Can somebody understand this mentality?

[eRiCdWoNg]

OK Im sure all of you know families/individuals like this. I find it amazing when I go to somebody's house, and they are musicians themselves and/or are very into music (ie large CD collection, goes to concerts) or like the movies alot. However, when you take a look at what they play it back through, its either a low quality shelf system, the factory car radio, or home theater through the TV speakers. Infact now that I think about it, very few of my friends or friends of my parents are really enthusiastic about the gear. To me, I value the gear more then I do the music. Infact I dont care if I had no bed and slept on the couch, I'd still have some sort of high quality audio system. Maybe I'm a little out there but I cant seem to understand the reverse mentality. Its sorta like how can somebody not care that they're listening to a low quality system yet be into the music???

[george a]

Hi ericdwong

I applaud your enthusiasm and priorities- some are happy with great audio setups but only own sound effects records etc. (not saying that you do of course)

I suspect some are more interested in the music, but i understand how painful it may be when you know just how much extra others could be enjoying their music with better gear.
some just don't care anyway -its all about the music in the end anyway...

I once heard a critisism of Puccini's music along the lines of
"Anybody can sing Puccini's operas and sound wonderful.."

I could think of no higher praise....

Puccini's work sounds great no matter what its played on...


enjoy what works for you

[phase_accurate]

To me, I value the gear more then I do the music. Infact I dont care if I had no bed and slept on the couch, I'd still have some sort of high quality audio system.

Many people are not very interested technically. Their views might be vice-versa.

I wonder how you would score here ?! :

http://www.armory.com/tests/nerd.html

Regards

Charles

[dhaen]

You answered "yes" to 49 of 100 questions, making you 51.0% nerd pure (49.0% nerd corrupt); that is, you are 51.0% pure in the nerd domain (you have 49.0% nerd in you).
Your Weirdness Factor (AKA Uniqueness Factor) is 43%, based on a comparison of your test results with 378675 other submissions for this test.

(The last answer was no... )

[SY]

My results:

You answered "yes" to 51 of 100 questions, making you 49.0% nerd pure (51.0% nerd corrupt); that is, you are 49.0% pure in the nerd domain (you have 51.0% nerd in you).
Your Weirdness Factor (AKA Uniqueness Factor) is 42%, based on a comparison of your test results with 378675 other submissions for this test.

The idea that dhaen is weirder than me is rather frightening.

[johnnyx]

I've noticed it too, but the rich and famous pop stars have good gear, as seen on Cribs; the MTV show. Most musicians are poor, and the £1000 for a cd player would actually buy a rather nice guitar, or flute.

[A 8]

You answered "yes" to 16 of 100 questions, making you 84.0% nerd pure (16.0% nerd corrupt); that is, you are 84.0% pure in the nerd domain (you have 16.0% nerd in you).

[Steve Eddy]

Originally posted by eRiCdWoNg
To me, I value the gear more then I do the music.

Well, as I've said before, for some, the gear simply serves as an intermediary to connect to the music, whereas for others, the music simply serves as an intermediary to connect to the gear.

For the former, the gear is nothing more than a tool. For the latter, the music is nothing more than a tool.

se

[dhaen]

Originally posted by SY
My results:

snip...

The idea that dhaen is weirder than me is rather frightening.

Now that, I take as a compliment

On to topic:
As for musicians' taste: Surely many are most interested in the technicalities of the music that they can affect while playing: Relative loudness, pitch, timing. These things are the least affected by electro-acoustics of audio systems.

[mgreene]

I have worked with some very accomplished (educated) musicians who have a terrible (or at least poor) tone on their chosen instruments.

This shows that many people - even some musicians - are not that sensitive to the sonic presentation of music. This is not counting people who only think they are musicians

So, it isn't really amazing or even strange that many people who claim to love music could care less about the actual system.

Mike