Allow me to offer a slightly different perspective: If you are focusing on the sound above the music, something's wrong. *Most* of what I play is not recorded to anything like audiophile standards. The day I require that, will be the day I lose most of my best-loved music. I would still rather hear a substandard or low-fidelity recording played back on a good system than on a boombox. True, the boombox *could* hide some flaws, but it will do so by literally losing a lot of the signal content, the good and important along with the bad and irritating. As I have repeatedly posted before, as my system has improved over the years, I have consistently found that I am less and less bothered by poor quality recordings. Yes, I suppose I am also more aware of bad mastering jobs, etc., but I am also getting more of the music in return. I feel I have almost nothing in common with the mythical audiophile stereotype of someone who's system is so perfect, they can only tolerate playing 3 equally perfect recordings through it. My advice: Make your system as resolving and accurate as you can, and then listen to music you enjoy and forget about the sound. No, it won't sound perfect, but it never will. Learn to ignore the imperfections in the sound, and concentrate on receiving the communication of the artistry in the performance.
Why aren't all CDs created equally?
The best part of my system upgrade, over this past year, is listening to music and hearing things (differently) for the very first time. You guys know the deal. I don't have to go there. What kills me, however, maybe more so now, then before, is that poor CDs are still poor--their inherent weaknesses even more highlighted. It's hard for me to get past the inadequacies of many CDs and just try to get into the music. I guess, the problem is, that after listening to, ie. Patricia Barber's CDs (which highlight what I've been trying to capture in my system) contrasted to a ho hum recording (which there are, frightfully, more) takes the wind out of my sails. I've paid a lot of money (for me that is) for those extended airy highs and, you know the rest, but they're just not there regardless of the system on many poorly recorded CDs. You can't listen to what's not there. The guys in the recording studios can't have tin ears, can they? Don't they hear what I hear? Perhaps the mass market really doesn't give a shit. I just don't get it. It's very frustrating. For older (jazz particulary) recordings and the like, I'm much more tolerant (though still frustrated by the poor sound), but new stuff? Anybody else relate? Can you suggest a good audio shrink to help me let go of this problem? Thanks in advance, guys...warren
P.S. And another corallary problem: when I get a shitty recording, (say, purchased from Tower Records) they don't let you return them anymore, due to the burning in thing. You used to be able, even after months, with a receipt, to return CDs. I get Beth Ortons new CD home, (Daybreaker-want to check her out) can't stomach the first four tracks. It's over. Her voice is so shrilly sounding and the music poorly recorded ( to my taste) I might as well chuck the Cd in the garbage. I'll give her a try again, but it's still very frustrating not being able to return it for an exchange. Anybody know where I buy CDs and return them, after being played, for credit toward other purchases? Sorry for all this rambling...
P.S. And another corallary problem: when I get a shitty recording, (say, purchased from Tower Records) they don't let you return them anymore, due to the burning in thing. You used to be able, even after months, with a receipt, to return CDs. I get Beth Ortons new CD home, (Daybreaker-want to check her out) can't stomach the first four tracks. It's over. Her voice is so shrilly sounding and the music poorly recorded ( to my taste) I might as well chuck the Cd in the garbage. I'll give her a try again, but it's still very frustrating not being able to return it for an exchange. Anybody know where I buy CDs and return them, after being played, for credit toward other purchases? Sorry for all this rambling...