Great thread and question. Another question is: what came first the audiophile or the music lover? Well, unless your father was already an audiophile when you were a kid, you probably were glued to the radio listening to your favorite tunes on a minuscule full-range driver. I was. But after years of pursuing audio, I tend to be more selective about the music I pay to hear. Not to make anyone envious, but I was lucky enough to hear P Barber for the first time at a small club in SF last month. Her performance was entralling. She played much of what's on her new "Nightclub" album, but the album pales in comparison to the intensity and virtuosity of the band performing live. Had I not been an audiophile, I'd probably have passed on that one entirely.
DO AUDIOPHILES EVER LISTEN TO MUSIC?
I have'nt checked the archives on this and maybe it's been said before, but I was just thinking, when was the last time I or other audiophile nuts like myself, just listened to the music( No Doobie Brother pun intended). I just recently sold my Quicksilver Mono blocks and sometimes I don't know what to do with myself because I bought a Sim Integrated amp and there aren't any tubes to change. I still manage to pull my speakers out and toe them in or is that out. No I think I'll put them back the way they were yesterday because I know that I noticed a little more bass, but I did notice that the speakers did image better when I pulled them out further. I just think I should sell this amp or get another tube amp because I can modify it by putting some of these extra tubes I kept just in case I bought another one. Well, at least for now I can keep swapping my 10 brands of inter connects to see if that makes a difference. It has to or else I wouldn't have so many pairs. If I can just save enough money for that new 24/96 dac, I'll have the perfect system. I dont have a digital cable so I'll see what Stereophile recommends. I think I'll get some room treatments to cure the brightness or just tear down my drapes to liven up the room. If I just kept those tubes everything would be O.K at least for another day. Am I alone in this or are there maybe one,two or maybe three hundred people who feel the same way as I do. The only time I really listen to music is at my friends house when he has his old Onkyo receiver and Pioneer changer going on random play. It may not sound great but it's fun and I can actually listen to a whole song. This audiophile business is a chore and a pain in the butt, but I would'nt change it for anything else in the world. How about you? Any comments?