Hmmm, thoughtfull stuff. I think there are many reasons for what's happening, most of not all spelled out:
- Changing priorities
- Intensity of listening and inability to do it long
- Dissatisfaction with sub-par systems
- Age? :-)
For me, I am lucky (I think) to be able to switch "modes" often. I can listen intensely and critically at home on my main system. I can also listen in private through headphones at home or work (Marakanetz, I envy you! I wish I could bring one of my headphone amps to work; I use Ety 4P's out of my laptop). And I listen a lot in my car.
I say I'm lucky, because I still enjoy it at all levels of quality, and still get the time to do it. I don't listen to my speaker-based system as MUCH, but I still do. Not out of lack of desire, but due to family/child situation - time spent with them, and desire ny them for reduced noise levels.
Now the live music thought; there's another good one. A lot of my music is simpler folk and acoustic. While I've seen a lot of live shows, this to me sounds almost as good ina recorded setting. I rarely listen to classical anymore, and definitely think that is a wondeful live experience. But some other music (electronic especially) can be even better recorded than live, due solely to the tricks available in the studio that are more limited live (or just go through tape loops or the like, meaning very little difference from the studio recording).
My 10 cents....
- Changing priorities
- Intensity of listening and inability to do it long
- Dissatisfaction with sub-par systems
- Age? :-)
For me, I am lucky (I think) to be able to switch "modes" often. I can listen intensely and critically at home on my main system. I can also listen in private through headphones at home or work (Marakanetz, I envy you! I wish I could bring one of my headphone amps to work; I use Ety 4P's out of my laptop). And I listen a lot in my car.
I say I'm lucky, because I still enjoy it at all levels of quality, and still get the time to do it. I don't listen to my speaker-based system as MUCH, but I still do. Not out of lack of desire, but due to family/child situation - time spent with them, and desire ny them for reduced noise levels.
Now the live music thought; there's another good one. A lot of my music is simpler folk and acoustic. While I've seen a lot of live shows, this to me sounds almost as good ina recorded setting. I rarely listen to classical anymore, and definitely think that is a wondeful live experience. But some other music (electronic especially) can be even better recorded than live, due solely to the tricks available in the studio that are more limited live (or just go through tape loops or the like, meaning very little difference from the studio recording).
My 10 cents....