Music listening has changed

[Flint]

We are a sad lot. A group of dinosaurs marching on our way to extinction. We are home and portable audio nut jobs who try to make the music we listen to sound as good a possible to our ears by building dedicated rooms, installing massive speakers, buying costly stand alone headphone amps, and carrying around extremely expensive headphones that don't even look the slightest bit fashionable. We are dying out.

I've been following the mass market music reproduction trends very closely, and over the past few years something I didn't see coming has surprised me. I get that people LOVE the convenience of putting all their music on their smart phones or listening to streaming music from their smart phones. That makes sense. But I always assumed people would want to LISTEN to music on real speakers at moderately high volume levels. I was wrong.

The invention of wireless, battery powered, portable speakers - something I thought was an acceptable portable alternative to a boom-box - has turned into a huge industry. The larger population of western consumers have stopped buying big hi-fi rigs to listen to music. They've stopped installing outdoor audio systems for their porch. They no longer "install" anything. Instead, they spend hundreds of dollars on Bluetooth speaker systems that play loud enough and with enough bass to make the music enjoyable.

I just saw that the Marshall (guitar amp) brand has been put on a $500 Bluetooth speaker system. Can you imagine that? $500 for a trendy portable speaker system?

Wow!

I've noticed nearly all of my workplace friends have Bluetooth speakers which get more use than their HT system (which are mostly crap anyway). Most have more than one Bluetooth speaker - a larger one for home or special events, a smaller one for carrying to the park or lake, and one they always have with them in case the mood hits to listen to some tunes. It is fascinating to me.

What's more... these little speakers DON'T SOUND HALF-BAD. They tend to have a relatively balanced frequency response with enough bass to seem heftier than their size would suggest and they usually play loud enough to be enjoyed. Of course they have huge limitations when compared to a proper fixed stereo system, but those limitations don't ruin the enjoyment of good music.

I am questioning the future of our passion, folk.

 

[PaulyT]

Has it ever been different? Folks like us have probably always been the minority... Most people seem to want background music and nothing more, while they do something else. Relatively few will sit down and really listen to and focus on music for its own sake. In fact, when I first started getting into this hobby with you all a few years back, my wife complained that I was listening so loud (meaning, like what you would hear in a live concert, even classical) that she couldn't talk. My reaction was, I don't want to talk right now. Fortunately she's come around.

Of course, I say/write this while listening to music on my (relatively) expensive headphone rig, so it's just background music. :scared-eek:

 

[Haywood]

I think movies will save the day in the sense that you cannot get an immersive move experience from a Bluetooth speaker. Let's face it, the number of people who buy the kind of gear we buy has always been somewhat small. I don't necessarily think the home theater buff crowd is shrinking, but I do agree that the two channel crowd is slowly dying. I attribute that to two things: there is sufficient overlap between the HT geeks and the audiophiles that people who care invest in one nice setup. Second, the sound quality of these portable devices is WAY better than anything like them 20-30 years ago. I am amazed at how good some of these smaller solutions actually sound. For anyone who is not a true audio nut, it is a no-brainer.

I used to have two-channel setups all over my house. I basically got rid of them. I've got my main rig in the living room and a more modest setup in the family room (Insignia speakers, energy sub, Onkyo receiver). The rest of the house is going to be nothing but sound-bars and Bluetooth, because these solutions sound great for casual listening and I'm sick of all the clutter.

 

[Randy]

I agree with Haywood about wanting an immersive expericnce watching movies, but most people think we are even crazier re" home theater.
'You HAVE/ NEED HOW MANY SPEAKERS???"

 

[mcad64]

I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year. I guarantee when my siblings come over and enter my man cave (recroom) and see a black acoustic ceiling, a new giant( to them) SVS sub and 4 different speakers since the last time they were over they will all just look at me and shake their heads!! I blame them in part however. It was growing up the youngest of 7 that introduced me to and gave me a love of all sorts of music.

 

[TKoP]

I'm just hoping it's a cyclical thing and that quality starts getting "cool" at some point. It'll take some twentysomething hot actor to become a vocal fan of a good rig/setup for others to follow. Some will be in it because it's the latest fad, but some will appreciate the difference and stay around.

However, the heyday of this hobby is behind us I'm sure -- too much is about aesthetics or convenience rather than the end product.

 

[Botch]

Dr. AIX offered up a prediction, that falls into this discussion. I don't buy his argument, but FWIW:

This is not a news item or a statement of fact...or even rumor. It is my educated guess as to what Apple might be contemplating as the push for "high-resolution audio" continues AND people like Neil Young and others increase the awareness of better sounding audio. This is what I would do if I was involved in the decision making at Apple...as you know I'm not.

On September 9, 2014, Tim Cook will be unveiling the new iPhone 6, the Apple iWatch, and have members of his team in Cupertino demonstrate the exciting new things that Apple will have to offer this fall and into the holiday season (upgrades to the iOS etec). Rather than let others continue to drive the downloadable music market to better quality sources and playback devices, Apple's CEO will announce that the new iPhone 6 is capable of playing high-resolution files. The hardware will have the ability to play 96 and 192 kHz/24-bit PCM audio in analog stereo through its on board high quality DAC (Qualcomm...perhaps) and digitally via the digital connector at the tail end. Yep, they will begin producing portable music players that will be compatible with all of the files that the labels have been uploading to Cupertino for the past three years and more. Think "Mastered for iTunes"…

The new iTunes HD will handle those files exactly as it handles AAC files at 256 or 320 kbps...only now we won't be able to store 10,000 songs in our pockets. Users will have to make a choice about the level of quality that they want on their portable iPhone 6 and a corresponding reduction in the number of tunes in the devices. Of course, the normal $.99 lossy compressed tunes will be available as well as ALAC versions but these same tunes will be offered at "Master Quality" at 96 kHz/24-bits (which is more than enough to capture the fidelity that Burbank has in their vaults). The price of individual tunes will rise by $.25 per tune and there will be some sort of logo and indicator "light" that indicates that the files are indeed "High-Resolution".

But that's just the beginning. Apple will sell millions of new iPhone 6s to non-audiophiles. Think Pono made a splash with their dedicated yellow 192 kHz/24-bit FLAC player? They've presold around 18,000 of them and are currently struggling to complete the design, tooling, testing, and manufacturing of the first batch of Pono music players. Apple will sell 1,000,000 iPhone 6s on the first day after they're available. Unknowing non-audiophile customers will instantly have a device in their pockets that will perform as well as the Pono device and be able to do so much more. I've seen the future with the HTC One M8 Harman Kardon edition phone that Sprint sent me. This will be the new norm...and Apple will run ahead of everyone.

Why? Because with the purchase of Beats and the slow build of a catalog that is actually better than CDs (not quite HD but close enough), they have a "submarine" solution fully formed at the launch. All they have to do is flip a switch and the "HD Audio" area of the iTunes website will go live. The iPhone 6 will "iTunes Match" all of the tunes you've already purchased and replace them with the lossless versions at 96 kHz/24-bits (with or without an additional charge). New customers will start hearing their music at levels of fidelity that they've never encountered before and begin migrating to higher fidelity.

Remember you heard it here first...but that's just the beginning. The entire ecosystem for high-resolution music will change the experience at the consuming end. What about the artists, engineers, and producers that are producing new content...will they up their game too? Tune in tomorrow to see more from my crystal ball.

:shhh:

 

[AndySTL]

There is so much music available these days and I think the technology has helped facilitate the widespread distribution. I have a bluetooth speaker and it allows me to listen to tunes when I cook, play golf, have a beer outside or clean the basement etc... I think that's a good thing. I listen to much more music now than I did 10 years ago.

 

[Batman]

There is so much music available these days and I think the technology has helped facilitate the widespread distribution. I have a bluetooth speaker and it allows me to listen to tunes when I cook, play golf, have a beer outside or clean the basement etc... I think that's a good thing. I listen to much more music now than I did 10 years ago.

^ all very good points. I feel the very same way, and then when I discover music I like, I find myself wanting to hear it on a better system.

 

[MatthewB]

I talk with a lot of younger generation (now ex coworkers and nieces and nephews) and they have no interest in quality audio or video. They don't buy into cable TV and everything is either torrented media for movies (I mean why pay 10 bucks when you can get a bootlegged movie on your cell phone and it's just as good (to them). Heck I'm just too old cause I still put on a record and sit down and just listen and enjoy the music. Granted I like my iPods and how I can enjoy music in my jeep (where hi fidelity isn't a concern) or on trips where I can drown out screaming infants on planes. But when I want to relax and get immersed in music I have a huge CD and record collection that I can put on and enjoy.

 

[Deacon]

I think most of you are missing something in your analysis. It is not that younger people or people in general have less inclination towards quality sound. It's that those people accept what they hear as quality because they have never heard anything of better quality than what they are currently using.

I take my family for example. I spent days researching and going around listening to headphones cause that is what I was getting them for Christmas. I got what I thought was the best quality headphones for the price I paid and was happy about the choice. My kids got them, thought they were ugly and ended up primarily using some cheap Sony cans that they bought for about 12 bucks.

As I thought about it I had to come to the realization that they primarily listen to music in the car and from their phones. In that regard some cheap fashionable headphones would be right on par with the level of quality that they are used to hearing.

Me explaining to them that x has better frequency range and flatter curve means absolutely nothing to them, etc, etc. They see me listening to music in the HT and they have no desire to do that either cause listening to music is something to be done in conjunction to doing other things. My daughter has come down to the basement while I am in a listening session and questioned why I was just sitting in the dark. "I'm listening to music"... her response: 'so you're just sitting there not doing anything else?' "What else do you want me to be doing..."? 'I don't know, you could vacuum the floor or something...'

Most, and I mean the vast majority have never heard music replayed on the quality of equipment that most of us have in our current HT. You have to be exposed to quality to understand and appreciate what you are missing. Ignorance is truly bliss. I know because before I started hanging out with you guys I thought as long as I can understand the lyrics and make out individual instruments everything was fine. But now I know and can appreciate better quality sound. When I was ignorant of it, quality had no tangible meaning to me.

The other factor is convenience. If the quality of what you hear in your car and on crappy ipod headphones is the norm for you then all you are going to be concerned about is ease of use and convenience. That is why Bluetooth speakers are popular now. Heck I am sure that is a major reason why companies like Bose are so successful. Forget quality of sound, increase the ease of use and convenience and people will be happy.

 

[lulimet]

I am amazed at how good some of these smaller solutions actually sound. For anyone who is not a true audio nut, it is a no-brainer.

I too am amazed at how you can get excellent sound for little money today. My latest $100 Mackie speakers with 3" drivers produce great sound. And they have built in amps too so no need for other components. Just connect your phone or you computer and voila, you got a good sounding two channel system that anyone could live with.

 

[Haywood]

I doubt I will ever bother with putting in an outdoor speaker system. Bluetooth just makes more sense for that kind of application. I also like Bluetooth for workshops, bathrooms and other secondary music-only setups. The convenience factor is huge and I am honestly "over" having piles of gear scattered all over the house. I have a nice setup in my living room and a decent entry-level home theater in the family room. The rest of the house is sound bars, sub-sats and portables, all of which support Bluetooth.

 

[Barney]

Well, my son is 15 and music is very important in his & all his friends.
And he wants/needs a bluetooth speaker.....and I've heard some amazing small bluetooth speakers.
But right now we both can't wait till I get the boom boom room up and going.

 

[Flint]

Well, my son is 15 and music is very important in his & all his friends.
And he wants/needs a bluetooth speaker.....and I've heard some amazing small bluetooth speakers.
But right now we both can't wait till I get the boom boom room up and going.

From experience I've learned that drummers, as a group, generally enjoy big, loud, powerful speakers because drummers experience music and dynamics in a way few can comprehend and only big-ass speakers can come close to recreating that experience.

 

[Wardsweb]

Well, my son is 15 and music is very important in his & all his friends.
And he wants/needs a bluetooth speaker.....and I've heard some amazing small bluetooth speakers.
But right now we both can't wait till I get the boom boom room up and going.

From experience I've learned that drummers, as a group, generally enjoy big, loud, powerful speakers because drummers experience music and dynamics in a way few can comprehend and only big-ass speakers can come close to recreating that experience.

I get this. I have a two good friends that are drummers. They want to feel the kick drum. They experience their music.

For me, it depends on my mood. Most of the time I listen at a moderate level, then there are times I want to crank it up. I have built different systems to accommodate different needs and wants.

Now for wireless, you have options other than Bluetooth. There is a new protocol called SKAA. It is a full spectrum high bandwidth solution for the select few that want true hi-fi. Mark and Daniel Maximus Opal Air4 uses this new tech to stream a digital signal to the built in DAC at the speakers that feed a built in amp. They are an all in one stereo system.

So yes, I am a dinosaur and I will die some day. I choose to enjoy life on my terms until then.

 

[Barney]

So yes, I am a dinosaur and I will die some day. I choose to enjoy life on my terms until then.

Amen brother......dinosaurs we are. :text-bravo:

 

[lakedmb]

When I was ignorant of it, quality had no tangible meaning to me.

I think this is an excellent quote! This can be applied to so many different areas in our lives.

 

[Botch]

Well, my son is 15 and music is very important in his & all his friends.
And he wants/needs a bluetooth speaker.....and I've heard some amazing small bluetooth speakers.
But right now we both can't wait till I get the boom boom room up and going.

From experience I've learned that drummers, as a group, generally enjoy big, loud, powerful speakers because drummers experience music and dynamics in a way few can comprehend and only big-ass speakers can come close to recreating that experience.

I get this. I have a two good friends that are drummers. They want to feel the kick drum. They experience their music.

I get this too, having too many times sat behind my 'board stack, directly in front of the drum riser, or in the earlier days, having the crash cymbal 8" from my right ear on that damn 4' x 8' stage.

 

[Flint]

Any semi-decent drummer learns to control his instrument which means mastering the nuance of the dynamics and sustain and tone through how he strikes the head/cymbal - where he strikes it, at what velocity, with release or play through, and at which angle. This is all happening at very high SPLs and requires clearly hearing both the peak shock and the latent decay. So, in general, drummers want to hear all of that in their reproduced music.