Stereophile Editor John Atkinson on Axpona, Affordable Audio, Analog, & Audiophiles

[Stereophile]

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<h2>Stereophile Editor John Atkinson on Axpona, Affordable Audio, Analog, & Audiophiles</h2>
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<div class="meta submitted">By <a href="http://www.stereophile.com/writer/100" title="View more from Stereophile Staff">Stereophile Staff</a> • Posted: Apr 30, 2013</div>
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<p>At the <a href="http://www.stereophile.com/category/axpona-2013">2014 AXPONA in Chicago</a> in March, <a href="http://www.coolcleveland.com/home/">Cool Cleveland</a> asked JA for his thoughts on the state of high-end audio. His answers might surprise you.</p>
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[Source: http://www.stereophile.com/content/stereophile-editor-john-atkinson-axpona-affordable-audio-analog-audiophiles]

 

[NorthStar]

High-end = Aspiration, Ritual (albums), and all that super expensive gear that is simply beautiful to look at (including loudspeakers).

Everything brand new for a stereo system we can easily go to $100,000 and up to roughly $1,000,000

Lower end (but still hi-fi); with a CD player (very easy to setup and play discs), or high-res audio music from your PC, in the digital world. Here we can invest for a stereo sound system (total), anywhere from roughly $1,000 to $10,000 (higher end).

CDs, he said, have no value any longer! ...And LPs have! ..Ok, I see.
BUT! I value as much my CD music collection as my LP music one.

Going back to the analog sources (turntables and R2R tape decks) is great for some, and a nightmare for others.

Nowadays, with almost everything re-mastered again and again, and LPs selling for $50 a piece, and SACDs for $25 each, becomes the music listener's financial own freedom.

Second-hand music, like from garage sales, thrift stores, Salvation Armys, Good Wills, etc., where LPs can be purchased for a quarter each, and same with CDs; they still both reproduce music from their dedicated playback machines.

How to bring kids to a world of true high-end? ...Kids decide that for themselves, just like we did when we were kids ourselves.

But there are some facts: today is much more different than say forty years ago.
And you can attain music satisfaction for very little money.

There are some things from the past that could be restored to almost mint condition if you take the time and put the energy towards; like older stereo receivers or integrated amps, and turntables too. ...And even some speakers from thirty or forty years ago will get you to 'pleasant' avenue street.

Me I'd say, get the best software first; be it an LP, or a CD/SACD, or hi-res music downloaded (digital music servers), by the best studios, record labels, and recording engineers, of the music you love (Classical, Jazz, Blues, World, Folk, Rock, ...), with today's better technologies and instrumentation, and be ready to pay the premium.
But it'll cost you to obtain these true high-end music recordings (you cannot escape this), paying the artists and all that jazz, and just invest reasonably in the gear; some decent enough to render the quality music recordings.

I know people with sound systems that cost over $100,000 and with total invested music costing less.
On the other hand we have people with a $10,000 sound system (like I for example) and roughly half million dollars invested in the music software.

We're all different the way we distribute the dollars in our life; and at the end only one true thing counts: nice reproduced music to our ears. ...Music we love, new music we discover, and music that is as diversified and abundant as we can afford it, with all our passion and financial energy invested towards.

The true beauty in our world is first and foremost the Peace. ...And the peace for everybody, so that the music reflects that, and not the violence and all those wars of actions.

That's my own view on hi-end, lower end, middle end, and all that jazz.

 

[MDP]

High-end = Aspiration, Ritual (albums), and all that super expensive gear that is simply beautiful to look at (including loudspeakers).

Everything brand new for a stereo system we can easily go to $100,000 and up to roughly $1,000,000

Lower end (but still hi-fi); with a CD player (very easy to setup and play discs), or high-res audio music from your PC, in the digital world. Here we can invest for a stereo sound system (total), anywhere from roughly $1,000 to $10,000 (higher end).

CDs, he said, have no value any longer! ...And LPs have! ..Ok, I see.
BUT! I value as much my CD music collection as my LP music one.

Going back to the analog sources (turntables and R2R tape decks) is great for some, and a nightmare for others.

Nowadays, with almost everything re-mastered again and again, and LPs selling for $50 a piece, and SACDs for $25 each, becomes the music listener's financial own freedom.

Second-hand music, like from garage sales, thrift stores, Salvation Armys, Good Wills, etc., where LPs can be purchased for a quarter each, and same with CDs; they still both reproduce music from their dedicated playback machines.

How to bring kids to a world of true high-end? ...Kids decide that for themselves, just like we did when we were kids ourselves.

But there are some facts: today is much more different than say forty years ago.
And you can attain music satisfaction for very little money.

There are some things from the past that could be restored to almost mint condition if you take the time and put the energy towards; like older stereo receivers or integrated amps, and turntables too. ...And even some speakers from thirty or forty years ago will get you to 'pleasant' avenue street.

Me I'd say, get the best software first; be it an LP, or a CD/SACD, or hi-res music downloaded (digital music servers), by the best studios, record labels, and recording engineers, of the music you love (Classical, Jazz, Blues, World, Folk, Rock, ...), with today's better technologies and instrumentation, and be ready to pay the premium.
But it'll cost you to obtain these true high-end music recordings (you cannot escape this), paying the artists and all that jazz, and just invest reasonably in the gear; some decent enough to render the quality music recordings.

I know people with sound systems that cost over $100,000 and with total invested music costing less.
On the other hand we have people with a $10,000 sound system (like I for example) and roughly half million dollars invested in the music software.

We're all different the way we distribute the dollars in our life; and at the end only one true thing counts: nice reproduced music to our ears. ...Music we love, new music we discover, and music that is as diversified and abundant as we can afford it, with all our passion and financial energy invested towards.

The true beauty in our world is first and foremost the Peace. ...And the peace for everybody, so that the music reflects that, and not the violence and all those wars of actions.

That's my own view on hi-end, lower end, middle end, and all that jazz.

Bob, I think that be the most insightful post I've read on any audio forum !!

Thanks !

 

[NorthStar]

Well thanks Mark, that was straight from the heart.