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
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.
Ben and company,

Clearly it's all about the music, no other logical reason to accumulate quality gear. That being said, time marches on and also becomes a very rare commodity so expanding an already volumonous music collection can't always be a priority. If you're fortunate enough to have the discretionary income it's entirely possible you don't have the leisure time to enjoy it. Here's an example, a guy with a job that requires LOTS of travel and three kids (ages 10, 12, 13).

10 year old daughter: in the winter she swims indoors three days a week, goes to Girl Guides once a week, takes karate twice a week, and participates in indoor soccer once a week. In the summer she swims daily, diving meets twice a week, and soccer three times a week.

12 year old daughter: in the winter she plays ringuette twice a week and does her karate twice a week. In the summer she swims daily, diving twice a week, soccer three times a week, golf lessons once a week.

13 year old son: in the winter he plays/practices hockey daily. Golf in the summer. Listens to the same shit on the computer as Albert's son does, thinks about and chases girls 24/7.

The government is unreasonable and won't let them drive yet, so a parent shuttles them all over the place. Yep, this is my life and many other 'Goner's have similar schedules and demands on their time. We still enjoy the hobby and love good music. I have a ton of music I don't have time to listen to, yet still buy more, maybe I'm an optimist?
The complaints about price regard direct/personal and indirect consequences. I can not get in to the validity of the indirect, but after subtracting it plus subtracting the number of complaints about the price of audio gear, I'm not sure CD cost complaints are worth mentioning in Ben_campbell's music v. gear context. Even less so when people argue the principal of the overpricing and doing the math for $3-4 over a hundred or two CDs. Some people are set to be cheap with CDs and not gear, but that sliver means nothing to me. Just people.


"There's no good music anymore" irks me, actually. I find it pathetic. My theory is the claim is sum of the following: (a) "Good" music, whatever that is, is harder to get a hold of, obviously for a number of reasons. (b)"Sometimes the music evolves and it's the listener who is left standing still." by Onhwy61 is apt. (c) The disdain for societal direction is probably another turn-off, another barrier, cummulating in to too much effort to find what is worth while. This is sharp contrast to the good old days, I'm sure.

"My collection is now worth close to double what my equipment is.
Am I nuts or do I have things in perspective?"

Even imagining the literal extremes of both ends, I really think this question should be limited to one's self. People talk about "it" being about the music, but the "no good music anymore" claim and certain posts is evidence that audio is intrinsically enjoyed more than music exploration.