[tskeldon]

Hello,

I'm just a new member checking in. I was an audiophile who became a professional musician, and then a recovered audiophile, and finally a recovered musician. Through it all there has always been music. Ironically, I have rediscovered both in anticipation of retirement.

I've spent the last 30 years teaching philosophy, and intend to carry that sensibility with me as I renegotiate a relationship with both audio and music performance; it will only ever be about the music, and never the equipment, except as a means to a musical end.

Music, that which causes us to feel rather than think, happens in absence of high fidelity.

Tim

[richidoo]

Welcome to AC tskelton

Congratulations on your retirement, and rediscovering your music. I hope we can help you enjoy it even better.

There are lots of members here who share similar viewpoints to yours.

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[dB Cooper]

Hello,

I'm just a new member checking in. I was an audiophile who became a professional musician, and then a recovered audiophile, and finally a recovered musician. Through it all there has always been music. Ironically, I have rediscovered both in anticipation of retirement.

I've spent the last 30 years teaching philosophy, and intend to carry that sensibility with me as I renegotiate a relationship with both audio and music performance; it will only ever be about the music, and never the equipment, except as a means to a musical end.

Music, that which causes us to feel rather than think, happens in absence of high fidelity.

Tim

 
I largely agree with what you say. It's about the music- or should be, anyway; often it's not, which is why I may have gone to my last audio show. Taking a walk around CAF (judging by show reports, others are basically the same except in scale) it's hard to escape the conclusion that for many, it's more about conspicuous consumption. Certainly the million-dollar system I heard at CAF- which didn't even sound all that good IMJ- was. Makes me think of this, which I have posted before:



I notice you use the term 'high fidelity', a term I prefer to 'high end' because it implies fidelity to the music as a priority. At the shows I have been to, there often seems (to me) to be little correlation between price and musical satisfaction. I would say that music, and the things it can bring, can happen in the absence of high fidelity- I just happen to enjoy good sound better than poor sound- but I don't think you need to spend more than the price of a nice home in some places to get it. But that's where the 'high end'- or 'deep end' as I refer to it- is focused. As one exhibitor I won't name said at a show, "All these rooms are competing for the same nine millionaires."

Anyway, rant over. Welcome to the sweet spot.

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Tim
Most music producers disregard audiophiles values and even home audio as a try or way to produce cheap low cost recordings to save more profit.

What all they dream are home audio no more exist, to his fans only be able listen his music live in his shows. I had seen various engineers saying 16/44 is nice, it offer good sound if well done.

[JLM]

Welcome.

IMO most audiophiles are more hunter than lover. 

The hunter aspect is about repeatedly finding the nerd trophies and displaying them.  Hunters tend to over analyze, over shop, and over own gear.  They have a profound need to fill the room (perhaps every room) with gear to the point that it dominates and acoustically overwhelms the space.  They add and swap gear constantly.  Their system photos show a large rack of gaudy gear between the speakers.

The lovers are all about the music.  Musicians are the lovers and tend to have large collections with modest systems.  Musicians don't need as much of a crutch (high fidelity system) to recreate the performance in their mind as they know the nature of the music much better.  They buy gear belatedly, perhaps decades after their stuff has died or become obsolete. 

In that vein may I suggest looking into active studio monitors, as a minimalistic, low cost alternative to typical audiophile solutions.  In particular I find the compact JBL LSR305 Mk2 monitors ($300/pair MSRP) to be very satisfying in a small to medium sized room.  A very good DAC/preamp option would be the Topping DX7s ($500 MSRP) if all you need is digital input (no point in overspending on this fast moving technology).  Plug your computer in and you're set.  Enjoy!