When did you most enjoy the music?


I think this may be geared towards the over-60 crowd, which seems to make up a good portion of our membership.  I was thinking the other day - There is no doubt that, since I got into high end audio I am getting better, more realistic sound.  With the right recordings, instruments sound real and I think I have my system well tuned to my tastes.  But I was thinking back on when I really enjoyed the actual music the most and I came up with these - When I was in my late teens and sitting in a friend's room with a pair of JBL 100s sitting on the floor and against the wall, driven by a Kenwood or similar receiver listening to Hendrix, the Fudge, the Band and all that stuff.  Maybe in a bar with a Seeburg jukebox blasting Sexual Healing or Give It Up - 1968 driving down to the Newport Jazz Festival in a Rambler with 1 8 track tape and listening to Born on the Bayou 100 times over and digging it every time it came around again.  We all parrot the same crap now - that our systems are transparent and disappear, but do they?  The system disappeared in that Rambler because you paid absolutely no mind to the gear that was playing.  Just digging the music.  Didn't have to sit in the sweet spot or anything.  Maybe it's something that can't be recaptured, as it is with a lot of things of youth.  So be it.  And you may feel the opposite.  And no, I wouldn't want to go back to JBLs on the floor anymore because my priorities have changed.  Then was then and now is now. 
chayro

Showing 1 response by newbee

I enjoyed music the most when I was in the process of discovery. Audio was not such a big deal back then and 'sweet spot' was practically unheard of.

My audio system has improved markedly since then. Its properly set up and I sit in the sweet spot most often. My music collection is quite large so I have plenty of recordings on hand - I don't shop much anymore - I think pouring through record bins was half the fun. I know most of my music well now so the sense of discovery doesn't occur often (but it does and I'm thrilled).

 Unfortunately I don't believe that the improved audio system has really replaced the involvement with the music I had back then. And, as I think for many, I have redirected my interest in music to its reproduction for an audio system. Poor exchange I think.