And streaming has the magic of access to millions and millions of songs for $10/month...and even better when it's lossless/hires lossless like Apple Music!
Is Audiophilia a Dying Hobby or Just in Need of a Tune-Up?
- Thread starter exupgh12
- Start date
The success of Taylor Swift colored vinyl and many other indicators show that vinyl is not only healthy and profitable as a recording medium, it generates more revenue than CDs. I would not have predicted that in 1985 when I bought my first Magnavox CD player. But leaving aside modern reissues or new vinyl, for over 50 years, that “scratchy” medium is what the world’s greatest musicians recorded on, from Nobel-prize winning Bob Dylan to the Fab Four Beatles to Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley and the greatest classical musicians like Enrico Caruso to Herbert Von Karajan to Georg Solti’s The Ring cycle for Decca. If your musical listening is limited to streaming, I feel sorry for you. You’re listening to barely 1% of the music recorded from 1920-1970. Sure, the major popular stuff is all on streaming, but that’s not the tip of the iceberg, it’s the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Vinyl is not for music dilettantes. It’s for serious music lovers who want that particular Blue Note release recorded by Rudy van Gelder or 78 rpm recordings of Irish tenor Josef Locke who was popular in the 1940s.
Don’t cry for those who stream. They’re not missing a thing.
Josef Locke is significantly represented on Qobuz. Blue Note and Rudy Van Gelder are very well represented. As are many 78s that I remember from my grandparents’ collections … including 78s from obscure foreign sources and odd labels. Not only are they available for streaming, the ones that were recorded at an odd speed have been digitized based on their correct speed.
None of these arguments hold water any more.
I have two high end phono setups and an ARC Ref Phono 6SE. I have two audiophile streaming systems too. I often stream and then play the vinyl copy. Usually both are excellent. Sometimes one or the other will be off. There are records that sound better than the stream, but it is not a given that vinyl always wins.
On some albums, like Mingus Ah Um for example, the stream is a more complete picture of the whole session and includes additional tracks and out takes.
I subscribe to both Qobuz and Prime. Together they cover a huge range. I do have some records and CDs that are not available on stream, but the reverse is far more true.
If I could only have one source, it would be streaming because of the instant access to literally millions of files. But since I don’t have to limit myself to just one source, I’m glad to have records and CDs too.
I often describe myself as a two-channel dinosaur, whether referring to my A/V system or my standard stereo audio system. I do think audiophilia mis dying, a least in the form I treasure. I’m pretty sure I know why..
I started my audio journey at age 17 in 1956 with a portable Webcor record player, a one box affair with a turntable inside. Over the years I gradually became more elaborate in my choices for listening to music moving from LPs to tape and from tape to CDs and from CDs to streaming. I would describe my present system as an end stage system because at my present age of 87 I’ve decided my music system is “good enough”. Even so, I do confess that I actually do have one more upgrade in mind, an Aurender N20 streamer.
Clearly I started my audiophile journey in a different era. I seriously doubt there would be many who would even want my wonderful music system, complete with its beautifully hand crafted teak and travertine stereo console. All sorts of hobby activities have died out as social media and the internet have replaced so many many sources of old fashioned pleasures. Audiophilia is becoming another victim of social media.
I started my audio journey at age 17 in 1956 with a portable Webcor record player, a one box affair with a turntable inside. Over the years I gradually became more elaborate in my choices for listening to music moving from LPs to tape and from tape to CDs and from CDs to streaming. I would describe my present system as an end stage system because at my present age of 87 I’ve decided my music system is “good enough”. Even so, I do confess that I actually do have one more upgrade in mind, an Aurender N20 streamer.
Clearly I started my audiophile journey in a different era. I seriously doubt there would be many who would even want my wonderful music system, complete with its beautifully hand crafted teak and travertine stereo console. All sorts of hobby activities have died out as social media and the internet have replaced so many many sources of old fashioned pleasures. Audiophilia is becoming another victim of social media.
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I don't think anyone will argue that a gateway to the world of good sound is critical for the hobby's future. This is nothing new, and I have been heartened by the increasing number of more affordable products coming to market all the time.
As an importer of relatively expensive, high-end audio products, I have been searching for a person and a product line (not produced in the Far East) that embodies what we look for in all our offerings, and I have now found it.
From 24-year-old Nemnja Cokic, the son of Sasa Cokic, the renowned tube designer of Trafomatic, emerges a new line of separates (amplifier, preamplifier, and phono stage) under the Senna Sound brand. These components, paired with the right speakers, will enable budding audiophiles to build a complete system for under $10,000 that is truly exceptional.
I'll have more to say on these remarkable pieces in a dedicated thread on high-value, high-fidelity systems. For now, I am convinced that there is a future for our hobby, with young, ambitious designers offering great-looking, quality products like this!
PS Each chassis is made from solid Corian (synthetic stone), another innovation and a surprise at this price point.
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lmao "Beatles absolutely changed the world. "
That's very egocentrism. Most countries don't speak english.
"Audiophilia is becoming another victim of social media." by Echolane
I wouldn't say that, I got into the highend audio hobby 2 years ago in 2023 and I've learned so much on the internet and Youtube (even though I've been in the home theater hobby since 2000).
In 2023 I went from owning nothing 2-channels stereo to a $25k stereo today without making many mistakes thanks to social media.
lol, I don't listen to that old music shit from 1920 to pre Elvis (around mid 1950s).
I've had records in 1980s and good riddence to that crap.
But not playing as loud as live is your choice, not that hifi can't sound like live.
I'm sorry you have to listen to static and endure broken needles, and can't listen to your music outside the house, and can't share a song with friends.
Any one entitle to his\heres preference's
for me, back to vinyl was something I never thought I would do. I'm happy I was opened minded about it.
A lot more people in different countries speak English today than back in 1960.
Understanding that, the Beatles released some of their earlier music in German.
However, knowing English didn’t seem to matter. Many people who didn’t understand English still enjoyed the Beatles back then and could even sing the lyrics without a clue as to what they were singing. “Back in the USSR” was released in 1968, and many fans in Russia would sing along despite not understanding more than a few words of what they were singing (few citizens in the USSR, outside of the KGB, could speak/understand English in 1968). I believe the same held true across the globe.
In America back then, songs were popped out from professional writers (tin pan alley) and sold to record companies, who would dish them out to the various singers they had on contract to sing. In 1960, when the Beatles came onto the scene in Liverpool, the number one song in America was “Theme from a Summer Palace” by Percy Faith. Other hits from that era were “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles and “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weanie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” by Brian Hyland. Really naff songs.
In contrast, The Beatles wrote and performed their own music. Beatles songs were a massive evolutionary change in music.
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Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
The Beatles had an enormous impact in non-English speaking countries, like Spain, France, Germany, Austria etc. etc.
Most countries don't have English as the native language, but that doesn’t mean English is not understood at all. Also, the music had an impact beyond understanding of the lyrics.
The Beatles were/are popular all over the world.
There are many vocalists who sing in languages that I don't understand but that hasn't deterred me from thoroughly enjoying their music, their voice and the emotional impact. Of course, knowing the lyric adds a lot. A Norwegian audiophile friend provided a translation of one of his favorites and it was very rich in meaning.
Always worth knowing if that was due to one 400k table and many 25k carts, or loads of lower priced Regas and vintage idlers and SPUs
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