Audiophiles- what aspect of music matters to you most?

[Much Ado]

I was on the bus today and someone near me was 'listening' to some pop music through the speaker on their phone. It was crackly and horrible, but they didn't seem to mind, as they could hear a beat and that was enough for them.

Obviously, if you really care about your music, it's more complex than that. So a question for the audiophiles: What genre, type, or aspect of music really makes it worth listening to on a high-end system?

Is it about hearing individual instruments on a classical track? Or getting perfect clarity on a vocal, or even just getting great, warm guitar sound on your favorite rock song?

I know it's subjective, but what are you guys really listening for, and to? I suppose this is a long winded way of asking what you listen to most, and why.

Thanks!

[WildPalms]

I tend to listen a lot of trance, breaks, house, lounge these days while I'm working. But I have a largish collection of Jazz on vinyl and that I listen to on my turntable and usually with no distractions. e.g. just sitting and listening

[Naimfan]

The single most important thing to me in a hifi system is its ability to play the "tune." So the better a system is at that, the better the system.

Basically, listen to the music and not the sound. The better a system is, the easier it will be to follow individual musical lines, and the more you can tell about the relationships. For a more complete explanation, look here: http://www.linn.co.uk/tune_dem

For some other opinions on what people look for, have a look here: http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve?a=cfrm

Some very lively discussions!

[iSaint]

If you can hear instruments you've never heard before, you might be listening to the right setup.

:rolleyes: :D

I just like to hear the music I like on quality equipment. I can also learn to appreciate other music when I hear it on a good setup.

[rockosmodurnlif]

The beat.

That's what matters. The better you hear the beat the more you can separate yourself from it to listen for anything else. The less there is of it, the more you're listening for it.

Though I probably shouldn't be posting since I'm not an audiophile.

[gotzero]

I got into sound quality after DJing for a long time and producing tracks. As I learned more I wanted to make my tracks cleaner and more subtly interesting.

Beyond that, I just want things to sound good and not distort (not hurt ears) when I turn the volume WAY up.

I balance things between studio monitors, headphones, my car, and a vintage speaker pair, both for casual listening and production.

[QuarterSwede]

This is a really hard question to answer.

There is a lot of different things that I listen to and for but the one thing that really drives my passion for music is the individual track details that show up. Things that make music not robotic and bring the individual musicians passion to the track. It's quite hard, if not impossible, to describe without hearing it as it's different on every track and isn't present on all tracks.

[Shotglass]

I love to just sit down and listen to a piece of music without any distractions. Why? Because I love the aspect of 'rediscovering' the music. Hearing all the details, all the little things, that form a single song. I'm not too obsessed about realistic sound (yet), but when I actually sit down to listen to something, poor quality always irritates me.

[garybUK]

For me it has to be the feeling of goose bumps that a good setup gives you.

Personally i have a decent setup at home, B&W 703 Front, 705 Rear, HTM7 Centre + ASW750 Paired with a Arcam FMJ P7 Power Amp + Arcam FMJ AV9 Processor.

Playing Pinkfloyd's DVD of Pulse Live gives me goose bumps :)

It's the clarity, imagery and warmth that i like

[Scarlet Fever]

I look for clarity and depth in the sound of the music; full, warm bass, as well as crisp and clear treble.

I really hate hearing the sound of 'sandy' cymbals in a poorly encoded track. It really puts me off listening to the song, even though it might be a masterpiece.

[bartelby]

When I want to listen to music I'll just sit there with no distractions, except maybe a bottle of wine.

Unfortunately my set up at the moment is far from satisfactory.:(

When I go to see my parents, my dad and I will spend hours listening to the new stuff each of us has bought.
His set up is fantastic. All Musical Fidelity X Series except an AR Turntable and Monitor Audio speakers. He upgrades the components in Hi-Fi equipment and custom makes silver cabling.

It's so easy to listen to, even the most complex, music on that system. Nothing is muddled the separation is amazing.

[ivi7]

A good base always gets my attention

[juxtaposer]

It has to be a clear sound for me, no matter what piece of music I listen to. Whether it be orchestral, rock, jazz, or even some old vinyls of Brian Eno. It's always nice to hear all parts of a track clearly and separately. The fact that a lot of modern albums are being mastered so poorly means I'm usually unable to enjoy them fully anyway - It's become a battle of who can make a CD the loudest without even a second thought for the clarity of the piece. I love hearing a thick, warm bass and a tight and clear treble. But a lot of these current chart recordings are a huge let-down as far as both are concerned. Shame...

[Much Ado]

Thanks everyone!

It's interesting. I think it might just be a little like HDTV (to throw in a broad generalization), in that once you've seen 1080p picture quality, you don't want to go back to regular digital. It's not the type of show that matters, per se, but the way in which it is presented. A high-end music set-up brings you that little bit closer to the real thing, and once you've tried it it's hard to go back.

I'm excited about music again, which can only be a good thing. :)

For some other opinions on what people look for, have a look here: http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve?a=cfrm

Some very lively discussions!

You can say that again ;)

[iMacBook]

Of course a good sound system is good if you really want to listen to music. On my laptop, the speakers aren't the best. Which is why I have it hooked up to my stereo 24/7 so I can listen to music.

Me, its everything. It's how all the instruments tie together along with the vocals. It really is difficult to describe.

[Killyp]

It's hard to understand it without actually hearing it, but for me it goes like this.


When I listen to music, I like to hear the music, and not the sound system. Bad sound systems introduce distortion into the signal, which is literally new unwanted sound. A good system will produce little or almost no distortion, and leave nothing but the music.

A good system would also have good extension, as in, the deepest notes you'd expect to hear on any music should come through beautifully (not like some boomy subwoofer, but it should sound 'natural').

Dynamics and positioning are important. Dark Side Of The Moon is incredible to listen to with your eyes shut. With a good system, you kinda forget that you're listening to a hifi system alltogether, and the music just flows out towards you. Dynamics help to make the loud bits really impressive and keep the quiet bits nice and, well, quiet. Positioning is literally the ability to 'position' an instrument or sound. Good speakers can make you think there's something right in front of your nose, even though the speakers are several metres from you, or indeed the opposite, making something sound as though it's several metres behind you.

Last but certainly not least, the system should be musical. Too many hifi manufacturers (cough Linn) tend to produce a technically perfect sound, but the music just seems to be slightly masked (very difficult to explain). Musical systems just get your feet tapping, you just enjoy the music more.


I'll also mention appearance and ease of use. I find too many 'cheapo' systems just look junky, while I like good looking hifi kit (not at the expense of sound though). It's also gotta be easy to use. One remote control, one button to make music go and stop again.

[GoodWatch]

It's hard to understand it without actually hearing it, but for me it goes like this.

When I listen to music, I like to hear the music, and not the sound system.

/snip/

I find too many 'cheapo' systems just look junky, while I like good looking hifi kit (not at the expense of sound though). It's also gotta be easy to use. One remote control, one button to make music go and stop again.

Hear, hear! :D Burmester? Or too much chrome? :)

[Siemova]

I'll echo the calls for richness (as opposed to flat or anemic sound) and clarity. :) That is to say, not only clarity of sound, free from distortion or extraneous noise, but also the ability to hear all the little artistic details without straining or giving up richness somewhere else. Of course, half of that depends on the mixing of the album rather than the system it's playing on, and I note with disappointment that many producers do a poor job of that these days. But when you hear an excellent recording on an excellent system, it's incredibly immediate and immersive without becoming an assault on the senses. I love that.

But I notice that's not what the OP was asking, exactly. You wanted to know what music we like to listen to which, in our opinion, demands hi-fidelity sound? For me it tends to be anything which has a lot of rich detail I can't hear clearly otherwise! Classical, jazz, ethnic music, even certain types of rock or electronica, and genre-bending indie artists - basically, anyone who crafts delicate touches into their music. But even your simpler, more mainstream music tends to have some detail which is lost in a low-quality setting, so of course I always like to hear it that way if I can. :) Unfortunately, a good sound system will expose the weaknesses in a recording, so some albums actually sound worse when their faults aren't being obscured.

[Killyp]

Hear, hear! :D Burmester? Or too much chrome? :)

I don't have an issue with all the chrome, but I think the proportions are all wrong, and they tend to be too 'fussy' in terms of design. Pretty impressive sounding kit though.

Nah, for me it's Bowers & Wilkins, B&O, Naim, Vitus Audio, or Halcro. Rotel make some lovely kit too, and their stuff matches the performance of kit costing many times more.

There are some things though

[QuarterSwede]

When I listen to music, I like to hear the music, and not the sound system.
...

With a good system, you kinda forget that you're listening to a hifi system altogether, and the music just flows out towards you.
Exactly! Well, said.

[Naimfan]

Much Ado--

You probably have no idea how hysterically funny the below statement is since Linn was the company that effectively invented the foot-tapping method of evaluating a hifi (take a look at the link I gave to "tune dem.")

Killyp--

Tongue firmly in cheek, I'm sure!


Last but certainly not least, the system should be musical. Too many hifi manufacturers (cough Linn) tend to produce a technically perfect sound, but the music just seems to be slightly masked (very difficult to explain). Musical systems just get your feet tapping, you just enjoy the music more.

[Dagless]

I'm probably not much an audiophile, but I like to buy good sound equipment. *shrugs*

I tend to play ambient music through my current system, music with lots of stuff going on in the background, little notes and instruments hidden amongst the mess of a bigger song. For that reason I'm really into The Park is Mine by Tangerine Dream. There are dramatic thumping songs, uplifting floaty ones. A good mix on there.

I like to be able to shut my eyes and not know where the speakers are. To become engulfed by the sound, or something.

[Killyp]

I'm probably not much an audiophile, but I like to buy good sound equipment. *shrugs*

I tend to play ambient music through my current system, music with lots of stuff going on in the background, little notes and instruments hidden amongst the mess of a bigger song. For that reason I'm really into The Park is Mine by Tangerine Dream. There are dramatic thumping songs, uplifting floaty ones. A good mix on there.

I like to be able to shut my eyes and not know where the speakers are. To become engulfed by the sound, or something.

Agreed, I like to not know where the speakers are. However, with a good pair of speakers (this is almost the most difficult job of a speaker), they will 'disappear' acoustically when you listen properly.

Sit in front of a pair of B&W 800Ds/801Ds, Focal Utopia BEs or B&O BeoLab 5s, and you will see what I mean. If you close your eyes, you just cannot hear where the speakers are, yet you get the most incredibly/rock-solid detailed positioning (sound stage) you'll have ever heard coming from a hifi system.

Much Ado--

You probably have no idea how hysterically funny the below statement is since Linn was the company that effectively invented the foot-tapping method of evaluating a hifi (take a look at the link I gave to "tune dem.")

Killyp--

Tongue firmly in cheek, I'm sure!

It was kinda tongue in cheek, but Naim's kit is far more foot-tapping IMO. The LP12 is still Linn's best product, and nothing they've made since is as musical (although that doesn't mean to say they don't make lovely kit). Naim, however, just keep getting better.

[Naimfan]

You might be the only one here who gets my user name! So you can infer my thoughts pretty easily.

It was kinda tongue in cheek, but Naim's kit is far more foot-tapping IMO. The LP12 is still Linn's best product, and nothing they've made since is as musical (although that doesn't mean to say they don't make lovely kit). Naim, however, just keep getting better.

[Killyp]

I love Naim kit. I'm not so sure about their speakers, but their amps and CD players are the best I've heard.

My other two top hifi brands would be Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen, of which I'm lucky enough to own plenty of kit from both. I'm still wanting some Naim stuff though, just for that incredible open midrange and overall musicality...

[Much Ado]

When I listen to music, I like to hear the music, and not the sound system. Bad sound systems introduce distortion into the signal, which is literally new unwanted sound. A good system will produce little or almost no distortion, and leave nothing but the music.

...

I like to not know where the speakers are. However, with a good pair of speakers (this is almost the most difficult job of a speaker), they will 'disappear' acoustically when you listen properly.

That's really interesting. Honestly, if i had the cash i really would have fun setting up a system like this. I might drop by my local B+W dealer and have a listen to some of their wares.

Killyp--

Tongue firmly in cheek, I'm sure!


I'm lost... ;)

But even your simpler, more mainstream music tends to have some detail which is lost in a low-quality setting, so of course I always like to hear it that way if I can. Unfortunately, a good sound system will expose the weaknesses in a recording, so some albums actually sound worse when their faults aren't being obscured.

Wow, that's bizarre. Can you think of any common examples, I'd like to hear this.

[Killyp]

That's really interesting. Honestly, if i had the cash i really would have fun setting up a system like this. I might drop by my local B+W dealer and have a listen to some of their wares.


If you're just starting out with a proper hifi system, you cannot go wrong with a Rotel & B&W combo. B&W's new 680 speaker series is fantastic, some of the best stuff B&W have done in years.


Wow, that's bizarre. Can you think of any common examples, I'd like to hear this.

Listen to 'Time Won't Wait' by Jamiroquai (off a CD). You'll hear bits where they've fiddled with the drums to remove the snare etc... when they don't want it, but you can hear it leaking in through the hi-hat part and occasionally the bass part at times (bass and drums were recorded at the same time on this album I believe, as with Jamiroquai's earlier stuff).

[Naimfan]

If you're just starting out with a proper hifi system, you cannot go wrong with a Rotel & B&W combo. B&W's new 680 speaker series is fantastic, some of the best stuff B&W have done in years.


Seconded. Especially on the Rotel kit--it is fabulous for the money. If you're in the US, and want something with a bit more bass, try Vandersteen speakers.