SQ vs. Music

Since childhood, music has been an overwhelming passion in my life.
Thats why it’s particularly disturbing to me when SQ becomes such a seductive force.

There’s nothing better than the synergy of music with good sound quality.
That makes the audiophile struggle all worth it.

edcyn,

I’m 1000% in agreement with you.
As Mahler himself said, his symphonies are “worlds” in themselves.
Mahler can move me like almost no one.
It’s just that he, sensually, creates worlds of his own as well.

Since no one has yet dared to tackle the question, I’ll answer it myself.
I find that, ashamedly, I listen for the sound only a large percentage of the time.
I guess that’s the pitfall of spending a lot of time and money in this hobby.

Very thought-provoking response MC.

snilf,

First of all I don’t have a piano in my RV. I don’t even have an RV.  Those are my initials, and I am (or was) a pianist.
I agree with your choice, btw, of the Furtwangler Brahms 1st, especially in the Pristine.com pressing. Your point about Mahler is also very well taken: It is so much about the sound.  Which speaks to the question so many have addressed here.  I think I (we) get in trouble when I turn the set on looking for sonic wonders.
Again, as so many have said, if the initial motivation is the song or piece of music, the result is much happier.

Some really probing answers to the question here, many of which I can relate to.
 It’s not a simple matter.

Just one final word on this subject from me.
 As so many have pointed out, simply put, music IS sound.
 The ear is titillated from wonderful and varied sounds.  But it’s also so much more than that. The psyche and soul somehow get involved in the combination of notes put together by great composers’ minds and performers.  This is the aspect we must not forget about.

No matter what anyone says, the lure of sound for sound’s sake is huge in this hobby. It’s almost a definition of it.
However, for most of us, I believe the greatest pleasure in the world is to be happy at how much the music we’re enjoying also has good sound, not the other way around.