Has your musical interests evolved as your system improves?

nooshinjohn

I have found my appreciation and even love of music has grown exponentially as my system is capable of delivering performances that are engaging and fun to listen to. Even five years ago, my listening would predominantly be classic rock and more modern country...

Today, those horizons have expanded to include every genre (except Rap). As I type, I am listening to Steve Martin and his bluegrass music. I truly enjoy sitting back and trying on new music that there is no way I would have otherwise been exposed to. Having my rig perform at a level that draws me into the performance is truly a blessing.

pitdogg2

I, personally would say as I've gotten older I've come to appreciate more music that a decade ago I would not have given the time of day.
Yes my rig is leaps better than that time period and that may also contribute.

Jetmaker737

Yes, I concur with this. My mainstays were previously Rock and Alternative. In last 3-4 years I've come to appreciate Classical music. I've lately improved my system dramatically with new speakers, better placement and room treatments. Since then I've gotten into Electronica, and Baroque chamber music (with a touch of Japanese Ambient). What these disparate genres have in common are unique and interesting sounds. And when they are well recorded with superb imaging, depth and timbre they are fascinating to listen to. I have Qobuz via Roon which has been a godsend in terms of freedom to try new things and to find those really special recordings that are worth coming back to many times.

Toolfan66

My musical interests evolved a bunch after joining this forum. Never, and I mean never did I see myself being such a fan of Dire Straits, and Steely Dan, let alone the Jazz I enjoy as well..

There are many more, but this stands out the most for me..

I am going to add that my heart revolves around metal, and hard rock, and unfortunately I can honestly say most of it I don't enjoy on my system, there are some exceptions, but really for the most part what draws me to metal and hard rock is the rawness of it, especially an artist/band's earlier work, and the production can be cumbersome on a higher end system..
Sometimes you just need a little volume, and bass to kick you in the rear..

Sometimes I am just okay with the basic needs to listen to music..

VR3

My audio journey 2003 to 2011... not so much

My audio journey 2015 to now with streaming? Absolutely... this hobby has never been more fun for me then it is today!

Emlyn

Interesting thing to think about. My musical interests were always broad but I had limited access and limited means to experience what I was interested in. As I've got older I've been able to experience far more because of increased access and more years of being able to listen to things. That doesn't really have anything to do with an audio system's resolution since I've had access to a decent system since the mid-1980s (Akai integrated amp, Philips CD player, Pioneer Turntable early on).

But, as I have got access to to a wider range of music and audio systems that are "high resolution" I no longer listen to some of what I listened to back in the 1980s if the recording quality isn't decent. So if anything a high resolution system led to me to stop listening to some music that sounded good on an old car stereo or FM radio rather than the other way around.

PSOVLSK

I’ll probably delve into this more another time when I have more time, but I definitely listen differently. On my system, I prefer music that sounds good. In my car or on my portable speaker, I prefer music that I like.

Quick example: I never listen to Norah Jones in my car, but I play her music a lot on my system. Alternately, I love The Black Keys, but don’t play them on my system very often. I think Larry hit the nail on the head as it relates to hard rock…it’s generally just doesn’t sound much better in my system than it does in my car.

nooshinjohn

I too have found that certain types of hard metal do not perform well at home…

pitdogg2

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I too have found that certain types of hard metal do not perform well at home…

Most of it is not recorded well to begin with. There's more to it than just LOUD, I wish many bands would take a step back from that.

kevhed72

Absolutely....ambient, more jazz, definitely more classical / symphonic types of music. I will rarely go back to say Zeppelin or Rush. I recently discovered Marty Robbins on a road trip out west!

smglbrth

For myself, I have discovered that "less is more". Now I don't particularly like "busy" music...

billbillw

My musical taste has never stopped evolving. It would be sad if it did. I don't see how anyone can be musically fulfilled with the same old music year after year. Music is an exploration of human experience and culture. There is simply too much to appreciate. I love taking suggestions from others and giving it a spin. The more unique, the better.
There is definitely a lot of music that I probably wouldn't enjoy on anything but my 2-ch system. Since getting the Revel speakers, I've started to have a greater appreciation for orchestra/symphony music. World music is getting more and more play these days too.

Tony M

10 years ago or more, when I used the theme music from "Twin Peaks" to judge newly acquired speakers, I knew I had evolved. I then played that to sell speakers. It really is soothing and melodic to me.

I found a Janis Ian CD somewhere MANY years ago and played that. WOW, what an album. What a voice and acoustic guitar-playing talent. Great studio engineering. I listen to that sometimes on new speakers.

Oriental spa music has been a favorite after my neck pain became really bad 15 years ago. Ambient music is just as soothing and I listen to it almost every night, all night to help me fall asleep. I bought a big collection of relaxation CDs that had been a girl's father's go-to for his relaxation too.

I still rock out to a lot of radio selections that pop up quite often if I'm out in the cottage.

treitz3

Absolutely and without question.

Great thread!

Case In point. "Dat Dere" by RLJ.....I had heard this on many a system. Ho-hum. Boring, to say the least....


Until the system brought me, "there".

Now? It's a completely different experience.

A simple song I have always hated. Now? I love it, as there are sounds coming from everywhere and it's a pleasure to listen too.

You don't know until you know.

Tom

Tony M

https://youtu.be/mvOBGPWuMqg

https://youtu.be/7VvXGpIni4o

Joey_V

Nearly every genre now

mantis

I think this is a natural progression. When your system gets better, you want to hear better.

So many decades ago, I was a hardcore Metal head. Hard Rock, Classic Rock, anything that ROCKED I was in. Barbra Streisand I grew up on as well as the BeeGees and many softer side of thing bands like The Who, Neil Young and The Beatles. These kinds of bands my parents listened to and I also started liking.

At a very young age , I started liking Queen and Kiss. Van Halen came into play around the same time.

Strangely enough, my Family has always been into HIFI , better quality Stereos as most of my family are all musicians. We shopped at Bryn Mawr Stereo which years later became Tweeter. I also worked there from 1999 to 2008 when they closed.

For me over the years I took interest in softer more Spatial and spirited like music. Culture if you will due to becoming a Martial Artist. Back in the late 80's, I started seeking Martial arts. Studied Kung Ku for over a Decade.

I have always had a nice system even when I was a kid. I had Panasonic and Kenwood stuff as a kid, Yamaha came into the picture and I even had a surround system in my bedroom in the 80's.

As time went on and my bank account allowed, I got better stuff and during this journey I started to listen to "Audiophile" Music like Jazz and softer things like that. Never was Jazz apart of my life as my Uncle played Jazz but I was not a fan. It didn't move me. Honestly it still doesn't "MOVE" me but I can listen as it makes my system sound great and it makes for great demo material.

Female singers have always been a huge part of my life and they usually sound fantastic on a fantastic system. I gravitated towards better recorded music with lead female singers and that has always been a staple in my listening when I want to relax , drink some wine and dig how good my system sounds.

mhardy6647

My brain just popped outta my skull and slithered across the floor when I contemplated the phrase "... and many softer side of thing bands like The Who".

xschop

I went from listening to most Cal Tjader's material to ALL his material on SDA's