Feeling discouraged today.....

[Worf101]

I've a friend named Randy. He's an older fellow, Federal Judge by day, Jazz lover by night. He has a wonderful 2 channel system in his home in a dedicated room just for that. Today I asked him what he was listening to these days and he said "I just picked up Jeff Beck's last two albums. I downloaded em on my MP3 player and these Bose Headphones makes the music sound great."

After picking myself off the floor I launched into a 10 minute tirade about how no self respecting lover of music could be satisfied with the MP3 format, how he could've done much better than Bose for less money. I extolled the virtues of ripping lossless to a dedicated server which would give him access to his entire library thoughout his house. He sat in stoney silence and finally said that "that's all well and good for you, you're a musician and can hear the difference, I cannot so this is good enough for me."

It was like watching a life long friend turn to the dark side of the force. I was saddened and sickened to think that this was the current state of the listening habits of America and to top it off, there was a decent system sitting unused for no good reason. Sigh....

I feel so depressed.

Worf

 

[Urizen]

"this is good enough for me."

Good for him!:thmbsp:

 

[Fopp]

mp3s, if encoded at a high bitrate (higher than 128), can sound wonderful. Even at 128 they can bring happiness.

As for the Bose headphones, I used to have a pair, and I enjoyed countless hours of music with them. I now have a pair of Grado SR80s, and they do sound better, but I certainly do not regret owning the Bose.

If he is enjoying the music, that's all that matters. There is no "dark side" involved with enjoying music in a lower fidelity format.

 

[visiman]

I have a co-worker who also gave in to the dark side. Swore that he would never get into CD's ("nothin is better that Vinyl")and then,.....He bought a computer, got online, and let it run 24hours a day downloading albums in Mp3 format.

 

[austi15]

Hey if you can't hear the difference anymore, you can't hear the difference...

I think he's a smart guy for going for convenience to enjoy his music when he can no longer enjoy the benefits of a "hi-fi" system.

If he let's the system sit for years unused, or CAN hear the difference, but was convinced by the media that he can't- I have a problem with that. But really even if either or both of those unlikely scenarios are the case, it's up to him what sounds good to him.

 

[beatcomber]

I have a co-worker who also gave in to the dark side. Swore that he would never get into CD's ("nothin is better that Vinyl")and then,.....He bought a computer, got online, and let it run 24hours a day downloading albums in Mp3 format.

For nuts like us, the care and feeding of a vinyl system is part of the fun and enjoyment. For 'normal' people, it's just a PITA.

 

[Arkay]

Stating one's approximate age should be a requirement for posting in a thread like this. (So as not to be hypocritical, I'm just past the half-century mark.)

On the one hand, I think the judge was completely logical in what he said: if it is good enough to satisfy him, then that should be good enough!

On the other hand, I share your frustration, knowing that he COULD have MUCH better sound, and chooses not to.

But each of us has to decide what is important to us, in our own life, and live accordingly. While we can try to share what we value with others, it is not our place to insist that they make the same choices they do, any more than it is theirs to force us to live as they do. Diversity actually makes like better; the world would be boring if we all chose the same things.

Look at it this way: here is one less person to compete with you for the limited supply of vintage gear, original LPs, etc... which will help keep the prices down!

 

[DougMac]

Well...

I feel so depressed.

If the choices made by others that effect only them can bum you out, perhaps it's time for some self evaluation.

I'm a self respecting music lover and there's a lot of situations where I'm highly satisfied with high bit rate MP3's. I subscribe to Rhapsody and download files to my Zen to listen to while at work or out and about. It's certainly far better than my old Walkman or even my old portable CD player. I also frequently listen to Rhapsody at home. I do not normally buy MP3 files as my music source, though. I still buy CD's and LP's.

I have some friends who own Bose products and I wish they had conferred with me, as others have done, before making their purchase. I think it would be rude of me, however, to diss their decision unless they directly ask my opinion of their choice. Even then, I would try to be diplomatic and provide them opportunities to come to their own conclusion.

Be careful. It can be a long way down when you step off that high horse.

 

[similost]

Why worry about it or let it bother you? So long as he's happy that's all that matters.

 

[Smwilli]

Maybe you'll be getting a nice stereo system from him in the near future!

 

[mashaffer]

Look at it as an acquisition opportunity what with that perfectly good 2 channel system just sitting there collecting dust...



mike

Edit: How about that; beat me to the punch. Great minds...

 

[jayk]

i also subscribe to rhapsody but rather than download any of their offerings, i simply stream it, usually full albums, right into either a cassette deck or even reel to reel.
i think they sound pretty good on analog tape.

 

[Gregoire]

If the choices made by others that effect only them can bum you out, perhaps it's time for some self evaluation.

I'm a self respecting music lover and there's a lot of situations where I'm highly satisfied with high bit rate MP3's. I subscribe to Rhapsody and download files to my Zen to listen to while at work or out and about. It's certainly far better than my old Walkman or even my old portable CD player. I also frequently listen to Rhapsody at home. I do not normally buy MP3 files as my music source, though. I still buy CD's and LP's.

Thanks to Rhapsody, I don't buy CD's anymore. Vinyl is a different story, I buy as much as I can.

With Rhapsody, for the monthly fee of a slightly overpriced CD I can download an incredible number of tunes for my MP3 player which is used mostly for gym/mowing/vacuuming. Additionally, my 14yo daughter can download on the same account and of course listens to current pop music. she can get so many songs some of her iPod owning friends (who have to buy each tune) are jealous. I haven't bought her a CD in years

 

[similost]

A second thought... my wife has her iPod, and uses the buds that comes with it... I've got a really nice pair of Monster Jamz that sound so much better.. but she won't use them because she says the iPod buds feel better, and the sound is good enough... As long as she is happy... It's not my place to tell her what's wrong with her style..

 

[TAGO MAGO]

When you are careful about the bitrate, the MP3 format is actually pretty decent. I am not saying that I will ever give up my vinyl, tape (both cassette and open reel) and CD collection, but through countless music blogs I have found out about music I would have not otherwise known about because of this format or would have never found in a record store. I am mindful of the bitrate and usually stay away from anything below 160kbps, although I usually rip at 320kbps. That is not saying when I get enough dough, I wouldn't seek out actual copies of the music, more than likely on vinyl.

 

[Freedom]

Maybe he will give you his old system? :thmbsp:

 

[meggy]

Why worry about it or let it bother you? So long as he's happy that's all that matters.

Ditto. IMO, bottom line is that people listen to music. It helps makes the world a better place. Lady Gaga MP3's with Lady Gaga headphones? Hooray! Bose radios in the kitchen? Great! Crazies like most of us putting together systems that deliver the most sound quality out of any available formats? Even better.

 

[RichPA]

A 10-minute tirade? Really?

 

[Old_Tech]

I say if the fella enjoys the music then that is all that really matters. And it probably does sound really nice to him there really is no reason why it shouldn't.

I have four brand new Bose 301's I run off a vintage Sansui receiver and I'll tell you what, they sound really nice to me.

I can also say that so many people enjoy listening to MP3 files while doing their thing. I have never heard one person complain they could not enjoy their music.

I kind of feel happy for this man because he can enjoy the music for what it is instead of what it isn't. :thmbsp:

 

[chadnliz]

I dont think you should judge another or take it personal somebody decides to enjoy something however they wish, I mean seriously...who are you to lecture him?
Sorry but these crusades annoy me, some love what they love or choose to enjoy something for any number of reasons and its not for anyone to decide whats best for them. He is obviously a smart man, has some wealth I assume and his own functioning brain to choose what works for him.
Quit trying to save the world, its things like this that make others think we are crazy and it turns them off to the hobby..

I've a friend named Randy. He's an older fellow, Federal Judge by day, Jazz lover by night. He has a wonderful 2 channel system in his home in a dedicated room just for that. Today I asked him what he was listening to these days and he said "I just picked up Jeff Beck's last two albums. I downloaded em on my MP3 player and these Bose Headphones makes the music sound great."

After picking myself off the floor I launched into a 10 minute tirade about how no self respecting lover of music could be satisfied with the MP3 format, how he could've done much better than Bose for less money. I extolled the virtues of ripping lossless to a dedicated server which would give him access to his entire library thoughout his house. He sat in stoney silence and finally said that "that's all well and good for you, you're a musician and can hear the difference, I cannot so this is good enough for me."

It was like watching a life long friend turn to the dark side of the force. I was saddened and sickened to think that this was the current state of the listening habits of America and to top it off, there was a decent system sitting unused for no good reason. Sigh....

I feel so depressed.

Worf