Too much emphasis on hardware?

[unison]

Having spent alot of time encouraging people I know to get a decent stereo. As well as a stupid amount of my own money on hifi equipment I am still bemused by the attitude of some people. I want to get the access to a huge range of music, but I don't have unlimited funds

The best hifi in the world is nothing without the music. I never understand those that spend thousands but don't have hundreds of LPs or CDs . I'd like to see us recommending unappreciated gems to each other, whether individual tractks or whole albums

Recommendations from people I know have always been key to me finding new music ( eg enigma). That is one of the things about spotify ( i'm a recent convert) , it is leading me to lots of new music, and if I like it I buy the CD, as I have just done with sigur ros.

It is a bit like when people would lend me tapes as a teenager

Spotify is also great for getting access to lots of those tracks I don't ow, and I am unlikely to

And although 320 is nor brilliant, it is much better than the 128 popularised by apple, microsoft etc..

What hifi had a feature on their favourite albums some years ago, and does have occasional recommendations, but I'd like to see that expanded. I know that the music mags do that but I think a list by hifi fans would be a little different. Could we have an accessible part of the website to do this, or is there a thread on the forum already to swop recommendations

 

[Andrew Everard]

Well, we have our Playlist section every month in the mag, covering Blu-rays, DVDs, CDs and games, and we're endeavouring to bring that to the website at some point.

Meanwhile, there's always this...

 

[Thaiman]

Strange post! People who like Hifi because of their love for music in the first place (what else you going to do with the rig if not press play!)

Hifi magazine with a little bit of music is acceptable, anymore than 20% then it will lost the focus of being a home entertainments mag. There are so many dedicate music magazines out there (as you may know) and if you go to their forum and hence that music are nothing without good Hifi, they will think of you oddly too.

 

[idc]

Spotify has two playlists started by pwiles1968: What Hi-Fi Playlist and WHF 5* Playlist (Single Tracks). Loads of members have contributed to both. I go there for inspiration.

 

[cram]

Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

 

[Andrew Everard]

cram:Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

I think that was a compliment...

 

[cram]

yes indeed

 

[Thaiman]

cram:
yes indeed

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, that's hard going, not hardware...

 

[JoelSim]

Please don't include music in the mag. Music is not relevant to a hifi mag and is completely personal and far too big a subject to waste a small amount of space on.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Too late - we already do.

 

[chebby]

JoelSim:Music is not relevant to a hifi mag ....

So much makes sense now.

 

[pwiles1968]

idc:Spotify has two playlists started by pwiles1968: What Hi-Fi Playlist and WHF 5* Playlist (Single Tracks). Loads of members have contributed to both. I go there for inspiration.

Thanks IDC, have bought lots of CD's now based on recommendations from this thread and others in the "This week I have mostly been listening to/watching" Section of the forum, If you read the magazine carefully there are mentions of the test tracks they use for kit reviews.

 

[matthewpiano]

Unison - I am very much in agreement with you over the principle that the music should always be the most important thing at the centre of all this, but WHFS&V is a hardware focused publication and there are loads of excellent music focused magazines out there. Personally I subscribe to Gramophone, BBC Music, The Word, and Classic Rock and these give me a good broad view of what is going on in the different styles I enjoy.

 

[Anonymous]

What would a movie be without music ?

What would a Hifi be without music ?

What would What Hifi be without music ?

A little less relevant i think.

 

[proffski]

cram:Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

Agreed, it just ends up with people pushing 'their' tastes onto others. As for example in my opinion "what you listening to" does, boring...yawn.

Some people just do not have huge collections of music as the majority of it is of such abysmal recording quality, compression being one particular point of annoyance!

 

[matthewpiano]

Recording quality shouldn't get in the way. If it is, you are only really focusing on the hi-fi and being selective about music based on how good it makes the hi-fi sound.

I love top notch sound quality and it massively enhances musical enjoyment, but good music remains good music however badly it is recorded.

 

[floyd droid]

Nicely put matthew but for godssakes dont give any examples of badly recorded great music, you dont want to be caught out pushing your musical tastes now do you

 

[Big Chris]

proffski:
cram:Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

Agreed, it just ends up with people pushing 'their' tastes onto others. As for example in my opinion "what you listening to" does, boring...yawn.

Some people just do not have huge collections of music as the majority of it is of such abysmal recording quality, compression being one particular point of annoyance!

I think you're missing the point somewhat. Posting what I'm currently listening to, is in no way gonna make someone into Country & Western rush out and buy the latest thrash metal album.

It may however help people with like-minded or overlapping musical tastes find other music they may very much enjoy.

I dunno about you, but I've discovered the vast majority of artists I listen to through friends & family (being in numerous metal bands over the years, I've had a vast source to tap, and of course, we're all into pretty much the same stuff).

You'll find that most posts in the 'What are you listening to' thread, don't say "This is awesome, you should all go out and buy it!". Only times I've recommended someone buying something that I have mentioned I listen to, is either when asked directly about an album or band, when asked about a genre I know about, or when I spot an excellent album going for silly money somewhere.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Plus Chris's choice of albums always have great stylised artwork

 

[Big Chris]

What can I say. The Lord saw fit to bless me with exceptional musical taste.

 

[matthewpiano]

Big Chris:proffski:
cram:Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

Agreed, it just ends up with people pushing 'their' tastes onto others. As for example in my opinion "what you listening to" does, boring...yawn.

Some people just do not have huge collections of music as the majority of it is of such abysmal recording quality, compression being one particular point of annoyance!

I think you're missing the point somewhat. Posting what I'm currently listening to, is in no way gonna make someone into Country & Western rush out and buy the latest thrash metal album.

It may however help people with like-minded or overlapping musical tastes find other music they may very much enjoy.

I dunno about you, but I've discovered the vast majority of artists I listen to through friends & family (being in numerous metal bands over the years, I've had a vast source to tap, and of course, we're all into pretty much the same stuff).

You'll find that most posts in the 'What are you listening to' thread, don't say "This is awesome, you should all go out and buy it!". Only times I've recommended someone buying something that I have mentioned I listen to, is either when asked directly about an album or band, when asked about a genre I know about, or when I spot an excellent album going for silly money somewhere.

Completey agree Big Chris. Its a journey of discovery and getting recommendations from other people is incredibly valuable.

 

[daveh75]

matthewpiano:Big Chris:proffski:
cram:Don't see the point of this - it's not what I read WHF for. Given that WHF main subject matter is hardware I can't see them doing anything other than a poor job of this, there's just not enough pages.

Agreed, it just ends up with people pushing 'their' tastes onto others. As for example in my opinion "what you listening to" does, boring...yawn.

Some people just do not have huge collections of music as the majority of it is of such abysmal recording quality, compression being one particular point of annoyance!

I think you're missing the point somewhat. Posting what I'm currently listening to, is in no way gonna make someone into Country & Western rush out and buy the latest thrash metal album.

It may however help people with like-minded or overlapping musical tastes find other music they may very much enjoy.

I dunno about you, but I've discovered the vast majority of artists I listen to through friends & family (being in numerous metal bands over the years, I've had a vast source to tap, and of course, we're all into pretty much the same stuff).

You'll find that most posts in the 'What are you listening to' thread, don't say "This is awesome, you should all go out and buy it!". Only times I've recommended someone buying something that I have mentioned I listen to, is either when asked directly about an album or band, when asked about a genre I know about, or when I spot an excellent album going for silly money somewhere.

Completey agree Big Chris. Its a journey of discovery and getting recommendations from other people is incredibly valuable.I'll third that......

 

[Anonymous]

matthewpiano:Recording quality shouldn't get in the way. If it is, you are only really focusing on the hi-fi and being selective about music based on how good it makes the hi-fi sound.

I love top notch sound quality and it massively enhances musical enjoyment, but good music remains good music however badly it is recorded.

So what...If thats what floats others boats then all the best to them. They've paid their money and have the option of enjoying the hobby in any way they like. There are some here who have posted countless times giving an insight into making their own gear, not a problem, thats their fun. However, I'm damn sure that when they come to try it out they will have a few select tracks in mind as a demo. The same when going for a demo in a shop...bet your bottom dollar that tracks are selected in order to see what the prospective new kit is capable of. OK, a transient experience but valid none the less. As already said, people choose music based on genre so why not choose based on quality.....just another option which enables someone to enjoy the hobby as they like..

 

[Alec]

Or quality and music you like. i might decide no ones albums sound quite so good as those by Dumpy's Rusty Nuts*. So i may listen exclusively to them. But i might not be turned on by the music...

Personally, last time i auditioned, i took the odd ropey recording to see how it would bare up. Personally i found that only very poor quality tracks became nigh on unlistenable when i got my first setup. With my current one, however, i expected things of even slightly poor quality to be much worse but theyre not. The much lower quality stuff i refered to got dumped, but i mean only 3/4 tracks, some taken from poor youtube vids - i have much more good stuff by the same bands.

* Never heard 'em, AFAIK.