Does the quality of the recording dictate your listening?

Mike

Mike

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Does the quality of the recording dictate your listening?

Do you tend to listen to and gravitate towards albums or even individual songs because of their superior recording or do you listen to what you want regardless of the quality of the recording?

Do different systems make this determination for the listener?

As I sit here spinning a 1954 Sam Cooke album on vinyl, I'm as happy listening to this entire album as I am the latest and greatest Roger Waters or new artist.

What about you?


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As long as the music moves me, it does not matter what format or what medium.
 
I have to admit......I have a hard time listening to bad recordings, unless it is background music.
 
Some of my favorite music was poorly recorded. I would never select a recording outside my normal repertoire just because it is "audiophile grade".
 
CPP said:
I really have to go with what Joe noted Pretty spot on,
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I wasn't really talking about medium. I was talking more about the quality. In some of my past systems, I just could never have listened to a 1954 recording by Sam Cooke.
 
Mike said:
I wasn't really talking about medium. I was talking more about the quality. In some of my past systems, I just could never have listened to a 1954 recording by Sam Cooke.
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there are bad recordings and good recordings, its been that way since recording started. If I play a bad recording regardless of what format or version and its doesn't do it, it gone but like anything in this hobby its personal.
 
Of course I prefer great/exceptional recordings, but again, it's the music. If I like the song, I listen. Period.
 
How many listen to mono recordings for example?


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Unlike many, I seldom listen to background music and if I am sitting down in front of my rig I prefer to listen to music I really enjoy AND sounds great.

Below is a copy of my posted review of an album I just received from Acoustic Sounds, Amy Winehouse, "Lioness, Hidden Treasures":

Ugh, I so very much wanted to enjoy this artist. Having read reviews of other Amy Winehouse releases, which criticized the over production and compressed sound, I opted for this LP thinking perhaps for a 45rpm release they'd put forth the best material. Sadly, on my system, I found the music sounds best when I am listening from another room. I can't imagine the artists, in studio, sounded like this, so in an effort to produce a 'vintage' sound the mastering engineer really killed the music. I pressed the mono button and the sound improved, at least the synthetic separation of instruments was gone, and actually enhanced the 'vintage' sound. The material on both sides of the first lp is all highly compressed, so much so I haven't bothered yet to play the second disk. My wife came into the room just as I dropped the needle for side two. She listened and looked at me and said 'nice music, dreadful sound.' I think that sums it up. Sadly, Amy sounds best on your car radio.
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Mike said:
I wasn't really talking about medium. I was talking more about the quality. In some of my past systems, I just could never have listened to a 1954 recording by Sam Cooke.
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Here is one example. Several of the tracks on this Timi Yoro album are poorly recorded yet her performance renders the issue moot.


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I rather listen to good music in bad quality than vice versa.


Especially the modern trash that comes out of the radio today gives me an instant headache.


And sometimes it's great to listen just to nothing but the birds in the trees ;-)
 
joeinid said:
As long as the music moves me, it does not matter what format or what medium.
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Absolutely agree. It is always about the music and passion it evokes regardless of the recording quality. I really wish I could have both for all the music I listen to, but the musical content always comes first and I own zero "audiophile" discs "just because they sound good".
 
Mike said:
How many listen to mono recordings for example?


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I have a reasonable amount of mono recording I picked up used, plus some I have purchased new. It is only in the past two months I got a cartridge for playback such that I can enjoy them as I went about six years without a mono cartridge. I have stumbled across some very unusual (to me) music that way.
 
Mike.......The quality of a recording is an important consideration for me but not the ultimate consideration if I like the music. I will listen to anything if I like it. That's not to say I don't have a few demo playlists saved on my music server that represent some of the best sounding recordings I have discovered. I like to be able to showcase the system's true capabilities when presented the opportunity.
 
I'll always listen to the music I like (classic rock, mostly bad) whether it's recorded bad or good. That being said, I'm liking true hirez and music that is recorded live with minimal processing. Listening to Adam Ben Ezra "Pin Drop". Different, but sounds great.
 
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