Why I'm A Bitter & Disgruntled Audiophile

BrysTony · « **Reply #80 on:** 30 Aug 2011, 10:36 pm »

I really was curious about the word "gruntle". Here is what I found on the internet: http://www.merriam-webster.com/word/word.php?date=Oct-24-2009

Tony

PRELUDE · « **Reply #81 on:** 31 Aug 2011, 12:50 am »

Speaking about Canadian artist and recording.
Why everybody forget the Jesse Cook?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHjLZeQ_mFw

James Tanner · « **Reply #82 on:** 31 Aug 2011, 12:52 am »

Quote from: PRELUDE on 31 Aug 2011, 12:50 am

Speaking about Canadian artist and recording.
Why everybody forget the Jesse Cook?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHjLZeQ_mFw

Good point

James

Jerrin · « **Reply #83 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: Jabroni on 30 Aug 2011, 02:33 am

God, my PLEASURE. This whole thread will have been worth it if I'm able to introduce someone to Blue Rodeo, one of my all time favorite bands. IMO, no other singer or group on earth does ballads better. Here are some of my favorite Blue Rodeo tunes that you might like to check out:

194. Blue Rodeo - After The Rain (4:25)
195. Blue Rodeo - Already Gone (5:17)
196. Blue Rodeo - Cynthia (4:40)
197. Blue Rodeo - Dark Angel (5:16)
198. Blue Rodeo - Fall In Line (3:22)
199. Blue Rodeo - Fallen From Grace (3:54)
200. Blue Rodeo - Head Over Heels (4:02)
201. Blue Rodeo - House Of Dreams (4:40)
202. Blue Rodeo - I'll Wait For You (5:43)
203. Blue Rodeo - Montreal (3:17)
204. Blue Rodeo - Now And Forever (3:07)
205. Blue Rodeo - One More Night (5:48)
206. Blue Rodeo - Photograph (4:11)
207. Blue Rodeo - Rain Down On Me (4:48)
208. Blue Rodeo - 'Til I Gain Control Again (4:29)
209. Blue Rodeo - Try (4:00)
210. Blue Rodeo - We Could Ever Be Something (3:28)
211. Blue Rodeo - What Is This Love (With Sarah McLachlan) (6:16)

I've also got to say thank you. I'd never heard of Blue Rodeo before, so after reading your thoughts I bought an album and gave them a listen. I really enjoyed what I heard! So... I bought two more albums. lol

bladesmith · « **Reply #84 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 06:47 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 29 Aug 2011, 09:48 pm

This is precisely the reason people switch to tubes. May not sound as perfect as good SS equipment, but in general it has more soul and makes the vast majority of your music sound GOOD, not just mediocre.

That's true..I would rather have a entry level tube set up than a SS setup that cost five times as much..

jaxwired · « **Reply #85 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 06:49 pm »

You mean you can listen to music on this thing too? Awesome!

neekomax · « **Reply #86 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 07:05 pm »

I don't know about tubes vs. solid state. That's a whole rigamarole... personally I have an SS amp that sounds great, very 'musical'. But I tend to think that it's really about how your speakers sound in your room. ANYhoo...

As far as poorly recorded CDs, yes, there are many. Just like there are many bands/artists whose music does not butter my bread. The vast majority, really... but of course.

Here's my strategy lately. I pay attention to music threads and reviews, and stuff that intrigues me, I pull up on Mog.com. It's $5 a month, streaming 320kbps files, and they have most everything (10,000,000 tracks). I listen on my system (using Airfoil to stream to my DAC/pre), usually a bunch of times if I dig it. If the quality and music is up to snuff, only THEN do I buy it. Saves cash and saves me buying stuff that I'm not going to listen to. Believe me, there is PLENTY of very well recorded stuff. You could check this thread I started for ideas, it's all about well recorded albums...
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=97848.msg982024#msg982024

DaveNote · « **Reply #87 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 02:21 am »

Jabroni is bitter and disgruntled, but I believe he is because it appears that he based his equipment purchases on an an unrealistic assumption, which is that the better the gear, the better the sound. That is not how it works, especially for companies like Bryston. The point of what they do is to make equipment that faithfully reproduces what was put on to the source medium. So if the source material is poor, good equipment will reveal that reality more than lesser equipment. I've put a lot more than he has in his gear and I have a lot more music, but I am neither bitter nor disgruntled because my investments have paid off in terms of what I expect - well recorded music sounds better, but I recognize that I have to live with poor recordings sounding worse. Unreasonable expectations, on the other hand, always produce this inevitable result: being left bitter and disgruntled.

SoundGame · « **Reply #88 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 02:42 am »

Quote from: DaveNote on 3 Sep 2011, 02:21 am

Jabroni is bitter and disgruntled, but I believe he is because it appears that he based his equipment purchases on an an unrealistic assumption, which is that the better the gear, the better the sound. That is not how it works, especially for companies like Bryston. The point of what they do is to make equipment that faithfully reproduces what was put on to the source medium. So if the source material is poor, good equipment will reveal that reality more than lesser equipment. I've put a lot more than he has in his gear and I have a lot more music, but I am neither bitter nor disgruntled because my investments have paid off in terms of what I expect - well recorded music sounds better, but I recognize that I have to live with poor recordings sounding worse. Unreasonable expectations, on the other hand, always produce this inevitable result: being left bitter and disgruntled.

This makes sense to me. It's starts with setting objectives, goals and priorities for your system and then pursuing those, through research, review and auditioning. Then deciding on the gear that will best help you achieve your goal.

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #89 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 05:11 am »

These threads make me wanna buy a rifle and climb a tower...Some guy who always says he's truly in it for the music spends a bunch of dough on audio equipment designed to offer high-fidelity playback and then can't enjoy music anymore because his audio equipment is providing him with high-fidelity playback.

Audiogon awaits. Flog it all and go buy a pony.

I have spent a sizable amount ( and am eternally grateful that I have been so fortunate as to have been able to do so...) on audio as well as music to play on it and I am just tickled pink everytime I get to enjoy the fruits of my labours. It can be pretty, audiophile-approved stuff or it can be The Stooges. I am THRILLED.
I am also happy listening to music on the factory stereo in my Toyota or on the 30-year old GE clock radio I listen to in my kitchen. At work I enjoy listening to music as supplied by the crazy-assed boombox the warehouse guys crank up so everyone in the building can hear it. If the old guys get to it first, it's Zep. If the young guys get to it first, it's Lady Gaga and Eminem. No over-stuffed talk-radio d-bags ever. We all want to hear music.

Get all bent out of shape because my hi-fi is too hi-fi? Not this cowboy. Yippy-Ki-Yay...

D.D.

neekomax · « **Reply #90 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 05:21 am »

Diamond Dog for the win.

Rocket · « **Reply #91 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 09:26 am »

Hi,

I have a friend who has a second system that comprises of monitor audio speakers a basic CDP and a 1970's onkyo integrated amp. The damn thing sounds much better than my audiophile system that I paid well over $10000us for but only on average recordings.

I do agree with Jabroni that there are many poor quality recordings but if u do your homework there are many that are great.

I can sympathize because I've been a bit bitter about some of the gear that I've purchased over the years.

Regards rod

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #92 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 10:19 am »

I am thrilled, too, Dog. Privileged even. My system and room, my music and me get along famously. I find myself wanting for nothing with good recordings. Previously I had Acoustat Three's with mono SS amps and a tube pre and loved it, too. Maybe I'm easy to please or lucky. And I must admit I gotta lot of years under my belt*. I would like to try a higher end Nottingham table and I may for what I've read will produce a more luxurious sound and greater spaciousness tho I've got appreciable tonality and 3D imagery and a satisfying amount of spaciousness already. It's not an inch that needs scratching. Just something to look forward to.

*and a lotta vinyl albums and still occasionally buy em hence my preference of source

1oldguy · « **Reply #93 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 09:53 pm »

There is also another way of seeing things.
If our systems couldn't revel what's on a CD to the 10th degree.....we would all be clamoring for better gear to do so.
Now that we have these great systems we set our guns on the recording engineers.
Little in life is perfect.....Nature of the beast.

nobel · « **Reply #94 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 10:18 pm »

Jabroni

I share your sentiments entirely. You buy an expensive system and before putting it to the test you conjure up the most enjoyable presentation ever only to be let down by the silver disc. One should not have to discard discs and play a selected few. That should never be the case. However what i cant understand is as to why all cds sound fine in the car but not on the hi-fi equipment. To me and i know this is constantly dismissed but there has to be tone controls. I have mentioned this before and all i get is dismissal. There are 2 ways of looking at this. Most of my cds which i would like to play on the system are rarities of the early 70s why should they be discarded . The essence is to find a player that is universal. I dont want to look elsewhere because my system is Bryston and am very happy but a bit annoyed that they cant be played. If technology is so advancd then there must be a system that benifits all genre of music. I used to hate going to hi fi shows who were relunctant to play your cd as it would not bring the best out of their system.
For me audophille is to cast away the snob factor that music was not meant to be played with tone controls. If that is the case then no equipment can reproduce a concert hall. But what it does reproduce is a satisfying copy which is subjective. I am not interested in them saying it was not meant to be played that way. This is wrong. Sometimes you need the uplift in order to make cds playable. Personally audio equipment plays second fiddle to the music. Old dire hard views need to change to accept that cd tecnology is not wholly perfect and that advance expensive equipment needs to readress this.

john1970 · « **Reply #95 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 10:43 pm »

Interesting point that the original author makes. I agree partially with their point that highly resolving systems will reveal errors on poor recordings. However, most of my listening is classical music which overall tends to be reasonably well recorded. For modern rock/pop recordings it is an entirely different issue especially with the loudness wars where some recordings have very limited dynamics due to recording at extremely high levels.

If there is one thing I do get bitter and disgrunted about is unreliable equipment. Over the past five years I have purchased loudspeakers and amps that were either very unreliable or defective out of the box. I refuse to tolerate equipment that is unreliable, and it is one of the main reasons I purchase Bryston equipment.

Cheers,

John

nomeans · « **Reply #96 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 10:51 pm »

I just picked up Blue Rodeo's - Five Days in July, Outskirts, and Small Miracles and I have to say I am in awe of these guys. I walked into my local Brick & Mortar store and walked up to the desk an asked the gentleman if he has any Blue Rodeo albums, he stared at me blankly and said "YOU like Blue Rodeo?" He seemed quite shocked that I liked them. Now I go to this store weekly to check their used CD bin, and to casually browse their vinyl section. In the past this guy has never been very friendly, but after I mentioned Blue Rodeo this guy become very pleasant to deal with. He informed me that they are his favorite band and that they just performed at the store a couple of weeks ago. He said he was quite shocked that I liked this band. He said the majority of the people who were at the show was an older crowd and most of them Canadian. There were about 40 people who attended the show and about 3/4 of them drove down from Canada to see the show. I wish I would have heard these guys a couple of weeks earlier, I would have truely enjoyed the show. I was offended when the guy said "You like Blue Rodeo?" I don't know why he was so shocked. He shouldn't have stereotyped me. Sorry, I'm done ranting. Anyways, thanks for introducing me to Blue Rodeo. They're a band that I will enjoy for years to come.

1oldguy · « **Reply #97 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 10:55 pm »

Quote from: nomeans on 3 Sep 2011, 10:51 pm

I just picked up Blue Rodeo's - Five Days in July, Outskirts, and Small Miracles and I have to say I am in awe of these guys. I walked into my local Brick & Mortar store and walked up to the desk an asked the gentleman if he has any Blue Rodeo albums, he stared at me blankly and said "YOU like Blue Rodeo?" He seemed quite shocked that I liked them. Now I go to this store weekly to check their used CD bin, and to casually browse their vinyl section. In the past this guy has never been very friendly, but after I mentioned Blue Rodeo this guy become very pleasant to deal with. He informed me that they are his favorite band and that they just performed at the store a couple of weeks ago. He said he was quite shocked that I liked this band. He said the majority of the people who were at the show was an older crowd and most of them Canadian. There were about 40 people who attended the show and about 3/4 of them drove down from Canada to see the show. I wish I would have heard these guys a couple of weeks earlier, I would have truely enjoyed the show. I was offended when the guy said "You like Blue Rodeo?" I don't know why he was so shocked. He shouldn't have stereotyped me. Sorry, I'm done ranting. Anyways, thanks for introducing me to Blue Rodeo. They're a band that I will enjoy for years to come.

I wonder what a Blue rodeo fan is supposed to look like?Perhaps you should have asked.

vegasdave · « **Reply #98 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 11:08 pm »

Quote from: bladesmith on 2 Sep 2011, 06:47 pm

That's true..I would rather have a entry level tube set up than a SS setup that cost five times as much..

Good for you.

JLM · « **Reply #99 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 11:20 pm »

Quote from: bladesmith on 2 Sep 2011, 06:47 pm

That's true..I would rather have a entry level tube set up than a SS setup that cost five times as much..

Let me know if have any expensive SS setups sitting around that you'd trade for.