Do you listen alone or with others?

[Don C]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvVvW...

I like to listen alone every Friday and Saturday nite......in the dark or dim room.

Rarely with others, because you need a person with similar taste, that keeps quiet during the music, and talks only between albums or songs.

Other listeners in the room can break the "personal connection", deep involvement, and musical ecstasy that I try to achieve.

 

[jeff1225]

I have a collection of rock records just for the people that visit, usually on Friday night with some libations. 90% of my listening is alone and to jazz and classical.

 

[bpape]

Both. Groups of other audio heads is always a good time. By myself in a dim room just listening at other times.

 

[NorthStar]

Some type of music listening is done alone. Other genres social.
It's not one OR the other, it's one AND the other.
And it depends too; there are people who can fit your inner chords for the music that turns you on; say International, smooth special jazz, chamber classical, Opera (my Dad), French singers (my Mom and family), ... but there is a special place for each person where socially the music is intoxicating, and alone deeply emotional. It's in the majority of people, if not all...it's an evolution, an apprentissage that comes with each one's own time.

I know some classical lovers who are very peaceful people.
I know hard metal rockers who can break your heart without realizing.

Music is a social sport...dance with friends and families
Music is a relaxing sport...enjoying a mountain hike with headphones, or surfing the waves or working the graveyard shifts ...

For two people @ home it's with a couple or friends who enjoy the same music genres.

There were periods in life when social music took precedence, and others when solo listening was the main emphasis. There is tremendous power when the music is shared and everyone is on the same wavelength. Bob Dylan loves playing live because of the sharing communication with the audiences. Live music is social; the musicians play a message, a tune well liked and it fits a gathering of people.

When partying among friends we all have requests, when alone in the home we vibrate to the music that gives us the best emotional beats of our own life in tandem...accord, harmony.
For me personally it's opera, jazz from the ECM label, classical multichannel, blues, international dance rhythm happy tempo. ...everything from the Stones, Beatles to Van Morrison and John Coltrane.

...Alone or together, it depends. ...Of the moment and predisposition to feel @ ease.

 

[BlueFox]

Alone. When others are around then the music is just background noise.

 

[Folsom]

Well, it’s nearly impossible for me to listen alone. My dog has to be on me or the ottoman (when he wants to sleep).

 

[morricab]

Both...also the music choices are often dependent on the situation. Alone I tend towards more contemplative music and with friends it is more fireworks type music.

 

[dan31]

Usually alone. I have an 18 month old son. I only get a chance to listen early in the morning before he wakes up. Once he is up my day is booked until my head hits the pillow.

 

[BlueFox]

Usually alone. I have an 18 month old son. I only get a chance to listen early in the morning before he wakes up. Once he is up my day is booked until my head hits the pillow.

LOL. I bet you wake him up with the music.

 

[dan31]

Only if I listen to vinyl. I check on him with the monitor and once my phono pre is warmed up and I move to side 2 he will start to wake.

If I listen to cd’s he sleeps in. It’s just my luck.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Both, and I enjoy the sessions just the same.
In days gone by (mid 70's thru mid 80's) we used to bring our systems to a house and patch them all together and take turns mixing sets(no mixing board, just flipping source switches)using vinyl and cassette. Usually the equipment was in one room and the wall of sound (sometimes the circle of sound) in another. We would all sit in silence during the sets and then comment between sets.
I love to introduce younger people to music and the art of listening, a difficult task these days.
I also enjoy turning the lights down low and mixing my own personal sets and or spinning complete albums.

 

[NorthStar]

The top audiophile people share the music listening socially, by inviting friends, group of friends, by going to live music concerts with wives, family members, friends.

The super top audiophile people make sure first that the music is "sound" (solid ), by experimenting/listening alone or with a top friend, so that it clicked right with others who have a similar interest in high quality music with a capital "M" (Classic).

I think.

 

[Sharp 1080]

I listen alone as I spent a gazillion dollars on my stereo system for ME. I do occasionally invite friends over but if they are not into audio as I am i'll use my secondary setup which is an everyday audio/video unit as background music while partying and chatting. I was chuckling as I replied to this thread thinking hey, if we all listened on headphones we wouldn't even be discussing this!

 

[TooCool4]

I listen mostly alone but I do have plenty of audiophile friends and we do go to each others houses for listening sessions, both alone and group sessions are enjoyable.

 

[audioguy]

In my listening room, ALWAYS alone - unless an audio buddy is over. We use our Roon server to listen to low level background music in our family room

 

[gryphongryph]

Mostly I listen alone, but sometimes my wife cuddles up beside me on the sofa and listen, then falls into a deep sleep

 

[Solypsa]

I listen alone sometimes but prefer to share. I'm an introvert so love to 'dj' a mix while the extroverts sparkle

 

[Vicov]

I’m another Billy No-Mates where listening is concerned. Indeed, none of my social circle is the slightest bit interested in Audiophilia. My wife loves music (just not the same music that I do) & to be fair we do sit & listen together from time to time but I am largely a solo player.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

99% alone, 1% Kedar

 

[spiritofmusic]

1% is WAYYYY too much.
I'm more like 0.0 to 0.000% Ked.