What's the deal with "audiophiles" & their music?

[btf1980]

I put audiophile is quotes, but this is something that I have noticed with many audiophiles & it occurs far too often to be a coincidence.

I think many guys buy music because it is recorded well, rather than actually enjoying the music for the music. I can spot these guys a mile away because despite their really expensive gear, they have very little music. They have all the Diana Krall & Patricia Barber lps, Jennifer Warnes famous blue raincoat, but that's it. Maybe Pink Floyd and only DSOTM and nothing else from their library. If you told them Ummagumma, they would probably say "bless you".

I understand music is subjective, but NOT this subjective. Every last one of "these guys" have these demo records and have the same tastes. How is that possible? I go to trade shows, events, demo equipment, have friends who are dealers and it's the same thing - they all echo my sentiments so I know I'm not crazy. Seriously, go to any hifi show - I bet you someone is playing Diana Krall's lazy version of "The Look of love". I can't tell you how many times, much to the dismay of the older gents at a closed demo or whatever when I put in some music from Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy or Howlin' Wolf etc they almost fell over. I might as well have taken a dump on their chest.

What the hell happened? Why is "audiophile" music always the most boring, lame, contrite, lazy music in the world? Of course, I'm using audiophile loosely. There is a lot of greatly mastered music (AP, Music Matters etc), but why does every event bring out these Patricia Barber/Diana Krall disciples? They are the same ones who tell you that music sucks too, but refuse to listen to anything not reviewed in Stereophile. I don't get it or them.

Even the dealers & companies have accepted it. CES, Cedia etc - All the demo booths play either sleepy light jazz in the vein of Krall or lazy, tired standards. That's it! I can tell you one thing, if I was an outsider looking in, this hobby would be a really tough sell.

[Chindogu]

Ummagumma is a horid album. Musically, I mean.

That said, I know what you're getting at. I like albums with personality. Like old blues records and indian music like from Mohammed Rafi. I fnd music recordings that are technically perfect to just be stale and boring. Give me something dirty with energy any day.

[CasualKiller]

HiFi and music, two completely different things although very similar. A musical person doesn't care about crystalline highs and lush mid ranges, they want the soul of the music.

The HiFi nut is obsessed with sound, it is not enough for the music to be good, it must present itself perfectly with minimal imperfections.

What sounds bland and boring to you is the very meaning of HiFi to someone else. Just as to them your soulful, joyous music may not sonically fit the tastes of an audiophile due to it's roughness and unpolished "character".

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by Chindogu

Ummagumma is a horid album. Musically, I mean.

Just an example.

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by CasualKiller

HiFi and music, two completely different things although very similar. A musical person doesn't care about crystalline highs and lush mid ranges, they want the soul of the music.

The HiFi nut is obsessed with sound, it is not enough for the music to be good, it must present itself perfectly with minimal imperfections.

What sounds bland and boring to you is the very meaning of HiFi to someone else. Just as to them your soulful, joyous music may not sonically fit the tastes of an audiophile due to it's roughness and unpolished "character".

Why is it mutually exclusive? Can it not be both? I know all these guys do not enjoy some of these "demo" materials.

[FreddieFerric]

This is curious, I buy albums in bulk whenever possible. Just yesterday, for example, I picked up a collection of 200 off a local guy for 25 bucks.

It's got an aweful lot of 80's metal and hair band music. All the Judas Priest, Metallica, Def Leopard, Ozzie Osborne, Whitesnake, etc., which I really don't care for no matter how good it may sound. (Which it probably doesn't). but it also has around a hundred promising titles in it too. Point is, I go through these to pick out the ones that both sound good and that I actually like to listen to. In my view if the music doesn't connect with you on an emotional level, then it's all a colossal waste of time.

So I guess my point is that I don't buy music that I don't like just because it's got a great rep for sounding good.

OMG! Nooooo! Does this mean that I'm not an audiophile?

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by BluRayFred

OMG! Nooooo! Does this mean that I'm not an audiophile?

Nope! You should be ashamed!

[richteer]

Great question! Although I am undoubtedly an audiophile, I am a music lover first. I love all sorts of music (though of course, I do have my faves), but I don't see the point of listening to music one doesn't like just because it is a sonic spectacular. There's far too much good music--some of it with very good sould quality--to do that, IMHO! Bu to each their own, I guess...

[naturephoto1]

I am both. I like a lot of music that is not as recorded as well as other discs (vinyl and CD). But, there are still certain discs (vinyl, CD, SACD, and DVD-A) that I use to use a reference discs as checks on changes to the system and for demo purposes.

Rich

[Johnny Vinyl]

I was going to respond to this at around 4:30am, but my eyes were still half-closed and my brain was still is neutral. It may still be but here we go.....

If I look at my system honestly, which I always do, I am certainly no audiophile by defination...although I don't particularly care for the term and how its applied. What I am however is a music lover of undetermined proportion, and when looking at my collection honestly () I can probably say that I am a true vinylphile () with a secondary interest in digital music.

Music will always come first. Like Fred posted, if I can't make a connection with the music, then what's the point. As such, all of my purchasing is based on the quality of the music, and I seek out recordings (at times) that are known to improve upon the sound quality. I wish I could do that more often, but my budget doesn't allow for it to happen more than occasionally.

I think that some audiophiles have forgotten about this, and have instead changed focus and are always looking for that next upgrade to improve upon sound quality. They cannot ever seem to be content. I do not think that this is the majority, but I do certainly feel it's a fairly large piece of the pie. Like Rich mentioned, I also have a recording or two that are indeed reference recordings, although I may not be entirely enthralled with the content. However, it is usefull IMO to have a recording or two of that type to either showcase or analyze ones own system components.

I've had salespeople say to me "let me play you this"....and I've replied by saying "Thanks but no thanks! It's great technical recording, but can you play me that MoFi John Lennon or DSOTM, blah, blah, blah!". I guess some people have lost sight of why we got into this to begin with.....the music!

John