2. analog
  3. 1324505028

Do You Love Music or Do You Love Hi-Fi?

I know a lot of hi-fi enthusiasts who seem to have poor taste in music but can talk all day about their audio gear. I got into the high end audio hobby because of my love for music first and foremost, and this has done a pretty good job in guiding my decisions around what equipment to buy. Don't get me wrong, I Jones really hard on gear, but at the end of the day it's not about the gear but how great the music I love sounds on the gear I buy. I study music and learn all I can to discover new music to enjoy, regardless of the genre, but I am certain that I will not be investing in the latest Jennifer Warnes vinyl re-issues. I also wonder why Mo-Fi issued the first three Foreigner albums on vinyl. Are there really that many hard core audiophiles asking for this? There are so many great recordings that are begging for the high end vinyl treatment, it makes me wonder who these people are making decisions about what to release on these labels? I'm sure the entire Don Henley catalog is coming soon from one of these labels.
OK, I'm done ranting, but I really do want to hear what others think about this. Or is it just me? Is it about the gear or is it about the music for you?
128x128snackeyp
schubert
7,386 posts
 
As they are not mutually exclusive categories I love them both.
As I love my wife and my mother,not more but differently.
tarsando
578 posts
 
Back in the day, recordings of steam engine trains ruled. Plus ping pong games when stereo appeared. Music need not apply in order for gear to be bought
jhendrixfan
40 posts
 
It's a good question and one that you can answer all by yourself! :)
Decades ago there was a simple rule that audiophiles always knew but sometimes forgot to do.
Experience LIVE MUSIC - as pure as you can have access to if possible (meaning no amplification if possible). If you love music then it will "re-calibrate your ears" as they used to say way back when. In the old days there were lots of free concerts around in major cities and even shut-ins could listen to LIVE FM broadcasts of Classical and Opera.
Nowadays we tend to tweak to what we like instead of what is REAL. That's why there are folks that say some LPs are poorly recorded.
tbromgard
814 posts
 
Once I got my system sounding good to me, I forget about buying equipment and instead focus on buying music (vinyl).
glenfihi
525 posts
 
My enjoyment of my gear is so that even if it is off I yet appreciate the build and beauty of it. At the end of the day it always comes back to the music. Love listening to the music on my ipod or in the car and especially on my home system The experience is made all the better with a good system, or headphones etc. I thrive for the best play back I can, if I don't have it, I still get a kick out of listening to the tunes.
More to discover