I play the piano. I've been playing for nearly 30 years and still do. Not only am I an audiophile, I'm also equally as picky about the instrument and the way it sounds. While I agree Hifiharv to some extent, not all of us can play like Glen Gould (I certainly can't). I also can't play the trumpet at all (never even tried), but love listening to Miles Davis. I need a really good system to hear how he is playing--how much air, how much pressure--how does he make the trumpet do that?? I also love vocals--but I can't sing to save my life. A great system that really recreates the human voice accurately is really a pleasure to listen to. Mark Levinson actually considers himself a musician first and an audiophile and equipment designer second. So for some musicians listening to the notes without the nuances that a high end system can provide is very satisifying. For me, it isn't. I want to hear everything. Not just the note that Glen Gould played, but all the harmonics right down to the lifting and setting of the dampers to his unusual humming in the background--to me that is the whole performance--far more satisfying on a high end rig.
Do you play?
I listened to a great recording tonight(miles davis live around the world) and it brought me back to when I played in a band. Yes in my youth that was the thing to do. I grew up in NYC and everybody I knew either sang or played something. This I believe lead me to obtain the best possible gear I could afford to recreate the music I once played. Mind you I'm no Miles Davis-not close- but one can rememeber and wonder. How about you-did you play and if so how has it effected your recreation of music in your home?