I agree with vinylzone. As a musician, I am also an audiophile, but this is because I grew up with an audiophile dad. This is not the norm among musicians. As others have stated, most can't afford good equipment and are not interested in it. Playing live music is what they're used to, and that is what music sounds like. When they listen at home, it's the music itself that matters not the playback system.
What stereo equipment do respected musicians listen to?
With all the debate on this piece of equipment is better than that, it got me to thinking… What setup do well respected musicians have, e.g. amps, speakers, etc. What does Wynton Marsalis listen to, for example? Just curious and thought it might be a fun topic.
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Somehow I cannot believe the majority of musicians really care about the brand of power cord they are using just as the masses of people out there do not care also. With that said audiophiles come from all professional ranks and therefore why not musicians. It would be interesting to me to learn if they lean toward a detailed sound or one that is more relaxed. Are they concerned about pin point accuracy, just like a live event and picking out every little bit of sound or are they interested in a more laid back and relaxing sound in which they are bathed in music. My guess would be bathed in the music for relaxation and not go for the detailed set up since that would be more like work. In addition I would doubt they would be trying to create that ideal listening space that would be required for the detailed approach. They certainly would get that sound and environment on a daily basis as they sat in the studio listening back on monitors while making a recording. |
Musicians in the classical field definitely care about their audio equipment and find a way to own decent to exceptional stereos. We listen for research as much or more than for just listening. As far as I'm concerned, anyone in this business who listens through lame equipment doesn't really care about what they do. |
A few thoughts... I've been a lifelong pro musician (50 years) and, yes, musicians tend to listen to the music itself, with the quality of reproduction not the foremost concern. Of course great sound is nice but not necessarily an essential element of the experience. I've never heard musicians discussing their audio equipment with each other unless it's a query into where to get it repaired. Highly paid artists may be able to afford high end audio, but the majority of mid level and lower can't. My solution was always to buy used from good audio shops which got me my Bryston 3B (40 years and going strong), AR and ERA turntables, NAD 3020 and 1300 Pre and JPW and Wharfedale EVO 4.2 speakers, which I just purchased as "chip and dent" for an unbelievable price. Most wouldn't consider this audiophile I'm sure but it sounds good enough to me to enjoy the music! |
vitussl101 Charlie Haden was good friends with Ken Christiansen of Pro Musica, Chicago Naim dealer and Producer of many Naim albums. |
@mglik I didn't happen to catch which speakers are used by Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Keith Richards. Do you happen to recall? |
I'm surprised so many think musicians don't care about hi fidelity, I've was a drummer since I was 12(64 now 🙁) and have always been interested in having the best stereo system I've been able to afford. Presently have Naim Supernait 3, B&W895D3s, newest Node Streamer, Fluance T85 w/Orofom Blue & Music Hall CD... There are so many nuances you miss with average or crappy setups.. Granted many don't have audiophile home setups but you know that doesn't go for their studios, my guess is for those they leave the "serious" listening for when they're at work 😉 |
I am not exactly sure about who would be qualified to be respected musicians. Many musicians I personally know are respected in their local community, but none of them are world renowned nor millionaires. I guess less then 10% (or far less than than) of professional musicians (either respected or not) can afford hi-fi systems that cost over several tens of thousand USD, even though some of them own their own instruments that worth over tens of thousand dollars. I am not a musician, and as far as I know, none of those musicians I know have audio equipment even close to what I have. They will have their jaws dropped when they listen to my systems. Having said that, it will be interesting to know what kinds of systems are preferred/used by professional musicians who are audiophiles. I am personally interested in knowing preferred systems by orchestral conductors of classical music because they will care about the reproduction of the trueness of voices of each instruments, the full spectrum and balance of sound and imaging, even though many times the recording quality has more to do with such characteristics. One of the reasons why I bought Gershman Grande Avant Garde speakers was that I read about that the makers effort to hear live music once a week and go on Sundays to listen to an orchestra music to make their speakers sound as accurate as possible, and have their own studios for musicians perform live and let their audience listen their speakers and hear about their opinion. |
In the mid-1980's, for a brief period, I took guitar lessons from an individual who had worked as a professional musician in Los Angeles from some point in the 40's through (I believe) the 70's. He retired up here in the Seattle area and, along with some other musicians, was operating a small music school. He was also an avid audiophile and was active in at least one such organization in this area. He owned Martin Logan CLS's and Quicksilver mono blocks. I remember him saying that it was a combination of "the most transparent speakers" and "the most transparent amplifiers". |
Audiophiles (and I am possibly one) usually do not get a basic truth, it's not about the equipment, it's about the music. I have a nice HiFi but I quite often play old mono records because I like the music on them, including ones that are badly scratched. I was once a semi-pro musician and I still know 30 or so of them. Not one has a decent HiFi. Do they buy speakers, decks and amps? no, they buy guitars and keyboards and solid music stands that cost more than the usual HiFi amp. Sorry to be so unimpressive, I have a Thorens TD135, Sansui tube amp into a pair of KLH5's. and now I spend money, quite a lot, on old vinyl. |
Can't hear music without equipment. If a basic truth is it's not about equipment, just music, might as well just listen to music on an old Sony transistor radio from the 1960's that teenagers would walk around holding up to their ears. That's how I heard most music back in those days. Still loved the songs! |
grist for the mill https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/famous-musicians-and-their-audio-gear.347616/ https://insheepsclothinghifi.com/celebrity-hi-fi-systems/ https://downhomedigital.net/blog/how-stars-listen-to-music/ https://hifihaven.org/index.php?threads/musicians-who-are-audiophiles.6003/ |
