A speculation about how audiophiles listen

[StevenZ]

I see it from both sides. I've built up several setups that allowed me to critically listen with careful gear and speaker selections and have now reverted back to a system that ultimately brings my musical experience back to the basics. I think I've touched the edge of what I'd call a true "audiophile" system in my own house, and I became fixated on hearing minute details, listening for correct tonal and timbral accuracy, high frequency extension and all that in between. For a while it was fun, and I enjoyed hearing what was to my ears, the highest resolution system I had ever heard, both mine and what's available locally. Until I realized that I was merely playing music on the system JUST to nitpick the sound.

That's when I decided to take a step back, sell it all, and start over. This time with a different agenda. I wanted to have a setup that allowed me to just listen to the music and enjoy it for what it is. Every time, tearing me away from fixating on specific details every time I try and transporting me to a place where sound rules over time. I'm after that foot thumbing, emotion inducing sound that just gets my heart beating. Sometimes I've found that for me, the sound that gives me the most pleasure isn't the most accurate, nor does the recording have to be perfect, and that's what's strange. It's as if I'm transported back to my childhood when I could just turn on my little stereo in my bedroom and enjoy the sound, living in the moment and care free.

Though the path I walk has changed, I embrace it as it's my own and it's very special to me. I hope we can all enjoy our setups and be happy listening to music, no matter what stage we may all be in.

Live and let live, my friends.

-Steven

 

[JohnVF]

I see it from both sides. I've built up several setups that allowed me to critically listen with careful gear and speaker selections and have now reverted back to a system that ultimately brings my musical experience back to the basics. I think I've touched the edge of what I'd call a true "audiophile" system in my own house, and I became fixated on hearing minute details, listening for correct tonal and timbral accuracy, high frequency extension and all that in between. For a while it was fun, and I enjoyed hearing what was to my ears, the highest resolution system I had ever heard, both mine and what's available locally. Until I realized that I was merely playing music on the system JUST to nitpick the sound.

That's when I decided to take a step back, sell it all, and start over. This time with a different agenda. I wanted to have a setup that allowed me to just listen to the music and enjoy it for what it is. Every time, tearing me away from fixating on specific details every time I try and transporting me to a place where sound rules over time. I'm after that foot thumbing, emotion inducing sound that just gets my heart beating. Sometimes I've found that for me, the sound that gives me the most pleasure isn't the most accurate, nor does the recording have to be perfect, and that's what's strange. It's as if I'm transported back to my childhood when I could just turn on my little stereo in my bedroom and enjoy the sound, living in the moment and care free.

Though the path I walk has changed, I embrace it as it's my own and it's very special to me. I hope we can all enjoy our setups and be happy listening to music, no matter what stage we may all be in.

Live and let live, my friends.

-Steven

That's been the experience I've tried to explain but you said it much better. My comments about critical listening are more a commentary on my own missteps in trying to find just what type of system makes me happy. I had fun chasing all the little details but at the end of the day, something simpler was the right path for me.

 

[TubeHiFiNut]

I listen critically when I am evaluating equipment or recordings.

Once I get a system dialed in, I would just as soon get lost in the music.

I still love to collect equipment, especially components that played a significant role in my introduction to and subsequent growth within our hobby.

Can you really relax and enjoy while listening critically?

 

[JohnVF]

Can you really relax and enjoy while listening critically?

I can enjoy it but I don't find it to be relaxing. I'm so used to doing it that I now find it difficult to just sit down and listen...but listening to gear that I know isn't state of the art, or attempting to be, helps.

 

[TubeHiFiNut]

I can enjoy it but I don't find it to be relaxing. I'm so used to doing it that I now find it difficult to just sit down and listen...but listening to gear that I know isn't state of the art, or attempting to be, helps.

That's a really good point.

One of my favorite systems is the Quad ESL-57 driven by either the Marantz 7C/8B or McIntosh MX110/MC30 electronics.

Not exactly state of the art by today's standards but I get absolutely lost in the music when I listen via this equipment.

 

[David]

I assume there's no implication that very high end gear somehow gets in the way of enjoying the music? Surely both you gents still have such gear anyway.

 

[TubeHiFiNut]

I assume there's no implication that very high end gear somehow gets in the way of enjoying the music? Surely both you gents still have such gear anyway.

Never said that very high end gear gets in the way of enjoying the music.

What I said is that if I am critically listening to evaluate a component or recording, then I am not relaxing and just listening to music. That's just me. If others can do both at the same time, great.

Extending that thought process to my Quads/Marantz or Mac comment, that system is for enjoying music more than critically evaluating recordings.

 

[JohnVF]

I assume there's no implication that very high end gear somehow gets in the way of enjoying the music? Surely both you gents still have such gear anyway.

I can see how my remarks could be taken that way but that's not my intention. I still have most of my high-end gear except for the big Levinson amp I used to run (and liked a lot). For myself its just been more about a matter of intent rather than any specific gear, and acknowledging that I like rotating gear in and out rather than searching for one best setup. There are combinations of gear in my basement that sound better than what's in my main system but what I'm running looks better in my living room, has fewer pieces in the chain, and only requires two things to be turned on ...integrated amp and phono pre (the DAC is always on). No SUTs, no separate amps and preamps, a good MM instead of a great LOMC, and speakers that play well with the Leben instead of the more demanding Harbeths that need more power to sound their best (they'll be back).

That said, it's all relative. The setup is a VPI Classic w/Signet TK-5ea cart, Berkeley Alpha DAC and Stello U3 usb converter, Leben CS-300x integrated tuber amp, and Spendor S-100 speakers. Which is still high end. Its just not as stereotypically high-end as many of the setups I've had and still have. If I had a nice dedicated room things might be different.