Audiophile or Music Lover?

Are you an Audiophile or Music Lover?

  • Audiophile

    Votes: 66 17.1%
  • Music Lover

    Votes: 321 82.9%

  • Total voters
    387

shacky

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
It took me more than a year to finally get my CL gifted Thiel 03a's up and running. Carl refoamed the woofers and midranges. Narodow helped my tremendously by rebuilding the active EQ. Gordon fixed a woofer I bent :tears: And Thiel replaced a tweeter - twice after my first solder hack disconnected the driver leads :tears:

So I was looking forward to hearing what true Audiophile grade speakers sound like. I've read numerous times how Thiels will expose shortcomings upstream and I must admit not all of it would qualify as Audiophile grade - the Sansui 890DB mostly though it drives the Thiels with aplomb.

Source material are BIC 980 TT with Ortofon F/FF cart and mostly Squeezebox Touch streaming Apple Lossless to Music Hall 25.2 DAC with upgraded Mullard NOS tube.

So my setup is not too shabby. And the Thiels did not disappoint. These babies are no slouch in the bass. They are the most neutral, accurate sounding speakers I've ever had in my listening space. I'm listening flat with maybe one or two notches of bass added - I like bass.

Great recordings sound unbelievable. I can understand lyrics I could not with other speakers or setups - tubes included. Nuances abound. Imaging is great though I probably haven't maximized in my smallish living room.

But there are disappointments. My Beatles Mono collection sounds thin. Blues do well but some guitar leads get a little piercing.

I've been listening to this setup for about 3 weeks now to get aclimated. But last night I decided to put my previous setup back in place. Eico HF-81 nicely redone by Narodow, Dan Nicotera, and Craig Otsby at NOS Tubes. And my Klipsch Forte's with Crites caps, Ti diaphragms and all new coils.

The Eico - Forte setup just draws me in :tresbon: Beatles sound glorious. No I don't get the ultra detail as with the Thiels but I enjoy the sound more.

I belive some will say the Thiels need better pre and amp to sound their best. Or cables. But this is my Deserted Island setup for sure :thmbsp:

Are you an Audiophile or a Music Lover?
 
I am both. For me, two separate, but related hobbies.

I enjoy the simple act of listening to music, live or reproduced.

I enjoy the rescue and repair and modification of gear. And the comparison and evaluation of gear.

I enjoy the act of using the gear.
 
Only in it for the music. I have a decent set up right now. It could be better.
:D
 
Um...both?

I mean, if it wasn't for the music then I wouldn't care about the equipment, and if it wasn't for the equipment I wouldn't be able to enjoy my music as much.
 
I am music lover first on a continuing pursuit for better sound. This gives me the excuse to $pend irrational amounts of money and justify it as a hobby.
If I were to be an audiophile, pursuit of sound quality would become primary and music second.
This then would lead me to boredom.
Just as applies to me.
 
Both for me as well. The equipment just makes the music that much better. I've done the boombox thing before and I'll never go back to it as my main source.
 
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Guess I cold have made it are you more of one or the other or have a selection for both. But I was in this weird mood.
 
I just put in a friend of mine's 'audiophile demonstration disc'- its something he picked up at a trade show that's used to show off systems. If this audiophile-approved music is any indication, I am most definitely a music lover and not an audiophile.
 
One choice?

I'm a musician, music lover AND long-time audiophile. I joined up before the terms were mutually exclusive, I guess.
 
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