MISSING THE POINT?

Hi Ben: I pick randomly at thrift stores and fleamarkets. I purchase a lot of disks (since they are inexpensive) that I do not have a clue about, and just wing it on instinct. If there is something new that looks interesting (usually noted on the threads at this site) I ask my wife to put it on her list with BMG and Amazon. If I can get out I average 3 or 4 new CD's a week. I have picked up Russian opera singers, Tango CD's, you name it and have only crapped out a handful of times. I used to select my vinyl in this same manner and ended up with some very rare and good short run albums. If I like the music I just live with the recording quality (whatever it is). I also use a pair of HT Truthlink IC's to help tone down the crummy HF's of some of the disks, can't do much about the LF's , etc., but the HF's are tamable.

I definitely spend more time in music stores than I do thinking about the equipment. I don't think I've come upon a genre of music that hasn't held some gem for me. This is a blessing as there is almost always something new that I like and have never heard of before. It's a curse because I have to listen to a lot of barely worthwhile music to find the gems. Fortunately, all of my friends are into music as much as I am (although none of them are into equipment at all), so they help trim the fat. I don't know how you define conservative tastes, but ECM is a goldmine of new, excellently recorded music. Matador is pretty good too.

I think its a balance issue. It is easy to go overboard and focus almost entirely on the equipment. Personally, I can't really tell from the threads on this site if most "audiophiles" spend more time tweaking/upgrading equipment rather than listening to music. After all, this site is really geared toward electronics. And what is the goal of all this tweaking? To come closer to the music. Some people have the money to spend, others don't. What you might be seeing is a reflection of the fact that this site is mainly about equipment, and therefore most of the threads concern tweaking/upgrading, and people who have the money to invest. I spend a great deal of time reading about and auditioning equipment. But I also spend a great deal of time listening to music. For me, both are important. However, I don't generally talk about music on this site...it doesn't mean I've missed the point, it just means I don't participate in discussions about music.

i search nearly every day for "new music," rock, folk, blues, classical or any other genre that sounds interesting. i typically buy or otherwise obtain (my older son and his wife are both in the radio/entertainment industry & pass on lots of demos-lucky me!) 5-10 cd's or lp's/ week. i find lot's of interesting stuff reviewed on npr (you can get lists @ npr.org or from my state: cpr.org). i also rely on fellow 'philes, dealers and manufacturers' reps for recommendations. with some notable exceptions (grammy winners are generally not voted on by audiophiles-indeed, most recording artist i know couldn't care less about playback equipment), most recent cd's are head and shoulders better sounding than stuff put out in 1983-95. i'm rambling here, i know, so let me summarize: I am a long-time 'phile with a verrry highend system who searches for new recordings as a means to enjoy that in which i've invested my $$ and time. i know i'm not alone in this endeavor.

If it's got an ECM number I buy it. It's like putting oneself on a subsription - and almost like stamp collecting haha. In so doing I've been turned onto lots of interesting stuff. And believe it or not 'classical' music is still being written by 21st century composers. But I can dig the idea of hearing familiar 'old' pieces in new ways. Good art is timeless. When I crave pop I only buy it used because the shine wears off pretty quickly.