artemus -- excellent!
I Think I Am Becoming An Audiophile
I listened to and mostly enjoyed Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” yesterday. This is a 1st for me. I’ve had the disk for 10-15 yrs. But I’ve never been able to stay awake through it. Then I listened to Harry “Sweets” Edison & Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis “In Copenhagen” (MFSL) last night. And I enjoyed this too. Both these were experiments with the Triode Mode on amp engaged. My system has been improved lately and really sounds good. But I still didn’t expect to finally like jazz . It still doesn’t touch my soul like classic rock. But it’s a start. Though I’ve never cared for jazz (or female vocals. Yuk) I’ve not belittled it because musical taste is highly subjective. Quite honestly, I’ve noticed that as the system sounds better, more genres become enjoyable for me. I suspect this speaks to the situation where you see a band live, and like them, though you have never cared for their recordings
On a side note, even though my system is at its best I STILL want another amp!! This has gone on too long. I can see that I will not be satisfied until I get another amp!! My wife, OTOH..... Well she was an accountant.....................nuff said.
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@edcyn Got it. complete with booklet. NM Doesn't look like its ever been played. Carmen - L’orchestre Et Choeurs De L’opera-Comique Paris Cond Albert Wolff https://www.discogs.com/Georges-Bizet-Composer-Albert-Wolff-Conductor-Ch%C5%93urs-Du-Th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre-National-De-LOp%C3%A9ra-Comique-Orche/release/9697715 Listened to most of side one. Interesting. My wife will dislike you if you get me started into opera. (-: Actually, this is why I have kept these opera albums. I knew it was possible that I would at some point. Thanks |
There is nothing wrong with the term "Audiophile". The problem is how it has been corrupted! IE, If I went to a racing forum, I would not consider myself a racer just because I drive a car. In the same vain, If I went to an exotic car forum I would not try to compare my Chevy Cruze to a Porsche 911 Turbo. An audiophile is not just having a music playback system and enjoying good music. That is found in pretty much every household, |
I dunno Eric. If the newbie were a metal head or a progressive rocker, I actually would start them off with something noisy, aggressive and probably Russian, like Pictures at an Exhibition, Petrushka or the Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla. If they're into jazz, maybe Debussy or Ravel. If they only listen to Johnny Cash or the Drive-by Truckers, I'd be at a loss. |
@ericsch said: "A good way to ease into classical music is to listen to chamber orchestras/music rather than big symphonic pieces." You might be correct but for me it was just the opposite. Chamber music just put me to sleep and never hooked me in. It was big symphonic stuff that got me into classical. Brahms, Beethoven's later symphonies, Dvorack's New World Symphony. That sort of stuff. However, I was coming from a classic rock and prog rock background which is often symphonic in nature so that might be the reason it worked for me. |
artemus_5 -- If there's a Carmen in the collection (composer Georges Bizet), pull it out and begin on side one. Carmen is the opera that launched my love for the genre. Great tunes...and not just the ones you might be familiar with. High Emotions. Unruly crowds that sometimes seem to be wanting to murder the stars. Will nerdy soldier Don Jose be a mensch and marry the sweet-voiced girl he left behind or will he live dangerously and let the sultry Carmen get her hooks into him? Meantime, the town's imperious Matador also has his eye on Carmen and, in general, just enjoys throwing his weight around. The proverbial chaos ensues. The version I have is on DGG (conducted by Claudio Abbado and featuring Placido Domingo), and it suffers from that slight metallic feel that afflicts the label. Nevertheless, the sound is still excellent, and there's no denying the sheer oomph that these six sides convey. |
@jbrrp1 I hope you are not faced with such!No I am not. My wife is pretty reasonable. Both of us are pretty frugal but I spend more because I can always justify it & I have more hobbies. I'm trying to justify a new amp now, even though my system sound better than ever. So far my only reason is that the switch is on the back & I have to lean over the rack to turn it on. Hey, I'm old. but I've used that to justify my need of a digital player/streamer/Dac. FWIW, We have been together 45 yrs this year. I surprise her now then just to keep her entertained. |
My condolences on being married to an accountant. My most frequent listening partner in my dedicated room is married to an accountant, and he is not allowed to purchase expensive audio components. I feel for him. For me, such a situation would lead to most serious conflict. I hope you are not faced with such! |
@edcyn Yes, there are a lot of London ffrr & ffss some Treasury Series. Not too many HMV. Lot of DG & Philips. Quite a few box sets too. I looked up the 2 that you recommended but don't have them. @ericsch I have been doing just that. I enjoy string quartets. Least favorite is horns. I also know that I like Tchaikovsky. I've always liked "The Nutcracker" especially |
There are a lot of aspects of the sport, the game, the addiction. The extremes some go to, and the measures they take to get there. It an OCD thing... can you keep it under control?????...LOL I'm off and on. Miles Davis---- "the bent man".. had a real bad back always bent over when he played in his later years Good sound is something to behold once it happens though, really happens (may takes a few decades) there is an enjoyment in just good sounding STUFF. All snootiness aside, if its good its good, from NASTY NASTY rap to bagpipes in the highlands.... right is right...good is good A good stereo goes a long ways to EXPAND our musical prallus. Regards |
Artemus -- I bet there are lots of London/Decca and EMI/HMV/Angel records in your pile. Both labels are chock full of the finest opera recordings in existence. The only difference between London and Decca is the name on the label, as the British Decca company was unable to use "Decca" in the USA because of rights restraints. Otherwise, they are the same LPs from the same first rate pressing plants. Meanwhile, EMI (Electrical and Musical Industries) marketed LPs both under its own name and under the moniker HMV (His Master’s Voice). The thing is, the company couldn’t use either the name HMV or its logo of a dog dutifully listening to an old gramophone because these were owned in the USA by RCA. Because of this, EMI released their performances in the US on a label they named Angel Records. Sure, all this shouldn’t make a difference...except for the fact that Angel Records were pressed in the USA and were often (but not always!) pretty terrible. I’ll cut to the chase. If you got these two albums, give ’em a spin: First, Puccini’s Turandot conducted by Zubin Mehta, featuring Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland. On London/Decca. Side one is outstanding. Side two is even better. Great tunes, great voices and great recording. Enough energy, passion & drama to launch a thousand ships. Second, Mozart’s Le Nozze de Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) on EMI, conducted by Vittorio Gui. Lovely, gracious, and funny. The recording is pure Blumlein, i.e., done with a single pair of crossed figure-8 microphones. A veritable stereo test record for three-dimensionality and soundstaging. |
Speaking of Billy Joel, although he did write catchy songs, none really grabbed me... until 52nd Street album, but just one song. (Charles will get this) Now the album has "THREE" pictures of Billy holding a trumpet. Inside had pics of a few of the associated artists, but only a simple listed credit: Flugelhorn, Freddie Hubbard, my favorite trumpet player! (I guess I'm still a bit steamed at that one)! HA. Anyway, ZANZIBAR where he let's the Real Men take control!! (twice). |
Great posts. I have been playing a lot of jazz and fusion the last few months, stuff that a few short years back I thought just sounded awful. But in reality I think it was my system not up to snuff. Now Stanley Clarke and Al Jarreau etc get a lot of playtime on vinyl. And of course the power of Qobuz lets me explore a lot of stuff I would never even of heard of never mind played. Audiophile though? For myself I will just say music lover. |
@edcyn Wait'll you get to opera,I have 100-200 from a college library. I rescued about 8-900 albums about 15 yrs ago of which they were a part. I'm sure there are some really good stuff in them. Most of them are imports. All NM. I play some of the classical. Wish I knew more about it. @charles1dad I will say that in my experience jazz ’really' seems to respond to improved audio system sound quality (probably due to the dominant use of acoustical instruments).I tend to agree with you. One of the 1st things I noticed when my system began to get good was that music I hadn't much cared for became much more desirable. Billy Joel stands out as one I'd heard on radio for decades but never had any of his albums nor thought about getting any. Now I have quite a few. Wow! Fantastic song writer. Many other artists are the same. I call it NOS music. I've heard it but never REALLY heard it. Fortunately I got back into vinyl in the late 90's early 2000's. I bought many NM albums for $1...or less |
I also think of myself as a music lover rather than an audiophile, even though I have a nice system and probably never will get finished upgrading it. I recommend a streaming service for broadening your musical tastes. For $15 - $20 a month you get access to a practically unlimited amount of music, at least more than you can ever listen to, in all genres. You can explore until you find what you like and dispose of what you don’t with a couple of taps. You can buy albums that you really want to own only after you’re sure you want to own them. Not having to buy a physical copy makes it easier to enjoy music outside your comfort zone. You haven’t paid 10 or 15 dollars for it, so there’s no questioning whether you should have spent that money on it or whether you want it sitting on your shelf. You can listen to anything at very low cost and either you enjoy it or you don’t. No long term commitment involved. There’s so much good music around that there’s no reason to listen to anything that doesn’t move you. You can listen your whole life and not come close to hearing it all. |
Artemus_5 I believe that Frank (oregonpapa) is right, music lover more so than audiophile. I’m an unrepentant jazz aficianodo and cut from the same cloth as Frank😀. As my audio system improved over the years I did find myself enjoying other music genres more especially certain types of classical music (this term covers a vast range of eras/styles underneath a hugh umbrella. Same is true for jazz, many variations). Most music listeners will have a favorite type of music preference but still can enjoy and appreciate other genres as well. I will say that in my experience jazz ’really' seems to respond to improved audio system sound quality (probably due to the dominant use of acoustical instruments). Most likely improving reproduction (realism) of tone/timbre/harmonic overtones and such. Charles |
When my audio system was not very good I listened only to the music that spoke already to my soul from the beginning of my youth, without needing S.Q. to convey the emotion.... Now that my system is really good, I can listen to ANY music, except those that are not subtle or too much gross....Classical, jazz, world music, etc....There is only truly good performers and less creative one.... |
@oregonpapa are we becoming "audiophiles," or are we becoming "music lovers"I've always felt like a music lover but not an audiophile. For one, I don't change out my equipment enough to qualify. I'm not sure I even knew the word "audiophile til I was 30. I was the one of the group with the stereo and I kept us entertained. But I didn't know any "audiophiles" so when I came here I was surprised at how many people listened to jazz and classical music. I didn't know anyone who listened to either. So I figured all audiophiles listened to jazz. Thus my remark about finally becoming an audiophile. I've tried the classical but I have to be in the right mood for it. |
“I've come to the conclusion that the better the system, the closer to the music we get. And, that's what the hobby is all about ... the music” Well said, Frank. I find myself enjoying and exploring more and more music (Qobuz). Then there is that itch to tweak and squeeze every last ounce of goodness from our audio system....is it ever going to end, I seriously doubt it...LOL! |
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^^^ I can relate. As a devout jazz fan, including jazz vocals, I'm just now starting to get into classic rock. I attribute it to all of the improvements made to the system over the past three years or so. I've come to the conclusion that the better the system, the closer to the music we get. And, that's what the hobby is all about ... the music. So, with that said, are we becoming "audiophiles," or are we becoming "music lovers" who, because we can hear further into the music, we are expanding our musical tastes? Frank |