-
Music lovers
I've pondered this question quite a bit and I thought I should ask it here. Can someone truly refer to him/herself as a 'music lover' when they listen to their music via laptop speaker/ipod dock or equally poor sound reproduction? (not to mention 56kbps youtube audio). Now I'm not saying they need a 5k system either.
Perhaps this is plain stupid and shouldn't be asked but I can't get my head around it. To me it's an insult to music and it simply can't be enjoyed this way.
Let me kno watcha think:yesnod:
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
I've pondered this question quite a bit and I thought I should ask it here. Can someone truly refer to him/herself as a 'music lover' when they listen to their music via laptop speaker/ipod dock or equally poor sound reproduction? (not to mention 56kbps youtube audio). Now I'm not saying they need a 5k system either.
Perhaps this is plain stupid and shouldn't be asked but I can't get my head around it. To me it's an insult to music and it simply can't be enjoyed this way.
Let me kno watcha think:yesnod:
Thats a fair question. Love of music has nothing to do with the price of system playing it be it a 10k setero system, a laptop, or an ipod. If you listen to music all the time, always digging to see whats new out there, collecting both new and old music, I would say one is a music lover.
-
I agree fully with you. You can't love music when you're not hearing it in it's entirety.
If you love your dog you take it for lots of walks, feed it the best food and spend whatever is needed for its health and happiness.
Music should be the same. Get yourself some lossless/320 kbps MP3's and some kind of decent means to hear it ie. $100 headphones.
I always laugh when I see people listening to 128kbps through earbuds. How could anyone love that?!? However, love is a subjective thing...seems strange to me but I suppose if you don't know any better...
It has nothing to do with spending lots of money or huge systems. Just put a little bit of effort in, and get a whole lot back out.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
I've pondered this question quite a bit and I thought I should ask it here. Can someone truly refer to him/herself as a 'music lover' when they listen to their music via laptop speaker/ipod dock or equally poor sound reproduction? (not to mention 56kbps youtube audio). Now I'm not saying they need a 5k system either.
Perhaps this is plain stupid and shouldn't be asked but I can't get my head around it. To me it's an insult to music and it simply can't be enjoyed this way.
Let me kno watcha think:yesnod:
Their is a belief held by many audiophiles, that you can't be a music lover unless you have a "high quality" system.
However, a love of and enjoyment of music does not require never ending upgrades, and bankruptcy. Loving Music has nothing to do with our hobby.
Audiophiles traditionally claim the love of music as the reason for this hobby. I dispute that claim. Love of Electronics, tweaking and gadgets is IMO the real driving force behind Audiophilia.
Nothing wrong with being both a Music Lover and an Audiophile (or even just one) but we shouldn't confuse the two. A person who listens to music all day, everyday on a a portable FM radio has far more claim to be a music lover than an Audiophile with half a million dollars worth of electronics, that he spends more time running test signals through, than listening to albums.
__
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajani
Their is a belief held by many audiophiles, that you can't be a music lover unless you have a "high quality" system.
However, a love of and enjoyment of music does not require never ending upgrades, and bankruptcy. Loving Music has nothing to do with our hobby.
Audiophiles traditionally claim the love of music as the reason for this hobby. I dispute that claim. Love of Electronics, tweaking and gadgets is IMO the real driving force behind Audiophilia.
Nothing wrong with being both a Music Lover and an Audiophile (or even just one) but we shouldn't confuse the two. A person who listens to music all day, everyday on a a portable FM radio has far more claim to be a music lover than an Audiophile with half a million dollars worth of electronics, that he spends more time running test signals through, than listening to albums.
__
I concur whole heartedly with this. The fact that a person is listening all the time makes that person a music lover. Equipment and love of music is mutual exclusive.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppachubby
If you love your dog you take it for lots of walks, feed it the best food and spend whatever is needed for its health and happiness.
Yes, but your dog does not necessarily need to be an expensive dog of championship bloodlines. A dog from the local animal shelter would in fact be better. Sorry couldn't resist.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3db
I concur whole heartedly with this. The fact that a person is listening all the time makes that person a music lover. Equipment and love of music is mutual exclusive.
I'm a gear snob. I have music I love but rarely listen to it because it sounds like crap. I will also listen to music I don't really love because it is recorded well and sounds fabulous.
Loving music is a whole lot different than loving the sound of that same music. I rarely listen to anything via computer, do not own an MP3 or similar player. But like Pappa Chubby said, at least get a good set of cans if you want to listen like that. My Grado 125s would blow away any ear bud or similar listening to the same crappy MP3.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by frahengeo
Yes, but your dog does not necessarily need to be an expensive dog of championship bloodlines. A dog from the local animal shelter would in fact be better. Sorry couldn't resist.
My comment was eluding to the effort one puts into something they love. No, the dog could be a mangy runt, doesn't matter, it's the love that goes into it.
Seems odd to me that someone who loves music, wouldn't find the means to fully enjoy it. All philosophy aside, there is a difference between FM on a clock radio or say, an old $20 vintage amp. Doesn't have to invlove oodles of cash or hi-fi gear.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
I've pondered this question quite a bit and I thought I should ask it here. Can someone truly refer to him/herself as a 'music lover' when they listen to their music via laptop speaker/ipod dock or equally poor sound reproduction? (not to mention 56kbps youtube audio). Now I'm not saying they need a 5k system either.
Perhaps this is plain stupid and shouldn't be asked but I can't get my head around it. To me it's an insult to music and it simply can't be enjoyed this way.
Let me kno watcha think:yesnod:
In a word, yes. In fact there is no necessary connection between love of music and a preference for superior sound reproduction.
In fact, I know a few undoubted music lovers who assert that anyone who insists on excellent sound reporduction is ipso facto not a music lover. This is just as much nonsense as the counter assertion.
Personally I like to listen to music from my iPod with ear canal 'phones, it's just that I like to do so a lot more from my main stereo system.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajani
Their is a belief held by many audiophiles, that you can't be a music lover unless you have a "high quality" system.
However, a love of and enjoyment of music does not require never ending upgrades, and bankruptcy. Loving Music has nothing to do with our hobby.
Audiophiles traditionally claim the love of music as the reason for this hobby. I dispute that claim. Love of Electronics, tweaking and gadgets is IMO the real driving force behind Audiophilia.
Nothing wrong with being both a Music Lover and an Audiophile (or even just one) but we shouldn't confuse the two. A person who listens to music all day, everyday on a a portable FM radio has far more claim to be a music lover than an Audiophile with half a million dollars worth of electronics, that he spends more time running test signals through, than listening to albums.
__
I agree with everything you've said here, but I think you are getting away from the OP's original assertion. That is, how can one love music that is grossly sub-par?
The answer to this doesn't have to go as far as audiophilia. But 128kbps and the like, c'mon!! Surely someone who claims to love music, in this day and age, would seek out some means to escape the droll reproduction of crumby digital files. Buy a CD for 15 bucks perhaps??
-
Thanks for all your responses.
To be correct, and perhaps reassert/make clearer my original thought, I was especially refering to the laptop speaker or really bad ipod dock crowd. That is, people who don't even bother going further than their laptop speaker. I'm talking 2" speakers with not even a 'subwoofer'. To me, this is actually way under the earbud + 128kbps combination. I know I am getting picky here... but this is what really gets to me.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
Thanks for all your responses.
To be correct, and perhaps reassert/make clearer my original thought, I was especially refering to the laptop speaker or really bad ipod dock crowd. That is, people who don't even bother going further than their laptop speaker. I'm talking 2" speakers with not even a 'subwoofer'. To me, this is actually way under the earbud + 128kbps combination. I know I am getting picky here... but this is what really gets to me.
I can see how that would be annoying. Not everyone needs to hear what you're listening to (especially through laptop speakers). But if that person spends every spare moment listening through the laptop, then I'd say he/she is a music lover.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by frahengeo
I can see how that would be annoying. Not everyone needs to hear what you're listening to (especially through laptop speakers). But if that person spends every spare moment listening through the laptop, then I'd say he/she is a music lover.
agreed. Like I said before, its mutually exclusive and there is no relationship between the two. Perhaps, the music lover cannot afford a system, even a modest system or is just to cheap to buy even a modest system. How would that take away from the fact that he likes the music?? Don't confuse liking music for the accuracyy of sound. When we sing a song we like, we are far from duplicating the original but that doesn't mean we don't appeciate anyless what we've heard. Accuracy of sound is different than liking music.
-
I believe it is thought that experienced musicians and music lovers can fill in the gaps in inferior sound reproduction. Isn't it?
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by 02audionoob
I believe it is thought that experienced musicians and music lovers can fill in the gaps in inferior sound reproduction. Isn't it?
What do you mean by fill in the gaps noob? If Hendrix is playing a solo, I want to hear all of it, not a stripped down version, or any version where I must fill in a gap. "Purple Haze, all in noob's brain, lately thiings just don't seem the same..."
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppachubby
What do you mean by fill in the gaps noob? If Hendrix is playing a solo, I want to hear all of it, not a stripped down version, or any version where I must fill in a gap. "Purple Haze, all in noob's brain, lately thiings just don't seem the same..."
I don't know the words for this phenomenon, if it truly exists, but I've heard the brain just needs the reminder of the music for the listener to enjoy it. On inferior noisemakers not all the sounds can be clearly heard in the distinct way audio gear can deliver it, but the brain knows what the music sounds like...even if the noisemaker at hand is just a cheap clock-radio.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by 02audionoob
I don't know the words for this phenomenon, if it truly exists, but I've heard the brain just needs the reminder of the music for the listener to enjoy it. On inferior noisemakers not all the sounds can be clearly heard in the distinct way audio gear can deliver it, but the brain knows what the music sounds like...even if the noisemaker at hand is just a cheap clock-radio.
As a musician I can say this could have some basis, however, I want the goods when it comes to my music. It doesn't have to be perfect, but fully audible, as I was intended to hear it.
-
When I was much younger I listened to a plastic table radio playing AM through a 3" speaker. It was all I had and all I knew. I use much better gear now because I can and I know better.
Do I like music any more or any less because I have better gear? I don't think so. I bought the better gear so I could hear the music better. If I changed gear as often as underwear (some do), had multiple systems in the same room (some do), used different speakers for different types of music (some do) or any or all of the above I wouldn't be a music lover. The proper term for that is gadget freak.
BTW: My old plastic table radio sounded better than laptop speakers. If my only option was a laptop I'd at least buy some decent headphones. The speakers in cell phones sound better than those in laptops!
Yes, I don't get it either audio amateur. Some people can drink Budweiser and be satisfied. I don't get that either.
-
hey i claim to be a music lover and look at my gear ... am i wrong when i say i am a music lover if i listen to it 24/7 in my car, when im at school, when im home etc...
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3db
I concur whole heartedly with this. The fact that a person is listening all the time makes that person a music lover. Equipment and love of music is mutual exclusive.
Just a small correction: love of music and love of equipment are two different things -- but they aren't mutually exclusive.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feanor
Just a small correction: love of music and love of equipment are two different things -- but they aren't mutually exclusive.
Sure they are. You don't have to have equipment to love music.
-
Yes but on the other hand just because you love the equipment doesn't mean you don't love the music.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeE SP9
Some people can drink Budweiser and be satisfied. I don't get that either.
I know! Crazy isn't it? Or maybe they just don't know any better:frown2:...
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by audio amateur
Yes but on the other hand just because you love the equipment doesn't mean you don't love the music.
Agreed but that never was implied. :)
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3db
Sure they are. You don't have to have equipment to love music.
Let me rephrase ... you can love music; you can love equipment; you can love both music and equipment. This is the meaning of "not mutually exclusive", no??
|