[jaxwired]

People are being awfully defensive of our hobby.  I for one can sympathize with the OP.  Probably most of you can if you think about it.  This can be a very frustrating hobby.  ANY hobby that thwarts the what Neil Bortz calls the dumb-masses (lol) is frustrating.  But that's not the only reason.  Here are few reasons off the top of my head why this hobby can be frustrating:

1.  Music is recorded for playback on MP3 players, NOT audiophile 2 channel systems.
2.  Most people think a great hifi has 14 speakers and kicks out bass like an urban car stereo.
3.  There is no end game since our goal is entirely subjective.  We can't win the "perfect HiFi" game.  There are no winners. LOL : )
4.  We are subject to moods and physiology when assessing our gear's quality.  Sounds good today, crappy tomorrow.
5.  The gear is ridiculously expensive.
6.  Our wives, friends, and family all think we are crazy.
7.  Even people that can hear how good our gear is, don't care.  So nobody even appreciates our achievement.
8.  Most gear can't be demo'ed.  You just have to buy it and hope it sounds good. 
9.  Buying new gear is addictiive.   Big box adrenalin!

Lot's more of these, just a short list off the top of my head.  Does it make me want to quit the hobby?  Hell no!  I'm addicted!!

 

[James Tanner]

My vote for what a good Canadian recording can sound like is Leonard Cohen's Ten New Songs - check it out, most of the cuts are terrific

James

[sweetspot]

Lest we forget-in the end "It's about the Music"!

[James Tanner]

Lest we forget-in the end "It's about the Music"!

For me if it's not a quality recording the music sucks 

Disgruntled James

[1oldguy]

To the OP....It's ok to have your views......Infact I've really enjoyed this thread.
Trust me as 1Oldguy I can come across as disgruntled some times.

Some things that get this old guys goat.
1.Rap Music
2.Hip Hop Music
3.Skateboarders
4.People who wear their baseball caps on backwards.
5.People who wear their pant's down over their behind.
6.People who talk and eat at the same time.
7.Loud talking people
8.People who lets their dogs roam the streets.
9.People who let their cats roam the streets.
10.Drunks
11.Violent people....On my way home yesterday I was asked if I want to fight...Low life scum do exist.
12.kids who go hungry.
13.The government.They sell poison(Cigarettes) on the shelves and then have the nerve to tell us they have our best interests at heart.
14.Vaccines......
15 Gay marriages
And the list goes on

So yeah, I get your frustration.

[BrysTony]

Just wondering  If a disgruntled person starts feeling good about things and becomes not disgruntled, is he then gruntled???? 

Tony

[1oldguy]

Just wondering  If a disgruntled person starts feeling good about things and becomes not disgruntled, is he then gruntled???? 

Tony

If a tree fall in the forest does any body hear?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVQCKdgLzjM

[sweetspot]

To the OP....It's ok to have your views......Infact I've really enjoyed this thread.
Trust me as 1Oldguy I can come across as disgruntled some times.

Some things that get this old guys goat.
1.Rap Music
2.Hip Hop Music
3.Skateboarders
4.People who wear their baseball caps on backwards.
5.People who wear their pant's down over their behind.
6.People who talk and eat at the same time.
7.Loud talking people
8.People who lets their dogs roam the streets.
9.People who let their cats roam the streets.
10.Drunks
11.Violent people....On my way home yesterday I was asked if I want to fight...Low life scum do exist.
12.kids who go hungry.
13.The government.They sell poison(Cigarettes) on the shelves and then have the nerve to tell us they have our best interests at heart.
14.Vaccines......
15 Gay marriages
And the list goes on

So yeah, I get your frustration.

WOW, I think that would fall into the category of "issues"!!!

[sweetspot]

For me if it's not a quality recording the music sucks 

Disgruntled James

Too Funny,James!

[JLM]

Is audio about the music or the fidelity of the playback of the music?  In other words it's the old question of which would you pick if trapped on an island: great system with only a handful of great recordings or a very average system with tons of recordings. 

I gave up years ago striving for the nth degree of detail.  Any decent mid 4 figure audiophile system should provide sufficient fidelity to go well beyond the limits of 99% of all recording/mixing studios.  So I go first for imaging resolution and superior tone to satisfy me.

And as mentioned above there are very few true audiophile labels producing music.

[Pez]

 

Love the rushing to defense of the OP. Come on, he came on strong and got a strong response. Quit acting like we're flogging the poor bastard. Nobody is telling him he has to believe anything, we're just making suggestions and disagreeing with his points. If that constitutes "being defensive about our hobby" then boy, just call us the gestapo!

[1oldguy]

WOW, I think that would fall into the category of "issues"!!!

Even my dog has issues lol.

Things she dislikes are

1.Bikes
2.Wheelchairs
3.Skateboarders
4.Fat kids...
5.Shadows
6.The other hunting dog on the street.May it's a turf thing?
And the List goes on.

But as they say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQMfN0UFqms

[dflee]

I listen to music two different ways:
1.- I bought it cause I enjoy the music and that's why I listen to it.
2.- I bought it cause I enjoy the music and that's why I listen to it. But while listening, I find details that really surprise and thrill me.
If you can't get past issues of how it was produced than you really have limited your library. That's not to say that there are not some really bad CDs out there. My wife got the U-2 best of and we compared it to Joshua Tree. The Best Of is a SPOS.

Later
Don

[jjc1]

People are being awfully defensive of our hobby.  I for one can sympathize with the OP.  Probably most of you can if you think about it.  This can be a very frustrating hobby.  ANY hobby that thwarts the what Neil Bortz calls the dumb-masses (lol) is frustrating.  But that's not the only reason.  Here are few reasons off the top of my head why this hobby can be frustrating:

1.  Music is recorded for playback on MP3 players, NOT audiophile 2 channel systems.
2.  Most people think a great hifi has 14 speakers and kicks out bass like an urban car stereo.
3.  There is no end game since our goal is entirely subjective.  We can't win the "perfect HiFi" game.  There are no winners. LOL : )
4.  We are subject to moods and physiology when assessing our gear's quality.  Sounds good today, crappy tomorrow.
5.  The gear is ridiculously expensive.
6.  Our wives, friends, and family all think we are crazy.
7.  Even people that can hear how good our gear is, don't care.  So nobody even appreciates our achievement.
8.  Most gear can't be demo'ed.  You just have to buy it and hope it sounds good. 
9.  Buying new gear is addictiive.   Big box adrenalin!

Lot's more of these, just a short list off the top of my head.  Does it make me want to quit the hobby?  Hell no!  I'm addicted!!

 

  Number 4 on your list is very true.  There are some days (but not a lot) when I listen to the same music that absolutely enthralled me at the last listening that just sounds plain lousy, screechy and unlistenable. It's good to hear that someone else experiences this and that I have not just lost my mind. 

[SoundGame]

Lest we forget-in the end "It's about the Music"!

I thought it was about the "sweet spot"...

[sweetspot]

 

I thought it was about the "sweet spot"

                 

[1oldguy]

                 

Indeed it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURFmwiCjMI

[sweetspot]

Indeed it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GURFmwiCjMI

               Most Excellent!!!!

[Jeff Ward]

Just wondering  If a disgruntled person starts feeling good about things and becomes not disgruntled, is he then gruntled???? 

Tony

Actually, yes. As I recall the expression refers to swine searching for choice bits. Pigs "gruntle" while they work; if they stop, they cease gruntling and are "disgruntled."

[Elizabeth]

So to gruntle is to be content and happy.
The be disgruntled is to be discontent and unhappy..
But being a pig? ..
Priceless!