Re playback systems

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 4:45 pm

This article postulates the mid-level home stereo is dying, or even dead.

will · Post by **will** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:10 am

I'm affraid that's going on for quite some time now ...

But the Greg Milner book is a must-read. Recommended for anybody interested in audio.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:35 am

Music isn't as important as it used to be. People have moved on to other diversions.

Music is now used mostly as background fill while engaged in other activities.

Try and sit an 18 year old down to listen to a complete song, won't happen. They will get antsy and reach for their Government approved personal tracking device (the smart phone) by the second chorus (if there even is a chorus).

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:39 am

The Amazon review of Milner's book states, " Should a recording document reality as faithfully as possible, or should it improve upon or somehow transcend the music it records?", what is a interesting in light of Albini's position in his letter to Nirvana what I just read yesterday.

JW: yeah, sad, ain't it? I have a 16 y.o. and a 14 y.o. and that typically applies, altho' they will (as the CNN article mentions) often sit still for DVD's (my daughter loves NIN DVD's, for example). But to date, I'll put a record on my mid-level hi-fi (100w./side Yamaha receiver, Sony single CD player, Klipsch Synergy B3's and a pair of 50w. Yamaha subs) and do nothing but listen, or mebbe also read and/or drink.

FWIW, my prime listening time is onna Discman, on the train, and the walk between the station and workplace.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:08 pm

People don't listen actively, but everyone has earbuds in 24/7 now. I don't think that music is less important than it used to be, just that the way people consume it has changed.

standup · Post by **standup** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:14 pm

I end up in a Best Buy or similar a couple times a year, and I've noticed that the "home stereo" department has completely disappeared. You used to be able to listen to speakers, receivers, etc. in a department devoted to playback systems. Now there's the TV/Home Theater department, and it seems to be all subs + satellite speakers.

Because of my age, I find this strange. In my house I have a number of stereo playback systems and exactly zero 4.1, 6.1, etc. systems.

Maybe now's the time to buy used esoteric speakers that people are dumping to get a surround-sound system.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:34 pm

Vintage Hi Fi will be the very next rage.

digitaldrummer · Post by **digitaldrummer** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:10 am

Jim Williams wrote:Vintage Hi Fi will be the very next rage.

...he says as eBay prices suddenly take a jump

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 3:39 pm

Well, if vintage hi-fi was the next rage, not only would that be great for those of us that care about stuff like that, but it would make perfect sense, in that LP's and now cassettes(?) have made their comeback-- the crazy kids will need something to listen to those records on, right?

Just watched "Star Trek: Into Darkness" last night. What did young Capt. James T. Kirk have in his apartment? A turntable blasting Beastie Boys, apparently...

JW and others-- Yes, people (I'm guessing mostly young people) are listening differently. My 19-year old college boy listens to jazz (but only when he's studying, so not too much active listening there). I also stopped by the school and had a conversation with him today; he only took one ear-bud out the whole time, the other stayed in as his iPhone kept playing while we talked...

GJ

jhharvest · Post by **jhharvest** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 4:55 pm

I moved to South Korea about a month back and I feel that here, despite the overwhelming smartphone concentration, the hifi thing is a bit more alive. I was reading (well, actually flicking through since my Korean isn't that good yet) a lifestyle magazine and there were long articles on audio.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:10 pm

Boy, you get around brother!

GJ

jhharvest · Post by **jhharvest** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:54 pm

My wife's a teacher and earns far more than I ever have. So I just kind of trail along. It's not great for having a career of my own though!

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:08 am

Maybe it's an overstimulated society, but I do remember buying the fresh new "Dark Side of the Moon" and going home with it.

I put it on the stereo turntable, curled up in a bean bag chair, popped on the koss 4-A headphones, turned on the black and lava lamps, smoked a joint and sank into the record.

Today it's completely different. It's always "one bud in" yet no one is really listening...

Music today is approached as a background filler. It's always on, yet it is ignored, sort of like music for TV and movies. There, if you pay attention to the music, they didn't do a proper job, (actually, too good of a job).

If there ever was an era of disposable music, this is it.

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:45 am

There has been disposable music since before the ability to record sound was discovered and exploited. Nothing has changed in that regard. There are young people as deeply into music as those in previous generations. Aside from that, it's a shame how brainwashed we've become into thinking music is all about young people and their tastes. There's no good reason for that to be so. But even given a focus on young people, for the sake of this discussion, I've met plenty of teens obsessed with music and their favorite bands, and while their tastes are definitely different from mine, their passion about the things they like is obvious and undeniable. The kids I've known were voluntary music students, so clearly not a random sample, and maybe not representative of their generation, but then neither are we representative of ours. Better to compare apples to apples.

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:34 am

Time will tell but I suspect there will not be a "classic Alt. rock" radio station format anytime soon...

Yes, pop music is disposible, but some of it has staying power, mostly older stuff you hear used in advertizing. Led Zepplin sells Caddies, the Stones sell whatever. Classic rock stations are everywhere.

I do like some of the jingle tunes used to sell pharmacuticals on TV...

Maybe the Grammys need to add a new catagory: "Best new ad song".

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