The musicophile v. the audiophile

[NicksPicks]

i'm of the opinion that anyone who has a deep pasion for music (and all of its various sub devisions of playing it, writing it or reproducing it) qualifies as "audiophile"

how often you go through gear is irrelevant to me. its all part of the big picture.

 

[DrJRapp]

i'm of the opinion that anyone who has a deep pasion for music (and all of its various sub devisions of playing it, writing it or reproducing it) qualifies as "audiophile"

how often you go through gear is irrelevant to me. its all part of the big picture.

I tend to agree with Nick....however, every now and then I have an upgraditus (Joeyitis on these threads) relapse and gear becomes the main focus for awhile....

 

[NicksPicks]

same here..., but as also pointed out w/that new gear you sometimes get to go through your entire musical collection all over again like its "the first listen".

 

[Tj Bassi]

I would probably be both....there are times when its fun to try out new gear or just sit and search the Agon listings, at other times I want to hear the music no matter what the source (comes from working long hours alone).
While I worship my ML's and Krell amps, my wife gave me a iPod shuffle last fathers day.....its not much to look at (or show off) but it sure keeps me in the music.

Tj

 

[Pcar928fan]

I am a gear-o-phile! Hello, my name is James and I have a problem. I like to buy audio and video gear! I do REALLY, REALLY enjoy ALL my gear (and my other toys for that matter too), but I am a Technophile and love all kinds of toys! :rocker:

 

[NicksPicks]

thats the way to be!

a recent revelation...
i've owned other MLs, so i'm not new to their sound. when I got my system setup to its current state (as of my member sys pic), I was so amazed by all the "new things" I was hearing in my very familiar music..., that it caused me to move from the gear lust to really enjoying my collection again. So one affects the other for me. that is the transparency of the MLs that got me going again. "wow...never heard that part". "whoa, didn't hear that guitar intro before.."
the music is always there, but it evolves along w/my stereo and my ears...which also have learned A LOT while i've enjoyed this hobby.
I've been an audiophile my entire life. Even as a kid, I was all about music, banging drums..et.
I play organ/piano
I am an amature audio engineer, doing live location work (2 channel ambient recordings).
I try to write my own stuff sometimes.
I have music on my mind all day long.
the Grateful Dead changed my life (big musical mojo)
(~);}

 

[MiTT]

I think I'm both as well. I do enjoy the heck out of my equipment, and go for the occasional upgrade, usually every couple of years or so. I love to sit down in front of the system and give it a good listen either solo or with friends. I've got my system now to a place where it sounds the very best it's ever sounded, so I am content, even after listening to some other VERY high dollar systems in my area. I've spent more on it than I did for the new Acura TL I just bought, but then again I've got three times that invested in music, Let's just say that I am NEVER at a loss for something to listen to! :music:

 

[slowGEEZR]

Musicphile, audiophile, gearhead...mas nichts to me. I enjoy the whole gestalt of the thing. Why limit yourself? Why catagorize?

 

[Craig]

Which are you?

Who says you have to be one or the other? I think they often go hand-in-hand but the music does come first. Most audiophiles I know are also into music. I'm sure if someone did not enjoy the music then they would not have an interest in continous improvement towards more satisfying music production. We're always striving to make things bigger, faster, better etc with just about anything. If it wasn't for the enoyment of music I wouldn't be so inclined to tinker with making it sound better.

With that said, I also believe upgraditis is not a disease but rather a voodoo curse imposed on us from a Witch Doctor poking a headphone wearing doll with a Vahalla speaker cable in a land far far away!

 

[risabet]

Musicphile, audiophile, gearhead...mas nichts to me. I enjoy the whole gestalt of the thing. Why limit yourself? Why categorize?

Humans have a penchant for categorizing everything!

 

[risabet]

Who says you have to be one or the other? I think they often go hand-in-hand but the music does come first. Most audiophiles I know are also into music. I'm sure if someone did not enjoy the music then they would not have an interest in continous improvement towards more satisfying music production. We're always striving to make things bigger, faster, better etc with just about anything. If it wasn't for the enoyment of music I wouldn't be so inclined to tinker with making it sound better.

With that said, I also believe upgraditis is not a disease but rather a voodoo curse imposed on us from a Witch Doctor poking a headphone wearing doll with a Vahalla speaker cable in a land far far away!

I would agree that most audiophiles are into the music first but on the other hand I know guys with $50k in gear who owns no more than 150 albums and at most 100 cds, all audio reference quality. Clearly a gearophile.

 

[paulo m]

Humans have a penchant for categorizeing everything!

And we know the good that makes to the enjoyment of music.

 

[silver98]

Well I am uncategorically, a musicophile. Sure I've spent years and thousands of dollars to get my system together, and I'll likely spend more nbefore I'm through but...... I've got the electronics and the Quests because of the life like music reproduction. I started college as a music major and performed in varying venues when I played, so I know what good sound is, boith from the stage and from the audience. While I love my gear, and there always is something 'better' but my music collection is < 600 cd's and lp's. It is and always was, all about the music.

 

[taylode]

I would agree that most audiophiles are into the music first but on the other hand I know guys with $50k in gear who owns no more than 150 albums and at most 100 cds, all audio reference quality. Clearly a gearophile.

I don't think quantity is a good indicator. I would rather have 250 LPs or CDs, which equals about 3-1/2 days worth of music, that I love and listen to over and over than 2500 that most never get listened to. I'm selective on what I add to my collection; however, for my IPOD I'm much less fussy. :music:

 

[Pcar928fan]

I don't think quantity is a good indicator. I would rather have 250 LPs or CDs, which equals about 3-1/2 days worth of music, that I love and listen to over and over than 2500 that most never get listened to. I'm selective on what I add to my collection; however, for my IPOD I'm much less fussy. :music:

I concur. I have over 3000 tracks in my iTunes library but only listen to about 600 of them with any kind of regularity... Probably 250 that I REALLY, REALLY LIKE!

 

[asindc]

Well, I'm somewhat in the middle. Like James, I love new (or used) toys. But love of music and movies is what has really sucked me as an audiophile and videophile. To illustrate, I don't listen to terrible music just because it's recorded well, and I don't watch bad movies just because they are transfered to video well. I know of some who do, but that's not for me.

In the end, the sounds and pictures matter most. Actually, now that I think of it, my chase for better toys is in most part because I want the best sound and picture... the Holy Grail, as Dave puts it. Without that, there is no way I would be anything close to a "gearophile."

Anthony