[Niteshade]

We buy all this ear candy to get more from our music- but funny thing is- do you enjoy your favorite songs no matter what they're being played on?

Sometimes I'm just in the mood to hear my favorite songs and could care less about anything else. Other times, I like to listen to see how well my present entourage of equipment is playing together. When in this mood, I'll play songs more for the music's HiFi qualities and not care as much if it's not my favorite song.

[KnowTalent]

We buy all this ear candy to get more from our music- but funny thing is- do you enjoy your favorite songs no matter what they're being played on?

Sometimes I'm just in the mood to hear my favorite songs and could care less about anything else. Other times, I like to listen to see how well my present entourage of equipment is playing together. When in this mood, I'll play songs more for the music's HiFi qualities and not care as much if it's not my favorite song.

As you mention I think mood and surroundings play a large factor in how much enjoyment is had.
I have many (too many  ) CDs which sound really good in the car but are nigh unlistenable once taken indoors. No matter what equipment or format...if I come across Benny Goodman at Carnegie  Sing, Sing. Sing I always have the urge to start dancing with some manical "Reefer Madness" abandon 


The most impressed I've ever been was listening to Chris Rea's Road to Hell Pt.1...which is basically reverb drenched spoken word, ending with some simple yet impressive slide work on the strat.
When the slide kicks in the front wall goes all "infinity mirror" (for those of you who remember stoner novelties at spencers gifts...or the local headshop) and the floor drops out and you're left floating in midair.

It's like an amusement park ride 

[JLM]

For me, the system is the icing on the cake. 

No music, no magic. 

For me, the genre makes this even more or less true.  Personally I enjoy classical however its presented.

[jimdgoulding]

You ever see Russell Simmons house?  Some people spend money cause they have an abundance of it and like to reward or remind themselves and their friends.  But not here.  We're music lovers to the man and woman.  Of this I am pretty sure.

[jtwrace]

I love music!  That's what originally got me into this nutty hobby. 

Yes, I listen to music everywhere I can.  Often though if it's a good song that I'm liking, I will always say "wonder what this would sound like on the big rig". 

[turkey]

The way I see it is:

The gear is the means to the end, and that end is the music.

[soundbitten1]

Sometimes I'll be listening to a cd in my car and I'll think how much better it would sound on the house system but it doesn't stop me from enjoying the music.

[rockadanny]

MUSIC! If my secondary system (paid $100 for everything) sounded as good as my main system (new retail around $12.5k), I'd sell my main system, move my secondary system from the barn into my living room and use $100 of the cash to replace my barn system with gear from Craigslist and Goodwill, and possibly AC if cheap enough. And pocket a good chunk of change to buy lots more music.

[Wind Chaser]

It isn't music or the gear.  It's the cables!

[Guy 13]

We buy all this ear candy to get more from our music- but funny thing is- do you enjoy your favorite songs no matter what they're being played on?

Sometimes I'm just in the mood to hear my favorite songs and could care less about anything else. Other times, I like to listen to see how well my present entourage of equipment is playing together. When in this mood, I'll play songs more for the music's HiFi qualities and not care as much if it's not my favorite song.

Hi all.
When I play music that reminds me of the days when I was 16 years old, like the Ventures and the Beatles, I have a tendency to forget about the sound quality of the system, because that kind of music puts me into a levitation mode, it reminds me of the good old days and I hear the melody and less the music.
Of course, when the sound system reproduce the music like live music, even if I am dreaming, I can still hear the difference.
Guy 13
 

[mort]

listining through a nice system has broodend my taste in music greatly. now days I find myself listining to stuff that really high lights the quality of the stereo and as a result of this I now appreciate music that I never would have given a chance before. For me music will always be the reson for hi-fi but exellent hi-fi makes more music listenable.

[rollo]

 For most it IS the music. Saying that a real system only enhances the enjoyment. You all remember rocking out to the radio at the beach . The music is the key the system just unlocks it. for me it is the emotional involement of the music.
  If an all MBL system was available great but give me my favorite music from a table top radio and the foot be a tappin regardless.


charles
   

[werd]

This brings up a good point. I personally do not buy my gear to listen to music casually.  If my entire exposure to music was casual then my jvc mini stereo upstairs would be all i use. I basically invested about 20k in audio to enhance which amounts to about 10 % of my music listening  habits. What i really enjoy doing is sitting down in front of my gear with the lights dimmed and everything else off in the  house (usually latenite) and using my music/gear to bring me into a meditated state. Yes i meditate into it. Its only then that i care about cabling or amps or what ever i've done to improve my gear.

I understand it when people talk about putting more money into music or going to live shows. Unfortunately the way i listen to music i cant do live. Or i cant do with just a mediocore ht setup. There is no way i can enjoy music in this meditated state at a live show being banged around or people making conversation, there is just way to much distraction.  I have also developed such a refined taste doing this that it makes it very noticeable when i hear music on entry  level stuff. The volume can't be too loud either as it makes for distraction. Its requires sobriety so after a couple glasses of wine or beer forget it, you will never get there.

The music that i really enjoy is jazz. It isnt distracting with mainstream pop reference or swearing. Jazz just lays it down and its makes for interesting musical arrangements.

For anybody interested in learning to meditate i would encourage reading any thing by Sri Chimnoy. He has tons of publications and lots are just small pocket book size. He is a master meditater and his books are just an exercise in learning how to meditate. Its really not hard but it will improve the way you listen to music, it has for me...

so to answer the OP, its both.

 

[low.pfile]

music.

[nunhgrader]

Music first but, I do love better quality! Some of the best music times had me listening to a crappy cassette system in a crappy little pick-up truck driving around with a friend!

[Niteshade]

I was talking to a friend of mine who actually wants to hear the imperfections in LP's for nostalgic reasons. He doesn't mean excessive noise- but what noise there is, within reason, is not an issue. I like to hear as few clicks and pops as possible, but very much enjoy the sound quality of good, clean vintage LP's.

Does anybody play 45's?

[Guy 13]

I was talking to a friend of mine who actually wants to hear the imperfections in LP's for nostalgic reasons. He doesn't mean excessive noise- but what noise there is, within reason, is not an issue. I like to hear as few clicks and pops as possible, but very much enjoy the sound quality of good, clean vintage LP's.

Does anybody play 45's?

Hi all.
The last time I've played 45s what 46 years ago, when I was 16 years old.
That's a long time ago, some of you were not even born. Ha, ha...
However I have a test full size LP that must be played at 45rpm.
Guy 13.