Who is also an audiophile?

[literiter]

p.s. I do like the sound of LP's, but the convenience and robustness of Cd's are irresistable. I've not been completely swayed by Digital phtography.

I have transfered an LP to a CD. This was the Iron Butterfly's "In a Gadda da Vida" I have the original vinyl and a store bought CD. ( a young friend has called this "geezer music" )

My transcription from the vinyl to CD sounds like the vinyl. I have transcribed a few old albums this way and have then tucked my vinyl stuff safely away.

 

[jvr]

I have transfered an LP to a CD. This was the Iron Butterfly's "In a Gadda da Vida" I have the original vinyl and a store bought CD. ( a young friend has called this "geezer music" )

My transcription from the vinyl to CD sounds like the vinyl. I have transcribed a few old albums this way and have then tucked my vinyl stuff safely away.

I have done the same to my fathers LP of Shostakovitch collection (he wanted to get rid of the turntable bust just loved the records). I kept the LPs but I tend to listen to the transcriptions, they sound quite good.

BTW, that's what I've been doing to all my film photographs, for the last... I don't know... 12 months? It looks like tere is always another roll somewhere to scan... :bang:

 

[LuckyKarma]

I suppose I could consider myself an audiophile, and I've spent a fair amount of time on head-fi. I was really into headphones for a while and had the whole setup: the DAC, the amp, the Grados, etc. I finally decided that as a poor student I couldn't afford to keep the habit going as I was always wanting to try new headphones, so I decided to sell them all except my Alessandro MS-1, Sony MDR-V6, Yuin Pk2, and Koss KSC75. I'm also trying to find time to list my V6 and Pk2 for sale on head-fi but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Comparing it to photography, I would say that you can get much more out of photography gear. Getting that expensive camera is just as much of a rush as getting a brand new pair of nice headphones, but the excitement of getting a great photograph is better, in my opinion. Plus you can do so much with the photos with processing and Photoshop that the fun doesn't stop with the camera. With headphones, you're really only getting good sounding music, and it pretty much stops there. It's pretty cool to have pictures you've taken on your wall too

 

[chris000]

I have a fairly large collection of recorded music (mostly classical and folk and mostly CD) but my 'hi-fi' gear is all over 20 years old, although it was good quality (and expensive) when I bought it.

I can't really get excited about hi-fi gera nor can I get excited about cameras - in both cases just a tool to do a job - but I do get excited about good photos and good music.

 

[vrgard]

I, too, have spent way too much time and money on both audio gear and photography equipment. But they have each provided me with a tremendous amount of pleasure and led to some great friendships as well. My interest in each goes back four decades to my high school days. And, as others have said, I enjoy the old-school tactile nature of lps and a turntable as well as my mechanical rangefinder cameras. Have I gotten overly focused on the esoterics of equipment/gear? Of course. Does that mean I'm only into audio for the equipment and not the music? No. Just as I have gotten overly focused on lenses doesn't mean that I only care about the technical aspects of photographic images. I guess what I'm saying is that while I have gotten caught up in the GAS side of each I don't believe that necessarily means I've lost interest in the artistic side of either.

Oh, and for those who care, my audio gear is all DIY self-built tube-based Bottlehead equipment (see www.bottlehead.com) save for the front-end (CD/SACD by Sony and turntable by Michell). A more complete description can be found on the audio asylum site (www.audioasylum.com) under the Inmate Systems link and using the same user name as I use here.

-Randy

 

[wintoid]

Prior to the arrival of my daughter, making and listening to music was my primary hobby, and I had a sizeable rack of synthesizers and effects, and a pretty nice hifi. When she arrived, I realised I had

a) no money
b) no room
c) no time

so I sold the instruments and bought a camera. The hifi went into storage.

Some years on, we have bought our first house, and the hifi is out of storage. I don't really have time to listen, and whilst I have 2500+ CDs, I now tend to reach for the radio (mono!) before I would fire up the hifi.

I'd probably swap my hifi for a nice M4 now (AVI CD player, AVI preamp, 2 AVI monoblocs, AVI Positron loudspeakers)

 

[jvr]

I suppose I could consider myself an audiophile, and I've spent a fair amount of time on head-fi. I was really into headphones for a while and had the whole setup: the DAC, the amp, the Grados, etc. I finally decided that as a poor student I couldn't afford to keep the habit going as I was always wanting to try new headphones, so I decided to sell them all except my Alessandro MS-1, Sony MDR-V6, Yuin Pk2, and Koss KSC75. I'm also trying to find time to list my V6 and Pk2 for sale on head-fi but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Comparing it to photography, I would say that you can get much more out of photography gear. Getting that expensive camera is just as much of a rush as getting a brand new pair of nice headphones, but the excitement of getting a great photograph is better, in my opinion. Plus you can do so much with the photos with processing and Photoshop that the fun doesn't stop with the camera. With headphones, you're really only getting good sounding music, and it pretty much stops there. It's pretty cool to have pictures you've taken on your wall too

Well, LuckyKarma says something I fully agree with: taking photographs and "listening to music" are not comparable. Seeing a photobook, or going to an exhibition or browsing flickr is analog to listening to music. To be truthful to the analogy, _recording_ live music is analog to taking pictures (of course, although only a few have recording live music as their hobby, lots of people take photos). BTW, with the advent of cameraphones, people now record themselves (and others) all the time, altough video (and not audio) is the preferred medium.

So, I consider taking a picture of something as a much more (how should I say this?) _creative_ act than listening to music (or for that matter, seeing photos). It's only natural that we feel more proud or fulfilled by taking pictures (or writing music, or recording live music) than just listening to music.

Nevertheless, the elusive quest for "ultimate technical quality" that any audiophile or "image-o-phile" strive for is very much alike, I would say.

Funny, although I have a good video system (with a DLP projector) I never became so obsseded with "quality" lke on audio. Maybe because any good projected slide totaly overshadows even the best DVD/projector setup I know...

The point being: when the medium is so lo-fi that "absolute top quality" is still lousy, there is not a big point in pushing the limits: just switch technology...

Or choose to happily live inside the limits (or being "contented" - inside a "contentor"), with no urge/need to aim for more. Maybe this is real happiness and enlightment. And I'm not joking...

 

[back alley]

i consider myself a lover of music and an audiofile on a very limited budget. i have not bought a piece of audio gear in many many years but i like the sound of my home theatre and the stereo. my gear is all old infinity speakers along with a psb sub. i think my amp is onkyo and i gave in to the 100 cd players long ago just for the convnience. i play single cd's on the dvd player, a toshiba iiirc.
not a great set up but tuned for the room and sounding better than many other more expensive set ups just thrown into a room and plugged in.

joe

 

[dee]

Interesting .
I had no idea, until recently , that I have had '' high frequency hearing loss '' from infancy . [ Tested at 5 years , since then just stupid 'cos I could not keep up , but ASd messes up awareness ]

The effect , is like turning down the treble so that the bass is emphasised - like men seem to be shouting !

My late 70s system reflected this , any low frequency distortion sends me screaming from the room - and there is lot of it about !

The Linn Lp 12 and LS35as are were all terrible in this respect - and the current Rega arm seems the same .

I ended up with the bass light Pink Triangle deck, Orion arm and Grace F9e cartridge , Nain pre+Ear 509 amps .. and , initially RCL small loudspeakers , [ a cross between LS 35as and the original dynamic but excruciating Linn Kans ! ] upgrading to the then smallest Magneplanar SMGa .

But it all got tired .

It's more about convenience now - I tried to find speakers to '' better '' the battered surviving RCLs and my back up deck - the indestructible 1976 Rega 3 with Acos arm and Grado Sig 8 , but it just left the dealers in disbelief as to the tiny speakers abilities - about £1000 or more for a '' better '' sound ... so I was right 1st time !

I bought an original Linn all in one cd/dvd/ tuner/ amp box on sale very ex-dem in a shop which had gone over to Japanese stuff which real people can understand I - the Scots seem to want to make their customers really work for it !

But it was £400 not the original £2000 .. so cost effective ! I can still plug in the EAR 509s and blast the house with the 1812 , but mostly it's a more gentle folk / female vocal / chamber atmosphere these days .. and dvd of course ...

One element which surprises is that my women friends all say how it's music , not HI Fi , in that she does not notice the system [ which speaks wonders about the systems that real guys foist upon her ! ] I guess that inabilty to cope with any distortion on choral and vocal has somehow created a less exagerated listening experience - the only problem is that the RCLs need driving - they don't do low level , the tiny drivers love to pound in and out - with never a sign of giving in !

I do need some late night speakers , and the long suffering Rega longs for a service , Acos wiring upgrade and the magic of my local '' Cartridge Man '' Len Gregory !

So , a modest system for music - I have no idea if this makes me an '' audiphile '' or '' audophilistine '' ...

dee

 

[cmogi10]

to bad wildwildwes was banned, he had one of the most incredible set ups I have ever seen in my life, it sounded amazing.

 

[topoxforddoc]

Well I got into Hi-fi a few years before I got into photography. I used to sell the stuff as a saturday job when i was a teenager. I got the bug with valves and vinyl then in the late 70s. Photography came about 5 years later.

I'm still a vinyl nut and buy almost all my new music as LPs. My wife and daughter buy CDs and downloads.

Here's my system, accumulated and revised over the last 30 years.

Platine Verdier, Schroeder Model 2, Allaerts MC1B vinyl front end
TRON Meteor valve pre-amp
Quad IIs power amps rebuilt by GT Audio
Avantgarde Duo horn loudspeakers
Leak Troughline valve tuner GT Audio rebuilt
Meridian 206B CD player

Also kicking around are a pair of LS3/5a speakers, AB1 subs for the LS3/5as, a Hadcock tonearm and a pair of Decca London cartridges. I suppose that's Hi-Fi GAS for you!

Best wishes,

Charlie Chan
Cheltenham UK

 

[jvr]

Well I got into Hi-fi a few years before I got into photography. I used to sell the stuff as a saturday job when i was a teenager. I got the bug with valves and vinyl then in the late 70s. Photography came about 5 years later.

I'm still a vinyl nut and buy almost all my new music as LPs. My wife and daughter buy CDs and downloads.

Here's my system, accumulated and revised over the last 30 years.

Platine Verdier, Schroeder Model 2, Allaerts MC1B vinyl front end
TRON Meteor valve pre-amp
Quad IIs power amps rebuilt by GT Audio
Avantgarde Duo horn loudspeakers
Leak Troughline valve tuner GT Audio rebuilt
Meridian 206B CD player

Also kicking around are a pair of LS3/5a speakers, AB1 subs for the LS3/5as, a Hadcock tonearm and a pair of Decca London cartridges. I suppose that's Hi-Fi GAS for you!

Best wishes,

Charlie Chan
Cheltenham UK

I'm an Avantgarde fan myself (but WAF stops at the WATT VII, never even tried to coax a pair of Avantgarde into the room... ), they sound incredible with the right amps. I also love big Maggies and Soundlabs. For the same reason (WAF), they are also best kept at bay...

BTW, Charlie led the way: how about some photos of our systems, of course made with our RFs?

 

[Kim Coxon]

After several thousand hours flying Shackletons, ultra high end gear would be wasted on me. I use an Oak turntable with Rega arm. Amp and CD player are audiophile versions of the Rotel series driving Mission speakers. I did think about going Arcam but I doubt I would hear the difference.

Kim

 

[venchka]

Film & Vinyl & Tubes

Film & Vinyl & Tubes

They all go hand in glove I think. I'm no audiophile just as I'm no photographer. But I like what I like. In photos, I like creating something tangible. In music, I like listening to sound from an LP spinning on a turntable with a tone arm gently moving to and fro sending a signal through a Dynaco PAS 3 and ST70 and on to a pair of Definitive Technology Power Monitor 700s. The Def. Techs. definitely add any missing bass from the ST70.

 

[Prosaic]

Michell Orbe SE turntable/SME V arm/Sumiko Celebration cell
Harmonix Reimyo CD
Dartzeel pre-amp
Dartzeel amp
Wilson Audio WATT VII speakers
Transparent Reference cables for CD/amp and amp/speakers, proprietary Dartzeel cables between pre and amp.
Also using Abbey Road Reference cables once in a while (at the moment, for instance).

I have no idea what you are talking about but I guess you could trade a lot of fast glass in for this stuff...

 

[mllanos1111]

Strangely enough, the trend has been audio down, cameras up, in terms of interest. That's why I say I am recovering as an audiophile (now I listen to a ton of music, both at home, ipod and car and I don't remember changing a component or even try one in more than one year!). My fear is that my "addiction" is moving to camera gear!

On the other hand (you see, rationalizing!), lenses don't loose a lot of value, especially when you buy them SH. Now CD players, on the other hand...

BTW, I love SOTA. What do you have?

Yes I've been buying way too much camera gear, but Audio has stayed reletively the same for a while.
I have a Series III Star Saphire with Vaccuum hold down with a Cosmos Platter and a Clear Audio/ Souther Tr-quartz tone arm.
Love it and I've been itching to upgrade it to a Cosmos, but cameras keep getting in the way. lol

 

[Stu W]

After several thousand hours flying Shackletons, ultra high end gear would be wasted on me. I use an Oak turntable with Rega arm. Amp and CD player are audiophile versions of the Rotel series driving Mission speakers. I did think about going Arcam but I doubt I would hear the difference.

Kim

After thousands of hours of diesel and sirens my hearing leaves a bit to be desired also. I barely make it through my annual medical. Stu

 

[cosmonot]

Yes, I enjoy all sorts of stuff. Photo gear. Audio (hi-fi) gear. Audio (guitar and recording) gear.

The problem is, I'm also an electrical engineer. I build a lot of my own stuff and I'm rarely drooling over $300+ cables that are marginally better than what one can get for a tenth of that price, if you know what to buy.

The few things I own that one would consider "audiophile" that I didn't build myself include a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880 headphones. Those were worth every cent...

 

[Rob-F]

At this point I'm a "vintage audiophile." I've had most of my gear a long time, and I'm mostly satisfied with it. Dahlquist DQ-10s; Marantz 7c preamp; McIntosh MR-67 tuner. The subwoofer is one we built when when I worked at Speakercraft, a St. Louis custom-design speaker store, now out of business. At the moment I'm driving the DQ-10s with a Threshold CS-2, and not sure if I want to leave it that way or put back the Electron Kinetics Eagle 2a. Using a Sumo Andromeda to drive the subwoofer at the moment. I used to have it in the main channel. JVC XL-Z1050 CD player. Thorens turntable, Grace arm & cartridge. If I didn't have the DQ-10s I would probably have Magneplanars.

Cables? Well, I think the Acoustic Research jobs I got open-box at Best Buy, sound a little better than the ones I made up from RG-59. But the Kimber Cables I picked up from eBay don't sound any better than the ones I made up from microphone cable. The rest of my cables are homemade, from Canare cable, using gold-plated connectors. Oh yeah the speaker cables are 12-guage zip cord. I'm mostly in the "look, all there is is resistance, capacitance, and inductance" camp.

A problem I have with seeking perfection in an audio system is that we judge them on the basis of whether we can hear things that you can't hear in a live concert hall. Things like soundstage & imaging, and whether you can tell that the piccolo is left of the flute "and you know (someone will say), with the Garbanzo cables in place, I think I can tell the Piccolo is actually behind the flute" Well, you can't hear all that from the Dress Circle boxes in Powell Hall. Is the solo violinist standing to the conductor's left? Who knows: close your eyes in Orchestra Hall, and the violin sounds like it's the size of the whole proscenium arch. Yet someone will spend a king's ransom for cables to hear this miniscule difference.

Isaac Stern used Magneplanar speakers in his living room. When asked if they sounded to him the same as the real orchestra, he replied, "No, but they sound the way I would want an orchestra to sound in my living room."

At least in photography, we accept that the photograph is an abstraction of reality, not reality itself. (Devotees of IMAX, Cinerama, and Ultra Panavision 70 are an exception.)

I can enjoy a little Tschaikovsky even if I can tell I'm not in Symphony Hall. So you tell me: Am I an audiophile?

 

[mllanos1111]

Hey! another fellow audiophile that owns Electron Kinetics! John Iverson was a friend of mine, what a character he was. I have one of a handful of Eagle 7B's he built.
Eagle 2a was a great sounding amp.

At this point I'm a "vintage audiophile." I've had most of my gear a long time, and I'm mostly satisfied with it. Dahlquist DQ-10s; Marantz 7c preamp; McIntosh MR-67 tuner. The subwoofer is one we built when when I worked at Speakercraft, a St. Louis custom-design speaker store, now out of business. At the moment I'm driving the DQ-10s with a Threshold CS-2, and not sure if I want to leave it that way or put back the Electron Kinetics Eagle 2a. Using a Sumo Andromeda to drive the subwoofer at the moment. I used to have it in the main channel. JVC XL-Z1050 CD player. Thorens turntable, Grace arm & cartridge. If I didn't have the DQ-10s I would probably have Magneplanars.

Cables? Well, I think the Acoustic Research jobs I got open-box at Best Buy, sound a little better than the ones I made up from RG-59. But the Kimber Cables I picked up from eBay don't sound any better than the ones I made up from microphone cable. The rest of my cables are homemade, from Canare cable, using gold-plated connectors. Oh yeah the speaker cables are 12-guage zip cord. I'm mostly in the "look, all there is is resistance, capacitance, and inductance" camp.

A problem I have with seeking perfection in an audio system is that we judge them on the basis of whether we can hear things that you can't hear in a live concert hall. Things like soundstage & imaging, and whether you can tell that the piccolo is left of the flute "and you know (someone will say), with the Garbanzo cables in place, I think I can tell the Piccolo is actually behind the flute" Well, you can't hear all that from the Dress Circle boxes in Powell Hall. Is the solo violinist standing to the conductor's left? Who knows: close your eyes in Orchestra Hall, and the violin sounds like it's the size of the whole proscenium arch. Yet someone will spend a king's ransom for cables to hear this miniscule difference.

Isaac Stern used Magneplanar speakers in his living room. When asked if they sounded to him the same as the real orchestra, he replied, "No, but they sound the way I would want an orchestra to sound in my living room."

At least in photography, we accept that the photograph is an abstraction of reality, not reality itself. (Devotees of IMAX, Cinerama, and Ultra Panavision 70 are an exception.)

I can enjoy a little Tschaikovsky even if I can tell I'm not in Symphony Hall. So you tell me: Am I an audiophile?