Audiophiles & music-have you got it wrong?


This thread is partly inspired by comments on "would you refer this to all the interested parties" but also by general comments made on a regular basis.

Of course each person to their own, I do not advocate my views are the definitive ones and I do consider myself a music fan who takes an interest in high end equipment rather than being an out and out audiophile.
However despite some reservations about certain audiophile beliefs I don't come on these forums and say burn in it doesn't exist,interconnects are a rip off and exhibit little more than fine tuning etc.etc.
Why?
Because I don't feel I've explored these issues fully nor do I really wish to therefore my comments would be largely uninformed even if they are accurate from my point of view.
And yet some audiophiles seem to make constant negative remarks about the price and quality of music currently available-are they right?

First up the price of music-this is not to say greed doesn't exist within the record companies but are CD's really that expensive when we compare them to how much we spend on our equipment?
My collection is now worth close to double what my equipment is.
Am I nuts or do I have things in perspective?
I consider I am probably at the extreme end of things with regards buying music but aren't some of you at the other end of the extreme?

Is it the quality of the recordings that's an issue?
Ok-I can't say sometimes that recorings don't disappoint or indeed the fact that older CD's can be badly mastered.
However is it possible that some have attuned their ear to a level of perfection that only exists in a limited number of recordings?
Nothing wrong with that but should our hobby be about matching that ideal or should it be more like how I see/hear things-getting the best audio reproduction possible but accepting that recording will always be flawed or indeed subjective?
Is Robert Johnson any less powerful despite the primative nature of the recordings?

Finally there's no new good music.
I read that endlessly here on Audiogon.
And I ask one question-how do you know that?
Do you read about new music?
Have you the interest to search it out the way you tweak or try to perfect your system?
Do you know what's been remastered recently?

There is plenty of new music that is good but even ignoring the new stuff,there is an endless supply of music already existing that you've probably never heard.
Do you try to expand your tastes?
Does it even interest you to try?

If your relationship with this hobby is about the equipment then fine,that is as valid as any music lovers quest however please refrain from these glib criticisms if you haven't taken the time to make sure you know what you are talking about.

ben_campbell
Pragmatist I'm afraid I never listened to music to piss off my parents-I took music in at a much deeper level than that.
On such a weak foundation it's no surprise that you view certain styles of music as throwaway.
I think that a lot of the music I enjoyed as a teen and young adult was heard on inferior equipment. I enjoyed it and I got used to the way it sounded on that equipment. I remember that A Ertegun said he did the final mix of Aretha Franklin's music over car stereo speakers. I still think that Bell Bottom Blues sounded the best over an old Dynakit tube amp through AR speakers and a Garrard turntable. Most of the old rock and roll I play on my system doesn't sound as good as I remember. That may be my system, not enough power in my Pass Aleph 5 for my Talon speakers, but I think it is my memory and the way I heard the music first.

I do own around 1000 CDs. However, I usually try out CDs when I find them at a Half Price Bookstore (especially their sale rack at 1.00 or 3.99). There are a few artists which I will pay the full price for Richard Thompson, Chris Smither, Rosanne Cash, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Delbert McClinton, Buddy Miller, Karrin Allyson,Scott Hamilton ... Recently, I found both Greg Trooper albums for 3.99 at Half Price and I have added him to my list. I think you can get a good music collection if you are patient and shop.

My son listens to Rockabilly and I actually think there are a lot of good Rockabilly players like Southern Culture on the Skids, etc.... I find that there is a lot of good music out there for youth to enjoy and for old folks like me. I think I just enjoy folk, jazz, and alternative country more that I enjoy rock and roll anymore. Some of the more thoughtful rock and roll, Bruce Springsteen, John Hiatt, Van Morrison, Billy Joe Shaver, etc., still sound good on my stereo.

I agree that most big time music is more about entertainment than the music. This is probably the result of music videos and MTV. However, I still like a lot of the music out there, especially the less popular music.

Live music still is the best if the soundman is good. I used to see a lot of music live at the Caravan of Dreams, but they closed it down. In my area there are hardly any venues for live music that are small with a decent sound system left.
My music may have "pissed" off my parents, but it wasn't written for that purpose. Pragmatist, if you played your music to annoy your parents; well that's another thread....music incites and provokes, but as to why and how, remains an internal affair.
Right now, there is so much new music that is so good, albeit, contemporary classical music. I cannot keep up. I am averaging around 10CDs a week( sorry about the LP, but there is definitely a lack of interest from the majority of classical labels ,majors and indies). Just pick up the American Music Guide or Fanfare or BBC's Music or Gramophone, and you will see literally a couple of hundred CDs per month. Of course, I will not get into the aesthetics of contemporary classical art music. However, Julian Johnson once said: Just because you can see does not mean you can read, just because you can hear does not mean you can listen. Both take training, understanding and the ability to learn. Contemporary classical music is critcal listening, and is well worth the journey! And believe me, there is tons of the music out there!
So much good music exsists today and is overlooked because the record companies funnel the majority of resources into a small percent of acts they want to market.
I do most of my CD and LP shopping at Mom and Pop new/used outlets. I know the point has been made about CD prices coming down, but at the large stores "Tower, Borders, etc." I still see very high prices, with profits going to record companies to fund more acts they want to promote while the real talent gets no exposure.
There is plenty of good music out there, but in relation to why music sales are down, maybe it should be put another way. The popular music the record companies promote sucks and is overpriced.