I’ve been a professional musician since the 60s and also (or at least pre-pandemic) mix smaller venue concert sound. Among working musicians it’s pretty much like everybody else...most don’t care about having a high end sound hobby. That’s just how it is...I know a few who clearly are into it, but that has zero to do with how much time they supposedly have or don’t have, or how great they are. Example...Peter Washington is a first call NYC jazz bass player (Bill Charlap trio, etc, etc.) and is way into high end...loves it...tubes, big Tannoys...Also a lot of serious players have home recording rigs that put most residential 2 channel systems to shame, so there’s that.
what system musicians prefer? Do they care?
I have never aspired to be a musician, although I am very artistic. I am bad at singing and never enjoyed dabbling at playing an instrument. But I enjoy listening to music tremendously and I always wondered if being a musician would improve my experience as a listener. It seems to me that musicians (good ones) would have a lot more expertise in sound, what is good quality sound, a good system, a high fidelity speaker.... but I have never seen any proof. Am I just imagining it? Are good musicians mediocre listeners? Are they not obsessed with good sound? Any musicians out there to comment?
One example I know is the Cambridge Soundworks Mick Fleetwood Speaker System, which I finally purchased last year, I knew my collection would not be complete without it. It's evidence of great talents crossing paths: a genious speaker designer Henry Kloss, and Mick Fleetwood, one of the greatest drummers of the century (and the previous one). But I don't see musicians weighing in on what are good systems are, how much is it worth spending and what to focus on. It's much more like rich douchebags bragging about the price of their systems on these forums.
One example I know is the Cambridge Soundworks Mick Fleetwood Speaker System, which I finally purchased last year, I knew my collection would not be complete without it. It's evidence of great talents crossing paths: a genious speaker designer Henry Kloss, and Mick Fleetwood, one of the greatest drummers of the century (and the previous one). But I don't see musicians weighing in on what are good systems are, how much is it worth spending and what to focus on. It's much more like rich douchebags bragging about the price of their systems on these forums.