Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) shreds the FLAC lovers + more

tentoze · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:34 am

f4df Wrote:

tentoze Wrote:

f4df Wrote:

...but I do think that there is something to be said that the reason why audiophiles are older are because (besides the obvious reason that they have more income) the experience of music itself has lost something to them. Tolerance increases, and they need to distill the experience (making it more artificial in the process?)

This is slightly mind-boggling to me. If I read it correctly, I somehow "lost the experience of music itself", so I went out and spent thousands of dollars on an audio system that reproduces the original audio source as closely as possible (to the extent my income allows). On the contrary, I did it get as faithful a representation of what the artist intended as I possibly can. And this somehow makes it "more artificial"? There's some serious pretzel logic at work here. I get as close to the music as I can, and shitty bit rate mp3's don't get me anywhere NEAR it. Unless it's Radiohead.

My point was not about whether mp3s or 'high-end' audio equipment is better. My point was this- music no longer evokes the raw, primal response it did years ago (and is therefore less meaningful) - and so, they complicate the experience (in an attempt to make it meaningful once again) - it is no longer ABOUT the music so much as listening to music THROUGH high-end audio equipment. And that is what makes it more artificial. If you have spent any time with audiophiles or on forums - you know how little of the talk is centered around MUSIC.

I spend most of my time on another forum dedicated to all things audio, and can't really disagree with the last statement- much of the conversation there IS centered around equipment, but in my experience, VERY few of the members there have lost the joy of music. Just the opposite in fact- an overwhelming percentage are involved because they are striving to get as close to their choice of music as they possibly can.

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of $8k in my main system, and it is FAR from complicated- an integrated amp, a cd player with outboard DAC, and a turntable. No funky-ass processors, mixers, extraneous doo-dahs. And, I NEVER lost the sense of wonder that my music evokes in me.

Mick · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:47 am

If you care about audio formats, you've already lost.

f4df · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:50 am

tentoze Wrote:

f4df Wrote:

tentoze Wrote:

f4df Wrote:

...but I do think that there is something to be said that the reason why audiophiles are older are because (besides the obvious reason that they have more income) the experience of music itself has lost something to them. Tolerance increases, and they need to distill the experience (making it more artificial in the process?)

This is slightly mind-boggling to me. If I read it correctly, I somehow "lost the experience of music itself", so I went out and spent thousands of dollars on an audio system that reproduces the original audio source as closely as possible (to the extent my income allows). On the contrary, I did it get as faithful a representation of what the artist intended as I possibly can. And this somehow makes it "more artificial"? There's some serious pretzel logic at work here. I get as close to the music as I can, and shitty bit rate mp3's don't get me anywhere NEAR it. Unless it's Radiohead.

My point was not about whether mp3s or 'high-end' audio equipment is better. My point was this- music no longer evokes the raw, primal response it did years ago (and is therefore less meaningful) - and so, they complicate the experience (in an attempt to make it meaningful once again) - it is no longer ABOUT the music so much as listening to music THROUGH high-end audio equipment. And that is what makes it more artificial. If you have spent any time with audiophiles or on forums - you know how little of the talk is centered around MUSIC.

I spend most of my time on another forum dedicated to all things audio, and can't really disagree with the last statement- much of the conversation there IS centered around equipment, but in my experience, VERY few of the members there have lost the joy of music. Just the opposite in fact- an overwhelming percentage are involved because they are striving to get as close to their choice of music as they possibly can.

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of $8k in my main system, and it is FAR from complicated- an integrated amp, a cd player with outboard DAC, and a turntable. No funky-ass processors, mixers, extraneous doo-dahs. And, I NEVER lost the sense of wonder that my music evokes in me.

Well then your experience differs from mine. I spent way too much time among "audiophiles" and my experience was the direct opposite. They chose the music they listened to by virtue of how it would sound on their equipment.

tentoze · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:52 am

Some do, for sure.

bort · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:56 am

the "too much music" is a fair take, but in some ways in can be a relative point. to the "normal" person who works 40 hrs with no access to mp3s at the job, and has other family obligations and what not, there may be little time to "devote" to music.

but to an another music-loving person who's got extra time and love to spare, i think a few hundred more cds is still appropriate.

Stone · **Joined:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:27 am **Posts:** 1562

Mick the Stripper Wrote:

If you care about audio formats, you've already lost.

This is one of the most ignorant things I've heard someone say in a while.

jewels santana · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:36 pm **Posts:** 10198

i don't know about ignorant, more like lazy trolling

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:53 pm

Mick the Stripper Wrote:

If you care about audio formats, you've already lost.

About one step above this is the correct place to be, imho. While I will never go to Sketchyan levels, I can hear the choppiness in low bitrate 128 mp3's in the cymbols and higher end guitars. And it annoys me. Get it up to 192 and that's gone enough where I'm happy.

Sketch · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:28 pm

timmyjoe42 Wrote:

Sketch Wrote:

Cap'n Squirrgle Wrote:

Sketch will not approve.

Only because Johnny's not seeing the bigger picture. I'm sure he will be pleased to know I'm rockin Nero -q .4 (~128) AAC on the iPod these days.

Sketch, your post in that thread made my head explode.

My main point (both there and here) is that while I can't tell the difference between CD and higher-bitrate MP3s, there are other practical reasons for storing music as lossless (FLAC, et al.)

Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) shreds the FLAC lovers + more

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