:
A-HA! The smoking gun! I knew it all along! If enough pressure was applied for long enough he would break, and the truth would be revealed!

So why even waste your time up in the loft listening to digital?

If one has both formats, I can think of two reasons: music content and convenience. If one is starting out and has neither format, then cost might be another factor.

spiritofmusic · Mar 10, 2018

Ron, my comment is really just about how compelling vinyl is, not how “poor” digital is. I absolutely love my cd replay, but a four decades intense love affair with records, and the unique attributes they bring to listening, is always going to be too much for digital to surpass.
And having starved myself of vinyl for two years, I can’t get enough of the stuff.
Re Ked’s idea on using streaming to make multiple compares on classical performances, well this is his compulsion, I’m not convinced I want/need to go down this path. Time is short enough as it is to listen to a broad range of music, I’m not sure how much I’m attracted to listening to ten or twenty versions of Scheherazade before choosing my one or two fave renditions.

bonzo75 · Mar 10, 2018

Marc, this is music, not gear. With gear, you listen to 10 to select one. Music is like food, you eat different every now and then and don't need to select one's the whole objective of listening to 10 performances is to listen to 10 performances. If you end up having a favorite great, but listening to 10 performances is fun because they are done differently. In classical anyone not listening to various performances is worse off.

Ron Resnick · Mar 10, 2018

bonzo75 said:
Because streaming allows you listen to 10 performances of the same piece rather than one. Any aria differs a lot depending on the singer. If you want to listen to winterreise, you need to find Peter Schrier, Dietrich Fisher Dieskau, Hans hotter etc. While they are available on LP, difficult to source and play so many. Same if you wanted to listen to a violin concerto and go through heifetz, Oistrakh, Kogan, Rabin, and later players like Perlman, Mutter, Fisher, Benedetti, kavakos. It is only sonics that is better on a good LP, but for music you need streaming and vinyl. It is pointless buying just the one best vinyl pressing and listening to only it, though if you can afford it you should have it

I totally understand that. But I don’t think Marc does streaming, hence my question to him.

spiritofmusic · Mar 10, 2018

Ron, my decision on streaming is ongoing and no closer to being resolved. I’m all in on Stacores-ing out my whole system, for a budget that would easily cover SGM server with a top dac (or even something like an SME 30/2). This is necessitating me finding a less SOTA solution, but additionally I’m still finding I’m not compelled to jump in. I guess I need to just jump in, and think a bit less about pros and cons, I’m guilty of “paralysis thru analysis” on this one.
Ked’s suggestion to use streaming to find the premier classical recordings from history is pretty interesting, and may be a reason that becomes more compelling. In addition to hopefully finding music in my fave genres of Progressive Electronica, avant garde and Zeuhl on The Cloud I wouldn’t find at all the old-fashioned way.

Ron Resnick · Mar 10, 2018

spiritofmusic said:
Ron, my comment is really just about how compelling vinyl is, not how “poor” digital is. I absolutely love my cd replay, but a four decades intense love affair with records, and the unique attributes they bring to listening, is always going to be too much for digital to surpass.
And having starved myself of vinyl for two years, I can’t get enough of the stuff.
Re Ked’s idea on using streaming to make multiple compares on classical performances, well this is his compulsion, I’m not convinced I want/need to go down this path. Time is short enough as it is to listen to a broad range of music, I’m not sure how much I’m attracted to listening to ten or twenty versions of Scheherazade before choosing my one or two fave renditions.

I understand.

While I do want a recording which maximizes the sum of the best performance and the best sound quality I have no interest in auditioning 10 recordings of the same piece. I am much happier simply asking Kedar, or one of our other classical aficionados, which he thinks is the best recording and then ordering it on the Acoustic Sounds website.

NorthStar · Mar 10, 2018

Audiophiles we all come in various flavors, all beautiful.

spiritofmusic · Mar 10, 2018

Bob, “all beautiful”?
Fake news LOL.

NorthStar · Mar 10, 2018

No fake news Marc, we just have to open our hearts.
No more fights, no more wars, ever, only total bliss through the power of music, and no matter how much money, education, science, ... and analog tubes or digital DACs. ...All that balanced jazz.

The music prevails, enjoy, we all do, I enjoy it, and sharing it too.

rockitman · Mar 10, 2018

I’m guilty of frequent multi tasking...either keeping up with forum chatter, shopping or scouring eBay for records and such.

NorthStar · Mar 10, 2018

I'm listening to Pink Floyd right now (A Momentary Lapse of Reason) in this precise instant, as I'm typing these few words.

Hi-FiGuy · Mar 10, 2018

NorthStar said:
I like to sip a quality cognac and light a pipe with quality tobacco when listening to quality music, occasionally, or a quality Bourbon with a Cuban cigar. ...Or a nice French dry red glass of wine.

Does it count as multitasking.

This and yes!

P.S. You sure its only tobacco in that pipe!

NorthStar · Mar 10, 2018

I don't smoke other stuff Mike. I've only tried couple times a half century ago.
I didn't even inhale.

In my job you need your full concentration; just a small misstep and you die.

bonzo75 · Mar 11, 2018

Ron Resnick said:
I understand.

While I do want a recording which maximizes the sum of the best performance and the best sound quality I have no interest in auditioning 10 recordings of the same piece. I am much happier simply asking Kedar, or one of our other classical aficionados, which he thinks is the best recording and then ordering it on the Acoustic Sounds website.

I think the point is there might be a best pressing, there isn't a best performance answer. All the performers are great and do things differently. Beyond that it becomes subjective and a mix of recording, mastering, and pressing. Also I think certain recordings and mastering suit certain systems better than others. You need to stream to decide for yourself. Others can give pointers to a few performances.

spiritofmusic · Mar 11, 2018

Ked, Ron wants things done the easy way, casting you as Musical Butler, you bringing him the best performances on a plate.

bonzo75 · Mar 11, 2018

spiritofmusic said:
Ked, Ron wants things done the easy way, casting you as Musical Butler, you bringing him the best performances on a plate.

In that case, Larry toy is the best butler.

But even then, if your chef cooked 5 great dishes, why wouldn't you want to taste all

spiritofmusic · Mar 11, 2018

Believe it or not, not all of us are thus compelled. You are, classical performances, audio demos, lp researching and judicious buying, streaming all variations. I believe you do the same on places to eat too.
That’s not everyone.

PeterA · Mar 11, 2018

spiritofmusic said:
Believe it or not, not all of us are thus compelled. You are, classical performances, audio demos, lp researching and judicious buying, streaming all variations. I believe you do the same on places to eat too.
That’s not everyone.

I agree you Marc. I know a guy who has access to the best classical recordings in the world as the head librarian of a major opera house and symphony hall. He knows more about which performance on what label sounds like what than anyone I know. Yet, he focuses his time studying and replaying particular recordings of three composers: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. He keeps returning to his favorites and the more he hears them, the more insight he has into their genius.

We all have our preferred ways to enjoy this hobby.

bonzo75 · Mar 11, 2018

Yes but he got to his favorite after his own analysis. It is a big difference asking someone else to suggest you their favorites

spiritofmusic · Mar 11, 2018

Ked, we agree there. Recommendations and picks are nice, interesting, handy. For me, there is so much inexpensive s/h classical vinyl in my part of the world, I’m good to buy multiple copies of my fave performances.
I’d rather take the punt when rummaging thru record racks than going in already armed with specifics.
Luckily I’ve ended up for almost no money getting 99% stellar classical in lp.
What I’m not going to do is start paying £00s-000s for very particular rare collectibles no matter how great they sound.

Dedicated listening or multi tasking?

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