Hi-Fi for musicians

Posted by: PaulF on 20 February 2005

Hi, I've been a "Hi-Fi" enthusaist for over thirty-five years now. As someone who has always played an instrument (piano/keyboards as main instrument, plus bass and drums just for the heck of it to see what it's like) and currently playing in two bands (rock and jazz), I find myself switching between two different persona when listening to audio equipment.

The first is the classical Hi-Fi buff, which is what I started out as, who listens for 3D imaging, soundstage width and depth, bass extension, sweet treble etc. Pretty much a "What Hi-Fi" sort of guy really.

The second is listening as a musician - how the tune is constructed and interpreted, the chord progressions, dynamics, inventiveness in solo performances, the contributions of the various players and the general bulding of mood and atmosphere etc.

I have found that listening to Naim gear always instantly connects with the second persona and gets me involved straightaway with the music itself, rather than the froth round the edges.

Is anyone else here a musician/Hi-Fi enthusiast and do they have the same dual approach to listening?
Posted on: 20 February 2005 by Earwicker
quote:
Originally posted by PaulF:
Is anyone else here a musician/Hi-Fi enthusiast and do they have the same dual approach to listening?

Yes, I play the violin (classical, very badly) and the guitar (blues, rock, jazz, quite well). I listen mainly to classical, however.

I've always liked Naim electronics but can't get on with the transducers. I use Vienna Acoustics, but have other ideas up me sleeve.

Generally speaking, although stereo imaging is a neat trick, I can't recall the last concert I went to when I was struck by the relative distances between the musicians! The distance from the concert master to the timpanini didn't seem all that important...

EW