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I'm gonna stick my neck out and state that I think the main motivation behind the pursuit of audio perfection comes down to one thing -- to re-create for a listener through sound alone the same emotional, visceral, participatory experience one has at live performance.
Before there was sound reproduction, if you were rich enough, you had the performers come to you. The audience for that concert was sometimes only one person. (Just like it is for many audiophiles!)
I know (along with photographic hobbyists) we've been accused of being equipment freaks, but you only have to read the volumes of reviews of recordings of every kind to conclude that most of us spend a lot of time LISTENING!
A favorite moment in audio occurred for me when a few of us were listening to a new recording of a very familiar piano concerto on a to-die-for system. It was such an engaging experience that at the final crescendo, everyone broke into spontaneously applause! I rest my case.
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The title of this thread can be read two ways, but from his expanation, I get that Tucker is referring to the HOBBY of audio, as opposed to the SOUND quality of audio. OK, that's cool. However it's true (wouldn't everyone agree?) that it's always an encounter with the second that (sometimes) leads to the first.
Everyone (and I mean everyone of every age) has been thrilled on hearing my system. I think a person would have to be deaf, or in excruciating pain, NOT to be thrilled by the experience of hi end audio reproduction! In fact, the general public now thinks the name for it is: THX !
But whether or not someone would consider the actual acquisition of such equipment for themselves, has to do with their discretionary spending priorities which, besides the equipment cost, would have to include providing the space and setup personnel (if one is not articularly "hands on." Think Goldmund ;-) Nor is the hobby itself for those into instant gratification.
With all the stimulation/distraction available in today's consumer society, I'm amazed as many take an interest in this hobby as do! |
Merlinus, I'll bet before long, we'll be be able to buy a little Yarmulke with electodes that plug into your DAC's digital out; and with properly recorded discs, you'll be able to actually experience BEING Glenn Gould playing Bach, as you listen to "yourself" playing; or maybe Pavarroti singing Verde? Ya think?? |
I have a slightly different take on this whole subject -- and I'd be interested in your thoughts. I do agree w/ Tennis and others that a larger percentage of the population enjoy music than the the pursuit of "audio" as a hobby. However, I'm stuck on what exactly Tennis (and others) mean by "audio" in this instance. For me at least, it all started (way back in the mid-fifties -- my Dad's hobby of course ;--) and what excited me then, as now, was -- not the music itself (don't get me wrong, I love music, and have my personal interests) -- but the sonic thrill of performance; or an acceptable (to me) facsimile of a real performance ;--) That's what attracted me most about "audio" in the beginning, and it still does today. I call it "sonic stimulation". There are probably thousands of powerful stimuli to which we humans are drawn, and creating an illusion using sound (as opposed to "listening to music") is just one of them. I think that explains why so many people can thoroughly enjoy music without needing the stimulation of a "re-created realism" which a good audio system can provide. I've been assembling gear/systems since my late teens around 1958. And like most of us, changed and changed and changed everything! Over and over! But eventually, got to the point (about twenty years ago) where I achieved the kind of realistic reproduced performance that I found convincing enough to "sonically stimulate" me ;--)) every time I used my system -- and very little ot the hardware has changed since then. . |
Sonic excellence? Maybe; but not precise enough a term for me to understand what's in YOUR mind whan you say it. That's why I used words like "sonic stimulation" and/or "illusion of realism" etc. |
Branislav, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you're saying is that high-end audio systems can never be a status symbol like the other items you mention, primarily due to lack of exposure -- you can't wear it, drive it, etc? In which case I would agree -- to a large extent. But I don't think that's the whole story.
Over the past 40 years, I have (and before that, my father) shared my system(s) with probably a 1000 people (I'm guessing,) I know they were all very impressed -- obviously excited and stimulated, foremost by the realism, and yet only a fraction, I bet 5% or less, were actually moved to put together a system, even a small one. Most of them had the means and the space. Some of that changed when CD's came along; maybe because of the (perceived) convenience? I'm not sure.
I think it may simply be that only a small percentage of people actually receive enough pleasure and stimulation from a (pretty credible) illusion of live performance, right in their home, to own even a modest audio system. And let's remember that for centuries, "music in the home" was a privilege (and a status symbol) only a few could enjoy! So I've always found it ironic that once "performance level" reproduced audio was widely available -- certainly by the beginning of the 60's, a period rich with status symbols -- that more people didn't acquire home audio systems. It certainly wasn't for lack of exposure ;--)
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high end audio is an example of conspicuous consumption. i have heard of individuals who assemble expensive components to impress their contemporaries, without actually listening to them. such a "group" is probably very small, in comparison to those who listen to music. Are you saying that even the (larger) group "who listen to music" own their system for its status value? Maybe that's not what you meant? As I said earlier, in my view a home audio system is a lousy choice for a status symbol. I mean, who's going to see/hear it except that relatively small group of people who will be invited into your home. . . . . . . so I don't think many people would own them for that purpose. And for those who covet audio equipment as "bling", well I think it serves their own ego-gratification rather than a need to impress others . . . . . which I think can be a healthy thing if not taken to rediculous extremes (and we've all seen examples of that!) |
Macro, as rational as your explanation sounds, it can never fully explain the situation. Funds and physical accomodations can be limiting factors for a period of time. So just because someone doesn't own a nice system doesn't mean they don't care. I think ALL people are fasciniated and excited by great audio (is it not a major selling point for movies?)
The difference is, that for a small minority of us, that fascination somehow "takes hold" and we want to have that kind of wonderful sound in our personal environment. I don't need to validate my interests by foisting them on others, or gloat that "those peons just don't know what they're missing". But I always have a minute to share my system with people who have no clue about high-end audio, and if they are fascinated like I was/am, they don't need me to push them into it. "Audio" creats addicts on the first snort -- or never! |
The problem may be that the Title of this thread, and its Description do not agree. . . . .
Lots of times friends will come over and bring (usually) a CD because "I wanted to hear this on your system", so they are maybe more discriminating than we assume. They just don't "Love Audio" enough of the time to "Love Owning an Audio System" ;--))
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Tennis, I think you are referring to the "Golden Rule" (part of a moral/ethical belief system) . . Right?
The Golden Mean, or Golden Section as it's sometimes called, refers to a two-dimensional construct (a specific angle) which is derived using geometric principles.
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Per Albert's July entry, I went back and read the "July" posts, and I must say, I think some folks are 'overthinking' this subject!
When folks in our Western (or Western-ized) culture have discretionary time-and-money (not already reserved for other things -- including savings and/or philanthropy) they usually spend it on some kind of EXPERIENCE which they find STIMULATING.
"Stimulation" is for humans what sunlight is for plants: it leads to experience(s) that make us grow. And as we all know, living things will grow (and CHANGE!) -- because things that don't grow and change are usually dead!
The reason I became enthralled with high fidelity audio reproduction (about 60 years ago,) was because I was just blown away (stimulated!) by the experience of hearing a (seemingly) live performance without any performers! I realized how the wealthy and privileged (before technology) lived when they alone could have music or other live entertainment literally "on demand"!
I realized that with the "right" equipment, I could have the entire world of performance right there in my home. I was totally consumed by that particular form of stimulation; and the amazing personal growth it provided me, almost as an afterthought!
The thing is, when I tried to share my enthusiasm with others (after the smoke-filled 60's that is!) I was not finding many kindred spirits. And I too wondered "Why Don't more People Love Audio?" When I "forced the question" on certain friends, artists and others whose perception I trusted, I was basically told that although they were charmed and excited by MY enthusiasm, that they didn't find it STIMULATING enough to THEM, and would never put that much time/money/effort into creating an audio system like mine -- although they were VERY grateful for being able to bring a record or CD over to my house to listen to on my system from time to time!!
And I think if you will take a minute and reflect on your closest, most interesting or exciting friends who DON'T have even a modest playback system -- maybe a Bose? -- you will probably realize (if they REALLY are interesting and exciting!) that they are crazy/passionate about something else that they find endlessly stimulating! Maybe something you never even noticed, because you were trying so desperately to get them interested in your audio system!
Yes, music is a "universal language." But high fidelity music REPRODUCTION is NOT a universal language, and only a small percentage of the population finds it particularly stimulating -- which is why more people don't love audio ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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