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Post by John on Jun 2, 2024 19:50:30 GMT
I thought it might be good to have a debate on sound quality and how important it is to you.
On this one I probably sit in the middle answer.
I can enjoy music on the radio or TV. For me it is not serious listening where I have a deeper connection, like Martin music is what helps me no matter what is going on and with a good sound I can be transported away, giving my brain a much needed rest for the multitude of thoughts and emotions that is going on inside somehow this allows me to recharge.
Then there is going to a concert and that will often take me on another journey, there is often something that happens between the band and audience that is hard to put into words.
Anyway it be interesting to read other peoples thoughts.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 2, 2024 20:08:42 GMT
Somewhere between 1 and 2 for me
I listen to music most of the day. A lot of it in the kitchen
So happy with that lower quality
However I am truly happy in front of the main system hearing so much more
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Post by petea on Jun 2, 2024 20:23:54 GMT
Yes, I fall in the middle category as well. When I'm in a fiddling with a system mood / phase I want to hear 'improvements' and quite enjoy chasing them down. However, I can be equally satisfied with a pair of headphones and a laptop whether just listing to the music while browsing or watching a performance of YouTube. Similarly, I can also enjoy the various systems as they are.
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Post by Slinger on Jun 2, 2024 21:04:47 GMT
I've always listened to the music first, and the delivery system second. Obviously I want the best quality I can afford, but compared to those who have systems which can actually resolve the sound of a gnat farting in the North-West corner of the drum booth, that is not a great deal. My "real" musical listening started with a little transistor radio, and The Luxembourg Effect (look it up if you're too young to know what that is) unless you count 78s, a wind-up gramophone, and Beniamino Gigli.
I got the same excitement then as I do now from music, and my ears were a lot better in those days too.
I wouldn't deliberately choose "lo-fi", but if it were the only option to hear something I liked I wouldn't turn my nose up. I often wonder if it's something to do with being a (very amateur) musician, and the way I "hear" the music in my head, and not just with my ears.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 3, 2024 4:20:40 GMT
Music is extremely important to me, the best drug I know especially when I need boosting.
However, I've answered 2 as I love hearing music replayed well, I can immerse myself further into it.
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Post by John on Jun 3, 2024 6:12:41 GMT
At present it seems all of us can enjoy lo-fi music, what is different is how important sound is.
I like to have that experience of being their. It is a illusion but one I enjoy.
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Post by orange55 on Jun 3, 2024 6:38:36 GMT
Although I put a 2, I always strive to listen to anything at the best possible quality, whether it’s music, TV or movies. I would rather not watch something in low quality and save it till I can watch and listen to it in high quality.
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Post by HD Music & Test on Jun 3, 2024 9:43:56 GMT
What a very pertinent and excellent question John 
From my observations, I would agree with the poll status currently, most of our clients are more than happy to listen to music on the Kitchen Roberts radio, or in car entertainment system easily for the majority of the time, after all music is food for the soul.
A great many professional people we deal with lead very stressful lives and alcohol (sometimes blow) play a large part in relieving that stress, however as I mention to them: Music is a great level across so many barriers & is imho the best non Psychotropic method of winding down and entering that transedential state free of any external influences.
Music is cheaper than a mid life crisis Porsche, always ready when you are, virtually trouble free, works at any time of the day, never throws a turbo wobbler, can be thrashered regularly with out reprocussions, can be used a whisper quiet or at realistic concert levels. never has a headache or doesn't feel in the mood. Will never divorce you, seek court access or obtain you money under false pretences. Its a win situtaion imho.
There are those in this hobby that are obsessive about SQ, we call this a state of mind, similar to a illicit substance addict, these people inhabit places like Whats best forum/specific FB groups and small private clubs where the one upmanship is quiet staggering, think my spear is bigger than yours said Mr Caveman to his son  Or which jam sponge won the best in class at the WI church fate for its moistness & jamy filling content  .
These chaps chase the (Sonic) dragon and are utterly obessed by the last shard of detail & can I drive six London bus's through the sound stage on a cold morning in October and will spend quite extrodinary sums doing so.
For myself I am happy with my pair of Quadrals and Belles in the lab makes me smile, yes I can go next door and enjoy something special, but its not essential.
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bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 303
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Post by bencat on Jun 3, 2024 9:54:09 GMT
I do agree this is a very good question and I have thought about it quite a bit before I answered . After lots of wavering I finally think that the music is the really vital item I have loved hearing a track I really like through a small cheap single speaker portable radio and grinning as the melody of Echo Beach plays as good at that moment as ever . Yes I have spent lots of money and hundred of hours on my systems and love to listen to tunes on it . But music is what I listen to and I need music every day so listen using a DAP and through an Amazon Echo in the kitchen . Listen in the car using the car equipment . Each has its own level of quality but the common factor is always the same the music . Would I switch off because the quality is not there ? No instead like I have before the tune gets in to me and some how my brain provides what's missing and I just enjoy the music .
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Post by Clive on Jun 3, 2024 15:09:17 GMT
I voted for the middle option - sound quality matters but I can enjoy at different levels. Depending on my environment and of course mood I have different requirements for the genre and artists I select. Driving can be one mood of music, browsing or reading and listening to my main system is yet another scenario. My main system is used for when I want to be immersed in the music, perhaps at times wanting to be a little fooled into feeling I’m at a performance.
Whilst driving or reading I can play music that changes or at least develops my mood. With my main system I really need to be in the mood to listen before switching the system on. This is partially due to the room being dedicated to listening but also it’s because the sound is so immersive that I have to want it, I can’t easily switch moods to get into it. My mood will develop in a positive way as I listen if I select suitable music.
Quality matters but more from there being nothing unpleasant, eg unnatural sibilance, droning bass, piercing treble. From my main system I need a certain level of dynamics & life, imaging too. Radio and car sound qualities are less demanding but again it’s more about there being nothing particularly bad. I can more easily forgive sins of omission. I chase “perfection” far less than I used to, indeed not at all nowadays. I’m content with my streaming and two record decks. Between the three sources I have great options for my listening pleasure. Yes, it is about the music. I can still be analytical when helping someone tweak or assess a new design, that’s fun in its own way.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 3, 2024 15:11:14 GMT
I'd rather hear a great tune on a middling system than shite on a great system...
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Post by Slinger on Jun 3, 2024 15:49:18 GMT
I think this post is also highlighting, in a way, what each of us consider " ordinary" audio equipment. I'm going to use Tony as an example, but only because he mentioned a couple of components in his post above. Tony said " For myself I am happy with my pair of Quadrals and Belles in the lab makes me smile...". Now to me, that " simple" system costs far in excess of what I've spent on gear, and even if I had the money I'd probably spend it on something that didn't require my 70-year-old hearing to wring all the goodness out of. It's not really to do with money though, Tony's workshop system, although completely different than my second system (which is what I'm using as a comparison), is, I'm absolutely certain, " better" at resolving the music he plays. I trust Tony's ears, and know he's not one of those " the-more-it-costs-the-better-it-must-be" merchants, so his system will be based around SQ. What I'm trying to say is that we've probably all got differing baselines for what less-than-stellar sound quality is, and to what degree we'd suffer it. One man's " poor" may well be another man's " average", and his average may well completely eclipse what I'm listening with. Does any of that make sense to anyone else? |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 3, 2024 16:32:14 GMT
Perfect sense, Paul!
When a great tune comes on the radio when I'm driving, it can give me a sense of elation that I sometimes don't get from any hifi system. I think it's something to do with the spontaneity of it and cranking it up loud without any neighbours to worry about.
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Post by daytona600 on Jun 3, 2024 21:53:08 GMT
Music is more important to me, Can listen a great music on a crappy radio
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Post by speedysteve on Jun 3, 2024 22:50:06 GMT
I voted for 1 as the question stated "my system".
In that I mean my hifi system.
If that's sounds less than stellar due to something then I'm not going to enjoy it fully.
It needs fixing🙂
I can enjoy different types and quality of music on it however, knowing that for me it is reproducing the music to its best, and it's that best, I like the sound of.
I have aimed for a tolerant system.
It should be able to play all types of music to please and enthrall.
There's a reason why hifi show demos often only play close mic'd stuff or plinky plonky jazz - cos their systems sound better on that.. Give them something challenging and oft they fall apart.
That can be due to room acoustics, not sitting in the sweet spot, perhaps lacking deep bass, or other frequency / dynamic challenges.
I can greatly enjoy music on the radio (Sonos now), in the car, TV etc but they are not "my system".
Also music is music, I can enjoy an amateur performance and sing song round a camp fire, or on YouTube etc.
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Post by MartinT on Jun 4, 2024 4:32:30 GMT
Does any of that make sense to anyone else? Yes it does, and I have a different baseline which affects my music playing. I've tried my best with my car system - new Android head unit, replaced the stock speakers with Focal drivers, and the front dash tweeters with the US provided JBL mids. I've also added damping to the doors. It sounds sh1t. So bad is it with music, familiar songs sounding almost unrecognisable, that I no longer play music, just Radio 4 speech to keep me company for the long commute. My car's environment wasn't designed for music so I have given up trying. That's my baseline for unacceptable, whereas my system (and even our AV system and my PC system) sound far, far better. |
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Post by John on Jun 4, 2024 4:46:33 GMT
Over the last year I had no system. Thankfully I was in a loving relationship which compensated through the dark times I was facing.
I saw a lot of live music and used my Filo Bluetooth headphone amp and PSB headphones. Not a bad combination but maximum listening was just over a hour.
I still prefer a proper system to any headphones I heard, going to Martin's and Tonys proved that, the first time in a year I could sink myself into music and just lose myself with the music
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Post by John on Jun 4, 2024 6:14:07 GMT
I have been reflecting why can I enjoy music on a radio and yet if I have any electrical noise in my main system I find it irritating
On a radio the sound is mid focused. On a system it's a lot more of a open window and you can hear the electrical noise get in the way of the music.
I also noticed how obsessive I can be in trying to resolve this, something I don't experience through a lofi system
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Post by palace on Jun 4, 2024 7:46:21 GMT
"As long as I am hearing music I am happy" that is/was my apparently single vote, true I have as detailed on the forum, a quite revealing & audibly & emotionally satisfying system. Improved over the last year by my own efforts & importantly with the sage advice I have received from active & knowledgeable forum members.
Despite the above, music is so important to me whether from a tranny radio, TV or obviously live performances though I do draw the line at supermarket & lift "Musak" whatever the source of music it brings me joy & peace...
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Post by HD Music & Test on Jun 4, 2024 8:44:48 GMT
This I feel boils down to how music make YOU feel in the moment, I suspect John like myself has been swept away with the emotion of many concerts and the release of endorphins that ensues. Music the best drug you can obtain, its free, always works, no strings attached and pretty much everyone can enjoy it!
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Or which jam sponge won the best in class at the WI church fate for its moistness & jamy filling content 
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