Audiophile [aw-dee-uh-fahyl] A person that is especially interested in High-Fidelity sound reproduction
Who and what equipment turned you into an Audiophile ? And when ?
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Audiophile [aw-dee-uh-fahyl] A person that is especially interested in High-Fidelity sound reproduction
For the past 50 years I've always been captive to the music coming out of whatever piece of electronic equipment that I was listening to. For me those sounds have always been in the foreground; not the background. Getting a better quality of sound was always the most important thing. For so many years the sound was never good enough. I never had a lot of money to throw at the problem but better equipment was always near the top of my spending list.
In 1973 I bought an Akai 4000DS reel-to-reel which was one of my more memorable purchases. That allowed me to access the City of Edmonton (yes, the same Edmonton Oilers) Public Library and their fairly extensive LP collection. Had a lot of fun putting together tapes (at 7 1/2 ips of course - for fidelity reasons). Steely Dan - Aja got a lot of play in my basement suite back then. Later I upgraded my turntable to a direct drive model. It was a Sony but I can't remember which one. Then CDs came out and eventually I lost interest in the hobby. DVD-A, in about 2002, was a revelation.
After all those years I have reached the point where for me fidelity is not the issue. What I hear now - the vocals, the drums, the bass, the guitars, etc all sound really good. As an audiophile I always start from the base assumption that the experience of listening to reproduced music can always be improved. So if it's not the fidelity anymore, what is it? I think 5.1 reproduction has shown that "the space" can be enhanced. That is, stereo is not as engaging as 5.1. And thus 5.1 will not be as engaging as x.x. The sound quality is there. Now we explore and evaluate the space in which the listening occurs. Perhaps it is the Mix and it's relationship to the number of channels that becomes the thing that audiophiles direct their attention towards.
In 1973 I bought an Akai 4000DS reel-to-reel which was one of my more memorable purchases. That allowed me to access the City of Edmonton (yes, the same Edmonton Oilers) Public Library and their fairly extensive LP collection. Had a lot of fun putting together tapes (at 7 1/2 ips of course - for fidelity reasons). Steely Dan - Aja got a lot of play in my basement suite back then. Later I upgraded my turntable to a direct drive model. It was a Sony but I can't remember which one. Then CDs came out and eventually I lost interest in the hobby. DVD-A, in about 2002, was a revelation.
After all those years I have reached the point where for me fidelity is not the issue. What I hear now - the vocals, the drums, the bass, the guitars, etc all sound really good. As an audiophile I always start from the base assumption that the experience of listening to reproduced music can always be improved. So if it's not the fidelity anymore, what is it? I think 5.1 reproduction has shown that "the space" can be enhanced. That is, stereo is not as engaging as 5.1. And thus 5.1 will not be as engaging as x.x. The sound quality is there. Now we explore and evaluate the space in which the listening occurs. Perhaps it is the Mix and it's relationship to the number of channels that becomes the thing that audiophiles direct their attention towards.
The sound quality does need to be there as well.
I remember attending a CES show in Las Vegas years ago where there was a demo of an early 22 channel sound system. The music for the demo was so shrill and awful that no one left that room with a positive thing to say about the system or demo. For me, I was anxious to get back to hearing some quality 5.1 Surround SACD - and several music rooms obliged! On that day, more channels did not win the contest.
To me, the music is paramount. A guy I worked with in the hi-fi business once stated, "I listen to fidelity, not music." :yikes Personally, I'd rather listen to Bessie Smith or Tampa Red on 78's, or Cedar'ed transfers, than much of what is out there today in stunning fidelity. All that being said, the more faithful the reproduction, the better I like the experience. A girlfriend who owns a Bose Waveradio, sat in my living room and commented that my speakers are huge, but they sound terrific.
As a season subscriber to Chicago Symphony, I would often close my eyes. No, I wasn't nodding out. Instead, it heightened the listening experience with no distractions from my other senses. That realism is what I've sought for over 40 years of being an audiophile.
For some audiophile fidelity, check out the stunning imaging and depth of field on the Swedish Opus 3 record label's acoustic recordings: http://www.opus3records.com/
As a season subscriber to Chicago Symphony, I would often close my eyes. No, I wasn't nodding out. Instead, it heightened the listening experience with no distractions from my other senses. That realism is what I've sought for over 40 years of being an audiophile.
For some audiophile fidelity, check out the stunning imaging and depth of field on the Swedish Opus 3 record label's acoustic recordings: http://www.opus3records.com/
I was inspired by my older brother's system. A Pioneer setup a friend bought for him when returning from Vietnam in the 60's. A beautiful table with Pioneer OEM cart, huge Pioneer receiver, and CS something-something speakers with like 5 drivers per cabinet, 12" woofers, and fancy wood latticed grills. He also had a funny looking thing made by Phillips called a cassette deck.
I put together my first real system in the early 70's when I was in my middle teens. It was financed by a part time job at a dairy and was of a much higher quality than any of my friends systems. It included a BIC turntable, ADC cartridge, a huge top load Marantz cassette deck, 125wpc Marantz receiver (a 2325 maybe?), and Bose 901s. I bought all of this sight unseen based on Stereo Review reviews. I used that receiver for a long time, but eventually upgraded everything else as my knowledge, bankroll and interest grew. The turntable was eventually replaced by a Denon DD, Infinity BW arm and Grace cartridge. The Marantz deck was replaced with a Pioneer front load (a nice 3 head with those "new" floroscan meters). I also got a large Pioneer R2R. The 901s were sold to a friend and were replaced with a pair of Dahlquist DQ10's. I was happy with that system for quite a while before upgrading again in the early 80s with Audio Research separates and Magneplanar Tympani 1D's. Man I wish I had a lot of this stuff today.
I put together my first real system in the early 70's when I was in my middle teens. It was financed by a part time job at a dairy and was of a much higher quality than any of my friends systems. It included a BIC turntable, ADC cartridge, a huge top load Marantz cassette deck, 125wpc Marantz receiver (a 2325 maybe?), and Bose 901s. I bought all of this sight unseen based on Stereo Review reviews. I used that receiver for a long time, but eventually upgraded everything else as my knowledge, bankroll and interest grew. The turntable was eventually replaced by a Denon DD, Infinity BW arm and Grace cartridge. The Marantz deck was replaced with a Pioneer front load (a nice 3 head with those "new" floroscan meters). I also got a large Pioneer R2R. The 901s were sold to a friend and were replaced with a pair of Dahlquist DQ10's. I was happy with that system for quite a while before upgrading again in the early 80s with Audio Research separates and Magneplanar Tympani 1D's. Man I wish I had a lot of this stuff today.
kap'n krunch
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
First , it was my Stepfather, who taught me how to take care of LPs when I was a kid...that's why most of my LPs from the 70's (and of course, the rest..) sound almost new...
He was the one who bought a Quad Panasonic 8 track/receiver, and CD-4 turntable , but NEVER a CD-4 LP , only SQ.. if only I'd known back then...
Anyway, I always liked great sounding stuff..., a friend of my sister's who was in the Army in Germany brought home a LOVELY system with a couple of "Maggies"...that didn't work!!!!
Still it was always fiends of my sister who had some nice stuff..I remember another guy , who died in 2001(!!!) with a GREAT Sansui setup...
When I was a DJ in an FM station, I loved the Technics TTs and the Yammys that we used to CRANK UP...
Later, when I went to Berklee to learn how to record and mix I learned what REAL HiFi was....those were the days....analog heaven...
I can't afford Hi End systems, but I'm happy with my Pie In Ear behemoth from 7 years ago that cranks out 150 per channel x 6 with my humble JBLs E80s and my Oppo 980H....let's not forget the Technics Linear Tracking (one of the 1st ones) SL-QL2 with an Ortofon OMP-20 cart!..and for Headphones, I will ALWAYS be a Sony MDR-V6 (or 7506) Lover...
He was the one who bought a Quad Panasonic 8 track/receiver, and CD-4 turntable , but NEVER a CD-4 LP , only SQ.. if only I'd known back then...
Anyway, I always liked great sounding stuff..., a friend of my sister's who was in the Army in Germany brought home a LOVELY system with a couple of "Maggies"...that didn't work!!!!
Still it was always fiends of my sister who had some nice stuff..I remember another guy , who died in 2001(!!!) with a GREAT Sansui setup...
When I was a DJ in an FM station, I loved the Technics TTs and the Yammys that we used to CRANK UP...
Later, when I went to Berklee to learn how to record and mix I learned what REAL HiFi was....those were the days....analog heaven...
I can't afford Hi End systems, but I'm happy with my Pie In Ear behemoth from 7 years ago that cranks out 150 per channel x 6 with my humble JBLs E80s and my Oppo 980H....let's not forget the Technics Linear Tracking (one of the 1st ones) SL-QL2 with an Ortofon OMP-20 cart!..and for Headphones, I will ALWAYS be a Sony MDR-V6 (or 7506) Lover...
Joann Shatek must have been a crush nice.....
The Opus 3 catalog is sonically excellent - they have titles by Eric Bibb, Samplers and some Jazz titles in Multichannel SACD and Stereo SACD that are excellent. Their DSDFile.Com web store just released the excellent Tiny Island album in Double Rate DSD as a download. Even better than the SACD release !
In the early '80's, a friend and I met Opus 3's founder while we were all auditioning Audiophile gear at CES. He was floored when we knew who he was. "Of course, we know who you are. You're like a God to us." I quipped.
Eric Bibb was kind enough to autograph many of my LP's and discs when I met him at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Eric is from Chicago and is the son of Leon Bibb.
Eric Bibb was kind enough to autograph many of my LP's and discs when I met him at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Eric is from Chicago and is the son of Leon Bibb.
The Eric Bibb recordings on Opus 3 are excellent. I talked to Jan-Eric Persson about them and he recently released a collection of them as a new album in Stereo DSD Download format called "A Selection of Analogue Eric Bibb" in DSD64 and DSD128 (no SACD version available). Really excellent.
I met Jan-Eric in person last year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver during the DSD Panel hosted by Positive Feedback Magazine. (He will be on the DSD Panel at RMAF again next month). A real treat since I have been listening to - and writing about - his Multichannel and Stereo SACDs for years.
They're really good I have all the multi-channel ones, I've seen him live a couple of times at festivals, and he's as good live as on record.
If you dig Keb Mo, you'll love Eric Bibb. They're friends and have performed together. Although lesser known, Eric was on the scene first.
Now back to all you Audio Piles.
Linda, the Audio Philly
Now back to all you Audio Piles.
Linda, the Audio Philly
For me it was my dads audio system consisting of a Pioneer QX-8000 Quad Receiver, Empire Grenadier 7500 speakers (front), KLH Model 17 speakers (rear) and Akai CR-80D-SS 8-Track Deck. This was back in 1971 and I was 13. The surround sound just blew me away. I was hooked and started buying quad 8-tracks with money earned from mowing lawns. A few years later I purchased a Garrard Zero 92 turntable and Pickering XUV-4500Q Cartridge to add to the system. I started purchasing quad LP's with plans to purchase a receiver with CD-4 and better SQ/QS decoders. By the time I had the money quadraphonic was done. However, it was this system that got me hooked on hi-fi and surround sound...forever. 
-Lou
-Lou
Doug G.
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
She and I kind of had a mutual attraction thing going but we didn't hang in the same crowd, really, so nothing ever really happened.
Oh well.
Doug
leevitalone1
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Ahhhh! The fire of youth and hormones- what a great time! But being the right age in the 70's was the best time ever!
