Audiophile music can be characterized as music where the emphasis is on sound quality and less about performer quality. Audiophile recordings are meant to show off a stereo system.
Sheffield Lab 12
Expensive system for non audiophile listeners - is it worth it?
- Thread starter skinnyfla
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Audiophile music can be characterized as music where the emphasis is on sound quality and less about performer quality. Audiophile recordings are meant to show off a stereo system.
Sheffield Lab 12
You are right, but this is completely subjective.
Here is an example of what I consider to be a typical “audiophile” track: boring music, trite lyrics, and a singer who can’t really sing. Obviously many will disagree, and that’s fine:
While I 99% agree, there have been some stunningly well well recorded albums that are have both sound quality and performer quality.
It is sort of the difference between “craft” and “work”.
I am in particular thinking of that Radka Toneff Fairytales LP.
The same music that’s played at shows. Usually not too demanding
I agree. The vast majority of “audiophile” recordings - the ones used at shows - simply don’t demand much of a system and that’s why the systems sound good. What they SHOULD be playing at shows is Immigrant Song, cranked, not Don’t Know Why. I wouldn’t hold your breath for that though.
Exhibitors who actually can get solid, good sound are not afraid to play anything demanding. Only the weasels who know their system would fall apart on the brutal stuff wuss out.
In the PranaFidelity room at THE Show 2023 in SoCal the exhibitor, Steven Norber, played wild stuff. He also let me play anything on his system. At one point I asked if I could put in my Black Sabbath CD with 'War Pigs' on it, and cranked up the volume. Before the song was over, the room was packed, and you could see from the faces that everyone enjoyed it (it sounded excellent, too). The guy next to me did some air drumming.
I guess people are just tired of the typical show music and want to hear something they actually can enjoy.
Anyways, I ended up buying PranaFidelity Dhyana speakers, which played in that room, after test driving them there on lots of acid-test demanding music (including my favorite recording of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, cranked up to high volume; sounded very dynamic). I love them.
Clearly, certain music is typical for shows, but whether its weak in terms of performance quality is a matter of taste. Black Sabbath would have run me out of the room in ten seconds, but I'd have been happy to listen to Freya Ridings or John Lee Hooker. Or Willie Nelson, for that matter, you don't hear much Willie at shows. Just a matter of taste, but some of the rooms will play about anything you request and its great if you can hear the kind of music you prefer at home.
Yes, some Led Zeppelin can be demanding. I went to a Zeppelin tribute band concert last night that was awesome. But, many rock LPs are compressed and not so well recorded, so they can be a good test for some things, but complex classical can often be more revealing of extension, dynamic range, nuance, balance, and ambiance. I listen primarily for clarity and energy in demonstrations.
Or decide not to upgrade their gear, be happy with what they have and enjoy listening to music irrespective of sound quality. Not a bad choice for many folks.
When folks here listen to a poorly recorded lp or cd, do they get into "totally committed" audiophile listening mode? Or turn down the volume and use as backgound music? Seems unlikely one would choose the former but curious. When I had my system, that cd type became a car stereo choice. And even there, it would oftentimes sound compressed, toppy, ill defined and marginally enjoyable from a sonic perspective.
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Interesting discussion, lots of good viewpoints and makes me appreciate this forum more - a lot of other places would have this devolve into an unproductive argument by page 2.
One analogy that comes to mind is video. Some of us love quality video/home theater/whatever you want to call it. Whether that means a high-end calibrated OLED or a projector setup, 4k Blu-ray, Atmos surround, etc.
The analogy here is that of course there are all the classic "demo" movies or just sequences from these films. These have been staples for ages: Matrix, U-571, The Fifth Element, and so on. I happen to really enjoy most of these so it's no problem. But there are also quite a few rubbish films which have amazing video quality and/or sound quality. I'm guilty of watching and owning many of these just based on that aspect. Especially when a new format like Blu-ray (or remember HD DVD?) launches and the selection is limited. Sometimes you just want eye candy to show off your new gear.
That said, I would never limit myself to watching things with only the absolute best 4k masters and surround tracks. I still want to watch old favorites that aren't available in 4K, or sometimes don't even have a good 1080P version. I'll watch 4:3 content, black and white content, old stuff with stereo or even mono audio, and so on. Even though I am constantly trying to improve my home theater setup, I do so in order to more fully enjoy my favorite media. If I found that I could no longer enjoy gritty crime dramas from many decades ago, because they don't look or sound as good as a modern CGI blockbuster... I'd feel like I had lost the plot somewhere.
Hopefully that analogy makes sense. I won't begrudge anyone from playing Diana Krall for the millionth time, or watching arguably bad movies like Aquaman, Mortal Engines, Gemini Man, or Avatar 2 just because they look/sound stunning. But let's not avoid media we love even if it isn't reference caliber.
One analogy that comes to mind is video. Some of us love quality video/home theater/whatever you want to call it. Whether that means a high-end calibrated OLED or a projector setup, 4k Blu-ray, Atmos surround, etc.
The analogy here is that of course there are all the classic "demo" movies or just sequences from these films. These have been staples for ages: Matrix, U-571, The Fifth Element, and so on. I happen to really enjoy most of these so it's no problem. But there are also quite a few rubbish films which have amazing video quality and/or sound quality. I'm guilty of watching and owning many of these just based on that aspect. Especially when a new format like Blu-ray (or remember HD DVD?) launches and the selection is limited. Sometimes you just want eye candy to show off your new gear.
That said, I would never limit myself to watching things with only the absolute best 4k masters and surround tracks. I still want to watch old favorites that aren't available in 4K, or sometimes don't even have a good 1080P version. I'll watch 4:3 content, black and white content, old stuff with stereo or even mono audio, and so on. Even though I am constantly trying to improve my home theater setup, I do so in order to more fully enjoy my favorite media. If I found that I could no longer enjoy gritty crime dramas from many decades ago, because they don't look or sound as good as a modern CGI blockbuster... I'd feel like I had lost the plot somewhere.
Hopefully that analogy makes sense. I won't begrudge anyone from playing Diana Krall for the millionth time, or watching arguably bad movies like Aquaman, Mortal Engines, Gemini Man, or Avatar 2 just because they look/sound stunning. But let's not avoid media we love even if it isn't reference caliber.
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Good point! We can have different levels of engagement but still enjoy the music.
Some music is just meant for the car radio. I think for me a great example would be " Reelin' In the Years" by Steely Dan. In the car I get energized by this song, on my home system it does nothing for me, I may as well have it on as background. To compressed?
Other music definitely isn't meant to be listened to in the car and the better the system sounds the more engaging it is. I would say that Rachmaninov's " Piano Concerto No. 3" would be a good example of this for me. It's not that the music is poorly recorded it is just that the dynamics of a piece like this demand higher fidelity reproduction.
Generally I am fine with streaming on my home system and the well produced and engineered tracks engage me. However it's when I put on a well done vinyl recording that I really click into that totally committed listening mode. Those moments can be magical and lead to record after record late into the night listening!
Dear Sir,
From a rational perspective, this is really easy. High end audio is a luxury. If it brings you pleasure to play your favorite music - do it! Screw what anyone else thinks, as many of those clowns probably enjoy the music at audio shows.
I have a reasonable expensive system, 35k, and could care less about pride of ownership or what anyone else thinks about it. I only care about how it sounds and makes me feel. In the infrequent instances of other people listening and commenting positively on the sound quality and then asking questions about equipment and cost my standard reply is, " What For"!
This is the correct answer! But of course a lot of folks out there feel differently, even if they maybe won't admit it (often even to themselves).
I would say this transcends the hifi scene and probably extends to any hobby out there. It doesn't even matter if we're talking expensive hobbies like fast cars or sailing, or more theoretically down to earth things like running, photography, hiking, stargazing, playing an instrument... so many people get trapped by the gear itself rather than using it for its purpose.
Bradford,
As I've been fortunate to engage in all of those hobbies you've mentioned, in my mind and in my life, I maintain that music and the pursuit of audiophile high end sound reproduction has intrinsic differences that are unique and specific to the human psychology and physiology in their affects. Through reading and research it would indicate that we are especially receptive to certain various types and levels of sound vibrations and for me, the audiophile quest is all about getting as close to those affects as pragmatically possible in order to increase the level of vibrational stimulation.
Extreme view? You bet!! Brand or appearance be damned! How the F'! does it sound and make me feel! Lol
Like in a boombox? Certainly their right to find it wherever and however they find it!
I was speaking for myself and obviously nobody else. Your remark reminds me of an individual who while listening to my system remarked that they preferred their tabletop plastic Wave Radio. The original OP question was about what Mr. Holmz?
I have listened to Ska and Rockabilly (like the OP mentioned) in the car, on a tradesman type of 12/18v blue tooth speaker and on a proper stereo.
All give enjoyment.
However I was referring to the C-cells for the toys that the females predominantly are reported to use.
That' part's awesome.
I agree.
As Henry Rollins says, "It's his job as a listener to honor an artist's music with the best playback quality he can."
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