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Music lover or audiophile?

I think you have to decide, are you a music lover or audiophile?  I know the majority will say, both.
 I’m not so sure though. The nature of audiophilia is to get in there and fiddle with the tools, like any other hobbyist.  The difference in our hobby though is that presumably, our ultimate goal is to have the best musical experience we can get. The hobbyist is never really finished. The manipulation of the materials is the fun. The music lover, however, wants to get the most out of that esthetic experience.  
By continually plying materials, the audiophile is on an endless quest for better sound.
 After years of this quest, I’ve decided I can be a music lover or an audiophile.  I’m happy listening to my system now the way it is.  So, I’ve decided to be a music lover once again.
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jag's avatar
jag
98 posts
 
i am a music lover.  i can enjoy music that i hear in a cafe on a funky system or on a AM car radio.  
rksweet
38 posts
 
Music lover first- which is why much of my music listening is now blu ray concerts in full surround sound and big screen visuals. I have had a very audiophile oriented system (VPI turntable and record cleaner, bi amplification etc) that I listened to in the dark, but at this point my enjoyment comes from life like scale and impact more then highly resolved inner detail. Maybe because I am old and deaf. 
jimfoto
10 posts
 
Music lover all the way.I would much rather discover new music music than a new piece of equipment, just as a true musician would rather create a new piece than buy a new guitar. Some people get too hung up on buying tools and never really use them.
ryskie
17 posts
 
If i go to a concert and i’m In the very back behind a column, I can hear the music, but I don’t enjoy it as much as I could.

If i’m right up front, I hear the music in all its glory and I enjoy it infinitely more.

This is why I spend money and time on my system. I believe all audiophiles are music lovers, but not all music lovers are audiophiles.
kink56's avatar
kink56
91 posts
 
If I did not love music, I would not care how well it is recorded nor would I care about getting the best sound I can from my equipment to listen to it.  It is true I am never satisfied because most recordings do not sound all that great. And the ones that do are hindered by the shortcomings of my system.  

Most hobbies have two types of participants. One goes for quantity and the other goes for every increasing quality.   For example, when I used to restore cars for a hobby, I would strive for my next project to improve upon the previous project.  

 When I was around 10 years old, I went to a friend's house whose dad had a decent stereo. I was shocked how good music could sound. I was hooked. But I started out years earlier playing music on a little portable record player. I loved music since I can remember (age 3).  And I have been striving for better sound since I have been making a living and affording to do so. 
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