Listening to music I don’t particularly like


Do you find yourself listing to music you don't particularly like because it sounds so good on your system? If I'm honest with myself I am an old dude who grew up with classic rock and really enjoy it but a lot of it was not well recorded. So I find myself listening more and more to other genres of music that I normally wouldn't  just because they sound so good on my system. I don't know what this says about me, maybe I am more of an "equipmentphile" than a music lover? I keep listening to music ranging from classical to vocal jazz to country and I love the sound of it  but it doesn't get my toes tapping like a good old rock song from my youth. I was even listening to Chinese drums today. Is there hope for me? Will I ever ever enjoy this music as much as I enjoy the "sound"?

emiliop

maybe I am more of an "equipmentphile" than a music lover?

You are a prime example of Listening to the equipment rather than the music. And you know it. maybe its a phase. I have learned to like some music that I formerly never listened to either. I even listened to "Kind of Blue". I never learned to like it though. I haven’t mustered up enough courage to try female vocals. Yuck. to each, their own. A seat for every butt and a song (genre) for every person. I guess if you enjoy listenin g to the equipment, then who am I to say differently? But I suspect that will be short lived. You’ll get tired of that . I’ve seen a lot come & go. They had gone through equipment til they got tired of the merry go round.

 

One note is that I found that as you climb the ladder and get a really good system established, that classic rock doesn’t sound bad. No, it doesn’t have the separation & air, etc that acoustic music has. But I like it. it sounds really good to me. But I do understand your dilemma. I now play albums which I could not play 15-20 yrs ago because they were too shrill, thin and awful. But I found that it was the system, NOT the music.

There is a lot of the old stuff that I quit listening to because of the crap recordings..Janis is one of a few. 

BTW I have collection of over 400 78s in VG condition..It was my FIL pre WWII and until he went to heaven. 

For 6 weeks every year I crank up the Victrola and listen to 78s .. I don't care what it sounds like, it reminds me of my Father In Law, one of the greatest men I ever new.. I can see his wonderful smile.. Foxtrotted untill he was 92 then he slowed down. Ton of fun..

Regards

 

I still listen to the music I love. I just find myself listening to more music than I would have in the past. I just can't shake the feeling that no matter how good it sounds it doesn't have the same reaction if I haven't heard the song a hundred times before. Possible exception is a jazz vocal cover of one of my favorites. 

"For 6 weeks every year I crank up the Victrola and listen to 78s .. I don't care what it sounds like, it reminds me of my Father In Law, one of the greatest men I ever new.. I can see his wonderful smile.. Foxtrotted untill he was 92 then he slowed down. Ton of fun.."

 

Sounds like a wonderful man and a real music lover. 

I also prefer excellent sounding content.

Happily I like Jazz, and both early Mono and most Stereo (not reprocessed) Jazz includes great engineers that knew what they were doing. I do put in the 'sell' shelf, albums from artists I like with crap engineering. So many new to me artists to discover, and additional content of favorites.

I play fun memory type LP's, 60's, 70's  like you describe, great songs and beat but nothing special accoustically, using a separate MM replaceable ML stylus, avoiding wear on non-replaceable MC SAS stylus. My MONO is also replaceable stylus. CDs of course are and stay however good/bad they sounded.

Great sounding stuff, i.e. Eurythmics, Melissa Etheridge, .... I buy new LP's to replace my beat up ones. Not serious audiophile 45 rpm versions, just decent condition, near mint or new.