Did people enjoy their music more before the internet?

Before the internet, I used to buy magazines as a focus for my lusting......

it is still the music that excites me, not the kit. I bet less than 1% if my time with my HiFi is being analytical about the quality and thinking about that compared to actually 99%+ enjoying what I am playing. As an example the right track at the right moment still sounds great on the radio, or in my car.

I think when I had less music I knew every note and every word of each album, now less so. This does not mean I enjoy it less, but lets face it I have more things in my life at nearly 50 then when I was 15.

I still get a big kick from the first play of a new album-in whatever format.

Bruce

Before the internet audiophiles spent more time listening and enjoying someone else's hifi system and choice of music - rather than their own,  what with socialising, going out, that sort of thing.

I think there is no doubt that the existence of the naim forum (and probably others) has encouraged people to buy beyond their means to be accepted into the high spending "Guru" level of posters who are categorised by the price of their systems. IMHO, obviously.

An interesting point.  Despite the fact that my desire for internet streaming freedom has resulted in several previously unplanned upgrades, I don't think all the waffle about the latest greatest thing online will reduce the longevity of my purchases.  However, I do notice people on this forum (I don't really look at others) upgrading almost constantly.  I am not sure that the internet is entirely responsible, you're either of that mentality, or not, but for those that are easily persuaded to re-think, or are not confident in their choices, the internet must be dangerous and a potential money-pit.

I have to say i am probably one of those that changes stuff constantly. I wouldn't say upgrading as a lot its a sideways step. I enjoy the hobby of HiFi as much as i do the music. The kit is always a means to an end, but theres so many ways to skin a cat and i like to try different things.

However sometimes it can get in the way of listening to some degree. Its at those points i stop and just listen for a while, but i know within a year something will make me want to change.

I don't think it means I'm enjoying the music any less.

My point is not to criticize anyone.....  I just remember being a kid and loving listening to the music.  Whether it was on a fisher/sears brand integrated stereo/tape/tt thingy.  Even in college i just enjoyed the music and wasn't wrapped up in the stuff.  

Now i don't have much time to listen.  I can steal a minute once in awhile surf the net. When i do this i am convinced that i need an upgrade. An hour listening session usually fixes that wrong opinion. 

I think the internet has done many great things for hi-fi including bringing people together as on this forum to discuss it, however I find a lot of what is posted on the internet runs the risk of declaring a product as revolutionary when in fact it's merely evolutionary.

Head-fi is much more prone to this I feel than the naim forum, partly because Head-fi is stuffed full of people who have never heard a good system and still think a 192khz MP3 on an Apple ipod with decent headphones is 'hi-fi' whereas here virtually everyone has something pretty good (a basic naim system for example).

My own hi-fi system has been fairly stagnant at the NAC102/NAP250/SBL level for several years (although the home cinema side of it has changed quite a bit) but then again I put a record on the Gyrodec or a CD on the Cdi and am still blown away by how good it can sound even after so many years.  The truth is that you just need to get to a level that you can enjoy the music and I believe that level is different for everyone.  I've had a top flight naim system in the house for 3 months which I reviewed for Hi-fi news and for sure going back to my more modest system was an adjustment but it's still a very capable system and meets my quality threshold to enjoy the music I love. 

I'd love a NAC52, active 250's and a set of DBL's just like I'd love a McLaren 650S but it doesn't necessarily stop me enjoying what I have now.  The truth is that my 20 year old student self would have given anything to have sound as good as I'm getting today off my system so I think myself lucky to have got this far up the chain!

I bet even a lowly Planar 3, Nait 1 and set of Naim SBL's puts you into the top 1% of world music replay systems!   

Jonathan

+1 great post Jonathan. I have just played Joan Armatrading's1978 self titled album on vinyl and thought excacly the same regarding the SQ of my present system over what I had back in the day..

Regards Graham. 

I concur with pretty much everything Jonathan said there, but this is the line that really stuck out for me:

"my 20 year old student self would have given anything to have sound as good as I'm getting today off my system"

So true, notwithstanding that at that age I didn't really even know how to "properly" listen to music.

If I had a sudden windfall of stupid money I would certainly upgrade, but I no longer obsess over the idea, and am happy where I am; happy enough that I dread the day when some of the components need replacing or service due to age, and I would rather not spend the money!

Bruce also made a very salient point regarding the time when we all owned less music, and as he said it seemed we knew every note of every song...and each LP was a prized possession in and of itself.  Between my expanded collection and the internet availability that is no longer the case.  The real advantage of the latter (to return to the OP) is getting exposure to new things I never would have heard had it not been for the net.

I would agree with Bruce's point here. I'd rather know music "off by heart" than have a nodding acquaintance with far more. For myself, I have about 600 CDs ripped into iTunes. Often in doubled or tripled performances from great artists of favourite music. Of course there is my long term aim of knowing every String Quartet by Haydn, and every Cantata by JS Bach "off by heart" so there is indeed some quite unknown to me music in my library. 

But apart from this one lifetime ambition, I see no reason to collect a very large selection of music that could never really be known well. 

On occasion I am quite happy to ramble round youtube and find surprising and enjoyable music, previously unknown, but not necessarily something that I would listen to a second time. Life is too short to do that.

For me at least the internet has allowed for a one time listen to something that otherwise I'd never find. I am glad of that.

ATB from George

Jonathan, Dr. Mark, George

Thought provoking comments. 

What a supremely daft question! I grew up in the 60's with my father's few records, Beethoven 5/8, Nutcracker Suite, and a few others, played to death on a mono "gramophone". No internet in those days. I started buying "music" in late sixties (Mason Williams' Classical Gas - still have it). No internet in those days. My first concert was the Beach Boys in around 1971, my first LP was their Greatest Hits - chiselled to death on an old Dancette. No internet in those days. First (semi-)"real" hifi in 1972 to take to Uni. Still no internet.  I could go on and on.......and there'd still be no internet!

Music first......means of reproduction second.

I don't think that the question is daft.

Just a thought, given that in the internet age, is that every question is less clearly or unequivocally answered  unless you know your own mind, in which case it makes no difference ...

ATB from George

Yes, I'm with Mr Mole here.  I started getting into music with Cream, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Hendrix and Led Zep etc at about the same time.  And I played their albums on a crappy old Dansette record player or occasionally someone's stereo radiogramme (oh, the luxury!). And I absolutely loved it.  

Of course that love also manifested itself in a life-long pursuit of trying to find ways of reproducing music just that little bit better - an expensive pursuit - and now I'm lucky enough to have a good Naim system, but my enjoyment of the music has been a constant.