Are Most HiFi Enthusiasts Musicians?

Witterings

Well-known member
The title is a question I've often wondered ... especially as a young lad growing up, I played many instruments in various types of band from orchestra to rock .... including singing in a choir to our now king.

When I listen to music, yes I hear the "overall feel" and the song has to be great / something I want to listen to ... but I'm also blown away by a great guitar riff, incredible vocal , amazing bass line or when the brass section kick in and pick out all the instruments.
I think this is part of the reason I enjoy a reasonable level of equipment to be able to clearly hear the individual instruments clearly.

My wife isn't at all musical, she either enjoys "a song" or she doesn't and would never pick out one instrument and as long as a stereo sounds "OK" she's happy with it.

My best friend growing up didn't play an instrument and we'd be listening to music and I'd be "wow that bass line's amazing" .... whooosh he just didn't get it.
We went to different schools and didn't see him for a while, he started playing drums then guitar, listening to music with him 1.5 years later and he was "wow the keyboards on that were amazing" ... he suddenly got it.

Just interested to see what percentage of people on here (assuming most regular visitors are HiFi enthusiasts) are musicians but possibly even more interested to hear if you're not and what you listen to / for if you're in the audio enthusiast sphere?
 

abacus

Well-known member
You will probably find there are quite a few home hobby players with keyboards etc. but I doubt if there are many live players going by the posts on here.
I myself am in that home hobby group playing keyboards, but also got into Midi in the 80s so also use DAWs and VSTs for my own pleasure, this is why in a lot of my answerers to particular questions I recommend pro equipment over HI Fi equipment as it is much better value.
I am regularly out watching all sorts of live music and this is what I base my choice (And setup) of equipment on, rather than something that just sounds nice (Which most Hi Fi enthusiasts go for) .
The above is why when I choose equipment it lasts for at least 8-10yrs (Usually only being changed because of new technology support) and I have no need to start tinkering, combined with this I was an electrical engineer (Starting from basics right up to the latest technology), and combining the 2 is why I can see a con (Snake oil) a mile away.

Bill
 

jamesrfisher

Well-known member
Aug 17, 2007
134
87
18,670
Visit site
Apart from the recorder at school, no. As an 8 year old the music teacher had the class singing for an event, went down the rows, got to me and told me to mime!

However since about the age of 10 music has been important to having my first mini system at 12 and first separates at 19. As a teenager all my money went into records. That has continued!
 

abacus

Well-known member
Many musicians are probably hi-fi enthusiasts.
Of the hi-fi enthusiasts, most are probably more into music appreciation than the 'average' person (at least they should be).
I have met many musicians and very few are Hi Fi enthusiast, they usually go for equipment that gives them the essence of the music. (Most of them just laugh at HiFi enthusiasts due to the fact that most Hi Fi enthusiasts go for something that sounds nice rather than accurate)

Bill
 

Hugh Jarse

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2022
68
31
570
Visit site
I have met many musicians and very few are Hi Fi enthusiast, they usually go for equipment that gives them the essence of the music. (Most of them just laugh at HiFi enthusiasts due to the fact that most Hi Fi enthusiasts go for something that sounds nice rather than accurate)

Bill
I'm very much in the accurate rather 'nice' category.
Musicians must be disappointed with much of the reproduced sounds - falling well short of real dynamics etc.
 
Think it's the other way round. There are more musicians who are into hi-fi or repro systems, probably both studio stuff and domestic hi-fis.

I've owned a guitar since 1990 and had a few lessons, but in all truth I'm rubbish.

My daughter is quite musical. She used to sing in the school choir - performed at the 02 arena and local concert halls with the Royal Marines band - and currently uses a electronic keyboard and an acoustic guitar - she loves our system.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al ears

Witterings

Well-known member
I have met many musicians and very few are Hi Fi enthusiast, they usually go for equipment that gives them the essence of the music. (Most of them just laugh at HiFi enthusiasts due to the fact that most Hi Fi enthusiasts go for something that sounds nice rather than accurate)

Bill

Which is qute funny in itself as even live music through a PA has been mixed and sounds completely different to standing next to an unmixed band without a PA ... especially the drums which can be quite harsh and every single record has been studio mixed with tone adjusted, reverb added etc.

Years back I got a set of mics for my drum kit and set them up to record and it sounded pretty rough, my brother in law whose heavily into mixing had a play around for 10 mins and it sounded absolutely awesome.
 
Live music can sound pretty poor - not saying it always does by any stretch - but many venues are what might be termed sub-optimal. I read one of Trevor Cox's books with a section about poor acoustics, even at long-established professional venues and how they set about fixing them.
 

Oxfordian

Well-known member
At the end of our 3rd year at secondary school we had exams that determined which subjects we should drop to allow more timetable space for subjects that we were good at, we could drop 1 science (either Physics, Biology or Chemistry), 1 Language (either French or Spanish) and 1 Artistic subject (either Music or Art).

I dropped Physics and Spanish but failed both Music and Art so miserably that my teachers suggested that I carry on with Spanish as I clearly had no Artistic talent whatsoever.

A few years later and my hobby is Photography for which I have a multitude of cameras and lenses, I have a few competition wins under my belt as well, whilst my overriding passion is listening to music - I still cannot play a note on an instrument but just love listening to music, could I pick a great bass line or clarinet solo on a record I'm listening too - maybe.
 
At the end of our 3rd year at secondary school we had exams that determined which subjects we should drop to allow more timetable space for subjects that we were good at, we could drop 1 science (either Physics, Biology or Chemistry), 1 Language (either French or Spanish) and 1 Artistic subject (either Music or Art).

I dropped Physics and Spanish but failed both Music and Art so miserably that my teachers suggested that I carry on with Spanish as I clearly had no Artistic talent whatsoever.

A few years later and my hobby is Photography for which I have a multitude of cameras and lenses, I have a few competition wins under my belt as well, whilst my overriding passion is listening to music - I still cannot play a note on an instrument but just love listening to music, could I pick a great bass line or clarinet solo on a record I'm listening too - maybe.
Problem I have is I can pick out notes well enough but there seems to be a lack of communication between the grey matter and fingertips.

I was always good at art. I achieved a B in art and it wasn't completed. I love sketching cartoons, but like the guitar playing, haven't produced a cartoon in years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oxfordian

AndrewF

Well-known member
Feb 3, 2023
70
54
620
Visit site
I have no musical talent, but I think about music a lot and how it relates to the rest of life. And I can write. I might have made a good critic, back when people cared what critics thought. Alas… :- ) (also I have a day job)
 
Last edited:

twinkletoes

Well-known member
Nov 16, 2021
614
427
2,270
Visit site
Nope, I’m a classically trained concept designer, marker rendering, cars, cartoons, toys that sort of thing. Can’t pluck a string or carry any sort of tune to save my life not even tapping on my legs. Music is just entertainment and as with design and colour accurate monitors, i like to be able to get as close as I can get to how it was supposed to be enjoyed. Photography is my creative outlet where I don’t have to think some of my design friends use music as there’s.
 

Dean Morris

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2010
71
6
18,545
Visit site
I'm a full time musician/teacher/youtuber

I love live music so I am drawn into creating a system to make me feel like i'm in the the room with real musicians. That is the end goal anyway. I wish had more money to throw into this hobby however, guitar equipment is expensive enough :)
 

Witterings

Well-known member
I'm a full time musician/teacher/youtuber

I love live music so I am drawn into creating a system to make me feel like i'm in the the room with real musicians. That is the end goal anyway. I wish had more money to throw into this hobby however, guitar equipment is expensive enough :)

Must admit I'm similar in a lot of ways and enjoy watching DVD's of bands playing live, I get torn between playing them as stereo or surround sound to get more of a live feel.

It really takes dedication (and sore fingertips) to play the guitar.

Any instrument takes dedication to be any good and the sore fingertips go after a while, especially if you don't overdo it from the start.
I was rubbish with a guitar (took me ages to be able to play a bar chord) but picking the more basic versions of the right songs really helped and at least meant I could strum along with someone that was a much better player than me, I just kept it quiet so no one could hear my mistakes :ROFLMAO: .
 
Have not played music since leaving school, where I sang the in the choir and played the compulsory recorder! (We once sang Evensong in Winchester Cathedral, and it was broadcast)
Both sides of family are musical:-
Dad’s side, a line of musicians, including the principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra from its inception. Mum’s side, a rock drummer whose band played with the likes of Chuck Berry and David Bowie.
My first cousin writes and broadcasts on music.
Me, I once helped out in a Hifi shop.
 
Have not played music since leaving school, where I sang the in the choir and played the compulsory recorder! (We once sang Evensong in Winchester Cathedral, and it was broadcast)
Both sides of family are musical:-
Dad’s side, a line of musicians, including the principal clarinet of the London Symphony Orchestra from its inception. Mum’s side, a rock drummer whose band played with the likes of Chuck Berry and David Bowie.
My first cousin writes and broadcasts on music.
Me, I once helped out in a Hifi shop.
I sold a bass guitar on an auction site. Does that count? 😋
 
  • Like
Reactions: nopiano
Must admit I'm similar in a lot of ways and enjoy watching DVD's of bands playing live, I get torn between playing them as stereo or surround sound to get more of a live feel.



Any instrument takes dedication to be any good and the sore fingertips go after a while, especially if you don't overdo it from the start.
I was rubbish with a guitar (took me ages to be able to play a bar chord) but picking the more basic versions of the right songs really helped and at least meant I could strum along with someone that was a much better player than me, I just kept it quiet so no one could hear my mistakes :ROFLMAO: .
Ultimately, with yours truly, am about as musical as a Brussel Sprout.

One needs to have some sort of natural ability....
 

TRENDING THREADS