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Do you listen to your AR speakers or to the music?


Steve F

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Here’s an interesting question for us AR-ophiles: Do you choose the music you play based on its musical merits or based on “how good” it will make your system/speakers sound? I’m talking about when you listen by yourself, not when you’re demo’ing or “showing off” your system to someone else.

Being perfectly honest, I find it’s a mixture of the two. Most of the time, I start off by simply playing the music I like. I know which recordings are good and which are not, so my mindset and expectations going in are completely different on the ‘good music/bad recording’ albums vs. the ‘good music/good recording’ albums.

But there are some albums that I know are particularly great recordings and they’ll really highlight a particular aspect of the speakers’ performance. These albums may be very good musically as well, but there are times, in all honesty, that I’ll play them just for the enjoyment of the sonics. And just as often, I’ll be playing an album without any specific audio expectation and my AR9’s will surprise me with some terrific speaker-related attribute, when all I was expecting and wanting was the enjoyment from the music itself.

There are also albums that I like very much musically—a lot of mid-‘60’s Columbia recordings of Miles and Dave Brubeck, for example—that I don’t want to hear from a sonic standpoint on my AR9/Parasound system, so I just play them in my car on the factory-standard system with its 5-inch speakers. So non-descript from an audio standpoint that the music stands totally on its own.

It’s tough to completely separate the love of the music from the love of the equipment. After all, we all chose our own systems, component by component, so when it really sounds great, on some level we take some measure of pride and feel some sense of accomplishment for having chosen and assembled our totally-unique, individual systems. The dividing lines between music/equipment/selection are very tough to draw with absolute certainty—at least for me—and it’s part of what makes this such a fascinating and always-surprising hobby.

Steve F.

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I'm pretty sure that all the music I own is stuff I either bought before I owned AR speakers or something I heard on my car radio, at a store or at someone else's home on non-AR speakers before I bought it, and I pick what to play based on my mood, so I'd say I listen to the music.

Unless, that is, I hear something that makes me think something might be going wrong with the system. Then I totally listen to the system, usually with test records.

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My first-listen "test" music with any new equipment is always Keith Jarrett's Köln Concert, which I've owned in LP, CD, and 24-96 formats.

It's like a touchstone & benchmark rolled into one listening experience, so I'll know if something's amiss right away; but it's not like listening to test tones or some sonic "blockbuster" that might have little artistic value.

Like Steve, there are certain records that I like a lot, but are sort of compromised on a true high fidelity system.

I'd much rather listen to Da Doo Ron Ron on a loud jukebox, than on an AR-9, and never on a panel speaker. :lol:

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Offhand, I don't think I could tell you what music I have that I think particularly "shows off" my system. I do know which ones I think can be murder on speakers and turntable/cartridge combos that I will pull out if I'm going to audition something, though.

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It's highly unlikely that an audiophile doesn't know what albums in their collection show off their system to best advantage. EVERYONE knows what they have that makes their system sound great. The second thing that audiophiles say to themselves after "Wow, nice album, great music," is "Wow, nice recording."

To opine otherwise is either naive or flat-out untrue.

Steve F.

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My AR-5's are connected to my Denon AV receiver. So, I listen to my AR speakers all the time, when I am watching TV, listening to music or watching a DVD movie. I sometimes take them for granted and someone comes over and we are watching TV or a movie and they say you have the best sounding TV I have ever heard. I do also enjoy putting on my favorite CD's and just enjoying the purity of the music from my AR's. I am still as impressed as I was when I bought them new in 1974. I hope they last as long as me. It's all about the music, but, I love the music coming from my AR's.

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Well, it might be that it's been years since I tried to "show off" my system to anyone. Plus, I'm not sure I really qualify to be considered an "audiophile." 20 years ago, maybe. But these days I don't do a lot of critical listening, I just put something on and then go about doing whatever. Unless I'm actually tinkering because I thought I heard something bad happen.

I do sometimes play something, say to myself, "Why did I ever buy this POS record?" and toss it into a box for the next GW pickup.. Maybe I'm just an audiophile with a negative attitude?

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My AR-5's are connected to my Denon AV receiver. So, I listen to my AR speakers all the time, when I am watching TV, listening to music or watching a DVD movie. I sometimes take them for granted and someone comes over and we are watching TV or a movie and they say you have the best sounding TV I have ever heard. I do also enjoy putting on my favorite CD's and just enjoying the purity of the music from my AR's. I am still as impressed as I was when I bought them new in 1974. I hope they last as long as me. It's all about the music, but, I love the music coming from my AR's.

Oh, no, another fanatic ;) "AR finally got it right with the AR-5!" However, a lot of those tweeters are going South at this point. Ha, ha, ha, I should talk since I'm happy with my classic AR tunnel vision ...

Well, it might be that it's been years since I tried to "show off" my system to anyone. Plus, I'm not sure I really qualify to be considered an "audiophile." 20 years ago, maybe. But these days I don't do a lot of critical listening, I just put something on and then go about doing whatever. Unless I'm actually tinkering because I thought I heard something bad happen.

I do sometimes play something, say to myself, "Why did I ever buy this POS record?" and toss it into a box for the next GW pickup.. Maybe I'm just an audiophile with a negative attitude?

Yeah, mixing sound etc was always an art form and some recordings just never cut the mustard no matter how much processing you add to them ... makes you wonder what they were using for monitors ;)

Roger

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There are also albums that I like very much musically—a lot of mid-‘60’s Columbia recordings of Miles and Dave Brubeck, for example—that I don’t want to hear from a sonic standpoint on my AR9/Parasound system, so I just play them in my car on the factory-standard system with its 5-inch speakers. So non-descript from an audio standpoint that the music stands totally on its own.

Steve F.

Like Steve, there are certain records that I like a lot, but are sort of compromised on a true high fidelity system.

I'd much rather listen to Da Doo Ron Ron on a loud jukebox, than on an AR-9, and never on a panel speaker. :lol:

These two quotes pretty much sum up how I feel. Some 60s and 70s CD compliations I have can sound just awful, yet modern jazz CDs like Diana Krall sound just great through my ARs. I believe those 60s and 70s songs were recorded with jubebox 45rpm vinyl in mind. They would have needed careful remastering and monitoring to transfer them to a CD and have them sound OK, but I think they were just rushed out there because the makers did not want any amount of time and expense involved.

In a similar manner to Steve F I tend to listen to those sort of songs in mp3 format from my 'phone linked to a cheap bluetooth speaker when I am cooking in the kitchen. I cannot bear to hear them through my ARs (or any half decent hifi setup)

In answer to the original question it will depend on my mood what I select to play for any listening session, but if the listening session includes recordings which are sub-par, I find myself rounding off the session with a few tracks which I know will sound great. So I suppose I am affected to some degree by the sonics.

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Yeah, mixing sound etc was always an art form and some recordings just never cut the mustard no matter how much processing you add to them ... makes you wonder what they were using for monitors ;)

Roger

I try to listen recordings I like. I do have something like 10 meter of self space filled by LP´s and less than 500 CD´s and this seems to be the hardest part of my hobby. It seems to be much harder to find new recordings that I like than finding new audio gear I like to try.

Like Roger said some recordings just never seems to cut mustard. There were some economy labels like Kent, I did not like too much. When they re issued old blues and R&B results were not too good, even music was most often first rate. Recently I have bought two classical music compilations. RCA Living Stereo Box containing 60 CDs and The Decca Sound containing 55 CD´s. Both compilations do contain fabulous performances of classic era, but I have found their sound quality be inferior to even 70´s re pressings of same performances. I suppose that master tapes have lost something during long storage that "remastering" can not restore, even with budgets of major companies.

On the other hand there are very good recordings that do cut mustard, but not with every system... and this is where things do get interesting. If one system sounds good with recording A and bad with recording B. If the other system sounds bad with recording A and good with recording B. Who to blame? Recording (rec amps, mics, mixer, monitors, producer...) or your audio system (cartridge, tonearm, turntable, CD, amp, speakers, stands, acoustics...) or have you simply woken on the wrong foot?

Best Regards

Kimmo

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Nice thread Steve. I'm pretty much on board with what you wrote and some others regarding the variability of recordings and those few we cherish because they sound so good over our system. The Koln Concert is one of my favorites as well. An excellent recording of a very special event.

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I must add to my post #11 that in the 70´s I was more interested in music. I loved to hear bootlegs like Rolling Stones Live´r than you will ever B or Led Zeppelin Live at Blueberry Hill. I believe anyone who have heard these must agree that no one will use these for stereo demos.

Now I like to hear well recorded music, but it is not easy to define what is well recorded music. I would say that song like "I´m a King Bee" by Slim Harpo sounds very well recorded to me, even it is very unlikely to hear it in demo room.

Best Regards

Kimmo

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I have a hard time imagining myself picking something to listen to because it "shows off" my system. If I wanted to do that it would be the ones I mentioned above that I know are tough on a system, because I know mine can handle them. But only some of these are music that I actually like; the rest are ones I only have because I know they're hard on a system and make good test records and would probably never pick them just for casual listening.

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I believe I have a perspective similar to the OP as well. The thing is though, when I try to listen to something I like from a "music' standpoint and it doesn't sound all that great, I kinda get upset. I spent al this time and money trying to put together what should be a great sounding system and this is what I feed it!. I occasionally listen to things from my past (80's) on Tidal, so supposedly pretty high quality hi res files. But it just seems like many things I stream just don't sound all that great. Other do. Rush, one of my all time favorites (having been a drummer) just sounds flat. Same with Journey when I tried them the other day. I even tried their library of josh Groban not too long ago and it was average at best.

I will say this though, one of the reasons I like and played Brothers in Arms so much is because of the SQ. Dont get me wrong, I love the music and Knopflers work, but it just sounds good.

I have been trying to learn about the quality of vinyl and pressings to help narrow down my selection of album listening and find myself listening to things I would not normally listen to just because it is so well produced.

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I start with listening to the AR3a's with music that I know sounds the best on them.

Slowly I will change the music but never stop listening to the way it sounds on the AR's.

So I listen to both as I do not play music that sounds horrible on them :)

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When I listen to my music , I listen on the AR since I have only ARs in the household - I have no choice.

I really can't distinguish between listening music on the ARs or listening to the AR's with music !

But either way I love what I hear !

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Here’s an interesting question for us AR-ophiles: Do you choose the music you play based on its musical merits or based on “how good” it will make your system/speakers sound? I’m talking about when you listen by yourself, not when you’re demo’ing or “showing off” your system to someone else.

>>>

It’s tough to completely separate the love of the music from the love of the equipment. After all, we all chose our own systems, component by component, so when it really sounds great, on some level we take some measure of pride and feel some sense of accomplishment for having chosen and assembled our totally-unique, individual systems. The dividing lines between music/equipment/selection are very tough to draw with absolute certainty—at least for me—and it’s part of what makes this such a fascinating and always-surprising hobby.

Steve F.

When I purchased my first pair of AR-5's in 1974 I was definitely listening to equipment. I was on a budget and could only buy one component at a time. I managed to blow a woofer by playing garbage source material at too high a volume. Well, next purchase was a Thorens turntable which solved that problem.

Now I have an entire wall of classic AR's and diminished hearing ability and am usually listening to the music while it is playing me! However, when SPL approaches concert levels any defects become very obvious whether caused by system components, source material or room acoustics.

I'm still on a budget but listen to enhance a mood so the sonics have to fit within the confines of that box. The box being defined by expectations from life's experiences. Happiness is a box that fits and AR cranked out enough shapes and sizes to keep me entertained for the rest of my life.

So yeah, Steve, it is a little bit of both but the magic becomes obvious when the equipment disappears into the background and the music takes over -- Eddie V latched on to that with his live vs recorded demos and I was reminded of it the other evening when I had the 4's hooked up outside playing Scottish bagpipe music ;)

Roger

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So yeah, Steve, it is a little bit of both but the magic becomes obvious when the equipment disappears into the background and the music takes over --

Roger

Very well said.

Kimmo

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My Dad was a hi-fi aficionado right from the early days of stereo in the late 1950’s. When he replaced his huge floorstanding 15-inch 3-way Goodmans speakers with AR-4x’s in 1969 and the 4x’s sounded incomparably better, top to bottom, that’s what started it for me. I was 15.

My dad and I were real close. We’d listen to classical music together, and to Dave Brubeck, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, etc. for hours on end. I bought my 2ax’s in 1972, when I was in high school and we’d A-B them with the 4x’s all the time. It was great fun, and that’s probably where I got my start using music to critically evaluate the sound of speakers, as opposed to simply enjoying the music through them.

As I grew older and lived on my own and then got married and had a family, every time I upgraded my system and speakers, Dad and I would listen, talk and enjoy it together. He passed away in 1998, so he never knew I finally got AR9’s four years ago. Every time I play them, I not only marvel at their realism and incredible sound, I also think of how much my dad would’ve enjoyed hearing them, and more importantly, how much he’d enjoy the fact that I had them.

I can hear him so clearly in my mind’s ear: “How are those 9’s, Son? Gotta goose ‘em a little when no one’s home. Turn them up a bit. Atta boy! Love those speakers!”

So I do. I “goose ‘em” a little when no one’s home, just like Dad would’ve said. They sound so amazing. We loved the same music. When Stanley Turrentine spins off a gut-wrenching run, dripping with feeling and emotion, on his solo on Impressions from the album Sugar, I am reminded of my dad and I listening to this together. He’s right there with me every time I play it. It sounds incredible on the 9’s. The music reaches my inner soul, for both artistic and intensely personal reasons.

Can I separate the emotions I’m feeling as being from just the actual sound of the speakers, just the beauty of the music, or just the emotions and memories that the entire experience evokes?

Nope. It’s everything, all at once, on all levels. But it’s definitely more than just the music itself.

Steve F.

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My dad as a photography and audio maven. When I was young, I went that way too. After I moved out of my parents' house (and all the way across the country), other things took over.

I think what originally drew me to AR speakers was the fact that when I heard music through them I didn't feel as if I was listening to speakers. That was a first, and once I had my 2ax's, the audio system became a set-and-forget part of the infrastructure of life. It was there to make music, and except for when I had to do something to maintain it, I didn't pay much attention to it. Until the day came when the foam in my woofers rotted. Thinking it might be time to replace my by then 20 year old speakers, I wandered into an audio showroom for the first time in years and realized that everything sounded different, and not particularly to my liking. And that I wouldn't be able to just go out and buy another pair of ARs or AR-like speakers that wouldn't screw up my infrastructure. And that's how I ended up here on CSP, looking for ways to keep things working. Eventually, I got myself a pair of 3a's to rebuild. It only took me 35 years to upgrade from my first pair of speakers!

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My dad and I were real close. We’d listen to classical music together, and to Dave Brubeck, Ben Webster, Gerry Mulligan, etc. for hours on end. I bought my 2ax’s in 1972, when I was in high school and we’d A-B them with the 4x’s all the time. It was great fun, and that’s probably where I got my start using music to critically evaluate the sound of speakers, as opposed to simply enjoying the music through them.

Steve F.

If we can share our hobby with someone close to us, it will make our hobby even greater experience. Sharing our hobby with someone, will make us close friend to someone who may not otherwise be our friend at all.

Kimmo

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Talking about dad's :)

Mine is still alive, he's 81 now.

He loved music, still does, and Frank Sinatra, Dave Brubeck, James Last -_-, Harry Belafonte etc. ect came sounding to the living-room, my bedroom and later, when I was 20, in my car.

Can you image the look on girls faces when instead of Disco they hear Frank Sinatra.

That is why I love my AR's, they produce those songs like they should sound; at least in my opinion.

My dad is coming over in a few weeks, he does not know I have these AR's.

So when he is here I will play those "old songs" for him on my AR's; I know how he is going to react and just the thought of that brings tears to my eyes.

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