Are You Really a Music Lover?

Mag · « **on:** 18 Sep 2022, 10:17 pm »

I've been exposed to music all my life, so assumed I'm a music lover. However recent years has exposed that I'm very selective as to what music I like or consider good. As an audiophile I don't feel that I've had a good listening session when I'm listening/searching for new to me songs. I need to hear music that has selectively made it to my Playlists to feel satisfied with a good listening session.

So how about you? Can you truly call yourself a Music Lover? Is there genres, songs, etc. that you consider crap, if so can you really say that you are a Music Lover?

mix4fix · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Sep 2022, 10:30 pm »

Most audiophiles seem to be equipment lovers and not music lovers. A music lover could enjoy their favorite song/artist/genre on cassette recorded from the radio. Audiophiles seem to be worried about changing their setup when it was alright to begin with.

toocool4 · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Sep 2022, 11:03 pm »

Yes, I can call myself an audiophile and a music lover. I am an audiophile but music is first and foremost for me, the equipment is just a means to an end. I listen to and buy any music that sounds good to me, I am not blinkered when it comes to what I listen to. If I am blinkered, i would truly miss something good because I won’t give it a try. I have something for every taste in my music collection, whenever people come round they can always find something they like to play as I truly like pretty much everything.

I can and do, enjoy music on any equipment but good equipment makes it even more enjoyable.

WGH · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 12:13 am »

Quote from: mix4fix on 18 Sep 2022, 10:30 pm

Most audiophiles seem to be equipment lovers and not music lovers. A music lover could enjoy their favorite song/artist/genre on cassette recorded from the radio. Audiophiles seem to be worried about changing their setup when it was alright to begin with.

For 9 months I enjoyed music just as much as now on a system I put together while my main system was packed up. I adapted pretty quickly.
A NAD 7155 I bought in 1985, JBL 2500 speakers from a yard sale, a Sony XDR-F1HD tuner and Samsung digital TV tuner with Radio Shack rabbit ears.

July 4, 2012 - In the summer rental while looking to buy a house

April 3, 2013 - new house remodel almost done, still listening the the 2500s.

Moved in but bike is still in the kitchen, cooking with a microwave and washing dishes in the bathroom shower

SoCalWJS · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 01:04 am »

Hmmmmm……..

There are definitely certain types of music that I don’t like, so I guess I’m not a Music Lover by your definition.

By most definitions, I think I am. I enjoy: Classical, Jazz, R&B, Blues, R&R, Prog, Electronica, Some Opera, Some Organ. Some Hevy Metal, Some Grunge, Some Punk. (Etc, etc, etc)

Sorry don’t like most Hard core Rap and a few variations thereof, so I’m not a music lover.

Is that right?

rockadanny · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 01:35 am »

I use my audiophile gear/ways to coax out the best sound of the music I am able BECAUSE I love the music so much.

Quote

Is there genres, songs, etc. that you consider crap, if so can you really say that you are a Music Lover?

Yes, and yes, of course.

Quote

A music lover could enjoy their favorite song/artist/genre on cassette recorded from the radio.

While I enjoy music on gear other than my main system: 1. At times I enjoy it less if I own/love the music (on CD - my only source), knowing it will sound better on my gear, making me want to go hear it on my main system immediately; and 2). If the system I am hearing it on is really crappy (e.g., playing through a cell phone speaker, or a TV speaker, etc.), I'd rather not hear it at all, even if I love the music. ESPECIALLY if I love the music.

Quote

Audiophiles seem to be worried about changing their setup when it was alright to begin with

Seems like SOME do. Not sure I agree with this generalization. But even if true, I don't think it precludes one from also being a music lover.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 01:51 am »

Just to clarify a music lover is a person who likes listen music on modest, inexpensive equipment to spend little, usually to save cash to spend much on other hobbies as cars or traveling.

When I begin in audio in the early 1970s I was a music lover by the lack of audio knowledge that I had, unfortunately it led me start with cassetes

Mag · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 02:10 am »

I think the consensus is that a Music Lover can be just as selective as I am to music that they like and reject crap songs. And still call themselves a Music Lover.
So I guess that makes me a Music Lover too as well as an audiophile.

AllanS · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 02:13 am »

Quote from: Mag on 18 Sep 2022, 10:17 pm

Can you truly call yourself a Music Lover?

I guess that depends on how music lover is defined. There’s plenty of stuff I won’t listen to but I’m happy someone is making it for someone else to enjoy.
I listen to and enjoy my music on whatever I have in the space I’m in; small portable, buds, or the full rig. There is something to be said about listening to the system more than the music. But for me it’s less about loving one more than the other and more about expectations of how it should sound.
My expectations follow the system’s ability to reproduce the musical event locked up in the source. The further the system performance deviates from what I think it should sound like the more I’m listening to the system and less I’m listening to the music.
So when I’m listening to the portable I’m enjoying the music because it meets limited expectations. When I’m listening to the full rig I’m distracted by what I hope is only room treatments away from bringing everything into focus. But I will admit that mix4fix is probably spot on that it won’t be good enough.

Tyson · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 02:19 am »

Hello, my name is Tyson and I am an audiophile music lover.

Early B. · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 05:14 am »

Everyone loves music. It's natural. Audiophiles aren't special -- they don't love music more than anyone else. They just prefer their music to sound "authentic" and are willing to spend more than most to chase an illusion.

Mag · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 06:22 am »

Quote from: Early B. on 19 Sep 2022, 05:14 am

Everyone loves music. It's natural. Audiophiles aren't special -- they don't love music more than anyone else. They just prefer their music to sound "authentic" and are willing to spend more than most to chase an illusion.

I wouldn't call it an illusion. I want it to sound as transparent as possible in order to get my audio mental fix.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 06:34 am »

The illusion is a relative issue, I would rather listen or watch(DVD) of live Jazz concert than be there in the audience because SACDs Jazz albums usually have much better sound than live shows and easy to enjoy problably due poor PA speakers IMO.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 11:06 am »

When I'm listening to streaming on my headphone system I'm a music lover.

When I'm listening to my stereo system I'm a gear head.

charmerci · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 01:37 pm »

Isn't wanting to hear the brushes on a drum, a singer taking a breath or the pluck of a bass string part of what it means to be a music lover?

Mag · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 02:02 pm »

Quote from: charmerci on 19 Sep 2022, 01:37 pm

Isn't wanting to hear the brushes on a drum, a singer taking a breath or the pluck of a bass string part of what it means to be a music lover?

No, that's in the realm of audiophile. I recall hearing what I thought was the sound of a beer bottle smashing on stage. Probably fell from an amp, but I can't remember which song it was, it'll come to me.

LedZep · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 04:34 pm »

One of my friends told me once that enjoying music was enjoying life. She was right. The same song sometimes doesnt mean anything and sometimes does.

I like listening the complete album. I take my time and do it.

Nowadays I dont have enough time for that so I listen only some tracks to understand how they will sound at my gear or if the recordings are good or bad.

Yog Sothoth · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 05:07 pm »

Oh goodness no! I have a lot of equipment that I like switching around. But I don't even own any media or streaming. Sometimes I'll put on some test tones and try different preamps, or some white noise and get out my spectrum analyzer on Friday night with a highball. But music? Nah.

S Clark · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Sep 2022, 05:16 pm »

When I was a kid listening to a transistor radio with an earphone, under my sheet after the "lights out" command from Mom, I enjoyed music as much or more than I do today.
When I was a teen playing piano I enjoyed music as much or more than I do today.
When I was listening with a Marantz Integrated and a pair of Large Advents, I enjoyed music as much or more than I do today.

The gear has little to do it. It's all in your mind.

jjss49 · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Sep 2022, 03:30 am »

i don't get this thread

if you enjoy music why doesn't one want it to sound good, more real, more alive?

seems to me people who prioritize enjoying music highly as a past time are willing to make the effort and dedicate resources to have it sound really good, just as someone who loves photography would want a really good camera...