Comments on: Audiophile 2.0: The next generation?
Audiophiles are an endangered species, and if there's any hope for the future we need a whole new generation of audiophiles. I found one guy, it's a start.
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About The Audiophiliac
Ex movie theater projectionist Steve Guttenberg has more or less successfully hitched his future to home theater, but he still pines for the clickity-clack of 35 MM projectors and all the stale popcorn he could eat. Between projectionist gigs he worked as a high-end audio salesman for sixteen years, and produced records for an audiophile label. Oh, and one more thing, nothing annoys Steve more than being confused with the other Steve Guttenberg, the washed-up Police Academy actor. The wordsmith Guttenberg is a frequent contributor to a number of magazines and websites including Home Entertainment, Playback, and Ultimate AV. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
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I guess at an early age you should start to be aware of sound quality. But you really can't fully appreciate it until you've earned enough to buy the proper equipment.
I guess it's a lot like alchohol. Sure, you'll drink a Bud or a Coors when you're a young adult; it's cheap and ubiquitous. But you won't really be into fine wine or a good micro-brews until you have enough scratch in your pocket to afford it and can truly appreciate what it is you're paying for.
:D
Vinyl and tape is cool, but it's more about nostalgia and retro style than it is about sound quality. I mean, I like steam punk, but I when I want to go somewhere I use GPS, not a brass sextant and compass.
The next gen of true audiophile would be computer based, but rejecting of tinny over-compressed mp3's or run-of-the-mill CD-quality. Yeah, they might be into tube amps and exotic speakers, absolutely, but clearly the front end would be digital. Think discreet USB audio electronics instead of a built-in sound cards. Massive hard drives filed with high resolution digital recordings like 96kz-24bit or 192kz-32bit. Lossless codecs.
I mean, I have some prized 78's myself, but face it, they sound like dirt.
this is the David M that the article is about...
I was never retro and cool, I judged with my ears, and what I heard is that vinyl and tape are better than what I have yet heard so far. That's not to say that my opinions won't change, but for now, that's where they lie.
I also have a PreSonus 1394 firewire audio interface hooked up to my iMac, and some of my master 24/96 files of stuff I have recorded sound pretty good...definitely better than CD, but not yet as good as most of my LP's. It's getting better, but there's still a long way to go.
BTW, there's been over 100 years to refine the analog recording and playback art, comparatively, digital is in it's infancy....I'd equate it with the switchover from acoustic recording to electric recording, the timeline fits too.
If you record your LP in 24/96, does it sound any different from the real thing? (If it does, then your audio interface is not good, or it does some post-processing behind your back). Then convert to 16/44100, but not use a P.O.S resample program, and check if you hear any difference.
Call me an audio dunce if you wish, but I don't miss the hiss of tape or the snap crackle pop of records. An uncompressed CD sounds just fine to me.
I'm 19 years old but I got into sound when I was about 16. I have a record player but only a few records for it. I have one record that beats the CD and I have another record that doesn't. Most of the time I'm running lossless off of an asus xonar sound card.
I agree with the statement I'm not in it to be an audiophile. I'm in it for the music and to just have a blast cranking movies and games.
My next epiphany was using Grado SR-60 headphones with my iPod. I'd been wanting to buy a 2 channel system to expand into a 5.1 system; the Grados taught me what qualities to listen for when auditioning speakers. I bought my first receiver (an entry-level Onkyo) and speakers (NHT bookshelf speakers) at 21, and in the years since I've gone through a couple rounds of upgrades and put together a nice bedroom stereo as well. Plus I put together a headphone system for work that I'm really happy with.
As far as my peers, some of them are with me and have some nice gear (though I've probably put the most money into my system), some are sympathetic but don't want to spend the money, and some don't care.
And as far as the money issue, I'm a grad student and don't make much, but if audio is a priority it's not that hard to build up a nice system over time, even on a meager budget. And I have enough left over that I drink good beer, too.
I so hear a difference, albeit the difference is slight...my interface is good.
I downconvert with Peal LE6, which is a very good program, and yes I can hear a difference. Killing the file to 44.1/16 really kills detail and HF quality IMO...along with 'air'...
I have a few hundred (mostly inherited) records and actually have a side business gig of digitizing LPs and tapes.
For my current system, I have an old pair of Sony SS-U570 speakers (junk), a Yamaha RX-496 receiver, JVC TD-W354 cassette deck , a Teac 3340S 4track deck (actually salvaged out of the garbage from school) as well as a Pioneer PL-518 turntable and Audio Technica AT-440MLa cartridge (properly dialed in and aligned, of course). Right now, I have an old 30GB iPod (on it's second battery) with most of my music in 128k AAC (I've switched over to 192k AAC), but I would eventually get something large enough that I can use all lossless. I also want to build some better speakers powered by home made gainclone amps.
As far as music styles go. I love classic rock/oldies, good jazz and new inde. rock/electronica. I'm also into Christian rock and Jesus Music (which got started in the early 70s and is very hard to find on any media other than vinyl). Today's popular music sucks. Country has always been ..lame and top 40 sucked *before* it got taken over by gangsta rap early in the decade. Most of my friends share my basic sentiments about music. Most listen on an MP3 player or a computer and a good slice of most folks collections are comprised of stuff off of Bittorrent or from friends. Artists don't make much off their records anyway. In Fact, I'd argue that everybody having free access to music is really positive for the artist. For example, I probably wouldn't have bought Radiohead's album In Rainbows, but after downloading it for free and listening to it for a while, it really grew on me and I would now go to one of their concerts.
I listen to something like two FM stations: 89.3 The Current, an inde. rock station owned by Minnesota Public Radio, and 89.9 KRPR, a local un-compressed "CD Changer" classic rock station (commercial free). On of these years when I get my outdoor antenna finished, I may invest in a Sony XDRF1HD HD Radio tuner, so I can listen to The Current in HD Radio.
I'm a died in the wool audiophile, and I love good sound. I know many of my friends would like "good" systems as well, but an actual stereo system is expensive. All one can get on a low budget are those crappy mini-systems with super-extra-x-mega-bass, which are actually on their way out with iPod docks coming in. Computer speakers have become quite the rage, too and they usually sound like crap. I've actually gotten friends hooked up with an older receiver and speakers, simply because it's cheap and it's about the only way to get a "real" system without spending $$$.
There is a real divide the discourages people from becoming audiophiles. Basically, there are mini systems, car stereos, home theater systems and computer speakers. A standalone stereo receiver (not a 7.1 monster) is hard to find. I guess bookshelf speakers somewhat easy to come by, but most of it is oriented toward home theater, not music.
Vintage gear is a practical solution, but one has to know what to look for. Old audio gear has higher distortion, often needs new caps, and old speaker designs that might have funky high end, weird port resonances or just generally colored sound.
There is also the wold of studio monitors. Their size would be very practical for some home setups, but cost is rather prohibitive for most people.
Steve, your blog is right on the point most of the time. The days of overcompressed music and MP3 files is just as disappointing as much of the new mainstream music being put out these days. I listen to many different styles of music- Classic Rock, Funk, 70's R&B, Jazz, Electronic, everything- I still love music more than the equipment its played through. Most of my friends love music about as much as I do, but when it comes to audiophillia they aren't overtly interested in stereo imaging and dynamics- but they do recognize when something sounds good. They ask me my advice when it comes time to get a nice stereo/HT, so I'll take them to the local stores to compare what I perceive as good value for the money in terms of equipment, and I'll let their ears and wallets do the final talking. The sad thing is, I doubt most people in the under 40 category have that friend and realize how much of an improvement can be had over their iPod (and the atrocious earbuds), computer speakers, or Home Theater in a box. In many cases, most don't care. To each their own I guess.
HT - Onkyo HT Receiver, PSB Image series 2B's, 1B's, 8C, Axiom Audio EP350 Subwoofer
Bedroom Stereo - Onkyo Stereo Receiver, Onkyo CD player, PSB Original Alphas
Headphones - Grado SR60, Koss Porta Pro's (2nd pair!), AKG 26P
I am now 37 and have been into this hobby since I was 15.
In those 22 years, I have been everything from an arm chair audiophile/music lover to working at a brick and mortar hifi shop to being a reviewer of gear (not quite as popular as you Stevie G) to being a manufacturer/developer to being a Rep for a distributor. I am a member of the Houston Audiophile Society (we even have a meeting today), and I recently moved from the Bay Area, CA (an area where audiophiles are somewhat common) to Houston, TX (where they are far less common).
Anyway, I got this bug when I was 15 (living in Dallas, TX), and I walked into a hifi show, and I heard these little mini monitor speakers that sounded AMAZING. I made the comment that those little speakers must be pretty expensive because they sounded so good. A salesman who heard my comment responded, "They are only $250, you would be amazed how good of sound you can get with a speaker when driving it with $20,000 of electronics!"
I was then hooked for life.
Keith
I believe that CD's have the best sound quality because there is nothing to interfere with the playback like there is to Vinyl's however I still enjoy listening to my Vinyl collection. Some believe that vinyls sound better and more natural. However i believe it is more accentuated sound from the player itself, the needle picks up vibrations from the sound waves created by the speakers altering the way the original recording sounds making it sound "fuller" or "warmer". Some like this effect, others don't. This can't happen with CD's so in theory they are more accurate. By using a good EQ I can fix issues with digital files. I use Winamp as my main media player, I downloaded a VST app for it that allows me to use a VST 32 band EQ to tune my music to perfection. Even on cheap speakers or headphones. I like my sound with good strong bass and accurate highs. I like to feel the real low frequencies and cut down on the mid-low frequencies to keep the bass deep and powerful yet, not overpowering. Basically I like my music to have a powerful appearance like a rock concert that you can feel but with more clarity depending on the music I am listening to of course. According to what others say, this is not what the typical audiophile likes. They'd rather it be accurate and un-fooled around with. although I have met some who like it the way I do. Sound is my hobby. It goes from everything from car audio, home audio and live sound. Currently I am the volunteer sound tech at our local community theater and have helped them out with fixing their audio equipment and shaping the sound / creating special effects for their shows. The home theater / music listening equipment I have now is mostly newer stuff. I wish that I could get my hands on some of the old school gear but i just cant afford it right now. The oldest audio equipment that I have is what I am most proud of, a pair of Cerwin Vega SE 280's. These monster 3 way speakers were actually an anniversary gift for my mother, they are a valuable heirloom in our family and will be passed down to me. I love these speakers, they sound phenomenal at both high and low volumes. Unfortunately the foam surrounds on the woofers began to rot because of their age but I replaced the surrounds myself and completely rebuilt and cleaned the speakers myself using its original components. They are almost 20 years old and they still produce beautiful sound and are capable of rumbling the entire house and cause neighbors to complain. Cerwin Vega is known for a unique sound that is not always appreciated by some audiophiles claiming that they over-accentuate the bass and don't accurately reproduce certain frequencies. I think their sound production is accurate with a lot of bass yet the bass is not overpowering, for me that's a good thing. I have them connected to a good 10 year old Technics home receiver. It sounds good but It does not have enough sound control for me. These speakers sparked my audiophile collection and later on when I get the money hopefullly I'll get some better equipment to drive these speakers.
Steve I enjoy reading your blog, keep up the good articles.
I'm now 21 and have since moved from a Sharp 1-bit bookshelf system with classic NHT SuperZeros to 6 foot tall full ribbon Magnepans, twin vintage DCM (before they were bought out) subwoofers driven by a Monster MPA 2250, Denon CD player, Fisher turntable, 1970's yamaha tuner and McIntosh C26 preamp. I'm extremely satisfied with the sound my system makes, but as is the case with most music lovers, we are always looking for ways to improve our systems.
All I need now is active tri-amplification, stereo bass and an up to spec digital front end, haha! I think it's the search for that indescribable emotional connection you feel when you listen to music that causes us to constantly try improving our systems. For better or worse, this is my place in life.
- by basite1990 June 1, 2009 10:07 AM PDT
- count me in. I'm 18 year old now (19 in a few months), and started with this hobby when I was 14. My first system consisted out of dad's New Large Advents, a middle of the line kenwood receiver from, 1978-79 (KR-730, IIRC), and a kenwood turntable. I also used my PC as a source.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (32 Comments)From then on, the system was ever evolving. got a different turntable (a Luxman), and a new integrated amp, second pair of advents. now, at the age of 18, I am lucky enough to own a Mcintosh MA6400 integrated, and Thiel CS2.3 speakers, a Marantz CD5001OSE cd player and the same trusty Luxman PD-282 turntable, with Denon DL-103 cart.
As I said, I was lucky, I have a wonderful dealer, who has given me these oppertunities to buy the gear secondhand.
Yet, as most of us have already experienced, being an audiophile, can be tremendously expensive. It's hard for teenagers, or younger adults in general, to earn enough money to be able to buy a decent system.
I have friends who respect my hobby, but still think I'm nuts, and others who just think I'm nuts to spend so much money on 'some electronics'. I think that, apart from the financial factor, this is also a major influence on why there are so few young audiophiles...