How To Listen

Tools for Listening

In a sad turn of events I managed to lose both my iPhone sleeve-case and my earbuds. I searched and searched for them, but alas, they are gone for good. So after much research I settled on replacing the sleeve-case with a new one. I also upgraded my earbuds to the new Shure SE530s. Sure (no pun intended), they were more expensive than my iPod, but I believe they are the most important thing for my listening enjoyment. I decided to make a post containing my listening equipment and why it is important to me.

1. Apple iPod Classic 160GB Black. I have about 60GB of music, but I purchased the largest iPod for the future. I really like the idea of carrying my entire library with me wherever I want to go. Sure, it’s compressed, but this isn’t an audiophile blog. Leave that to the crazies who spend $3k on a CD player with no pause button.
2. Apple iPhone 8GB Black. Most of my listening happens on this baby. I love it.
3. Shure SE530 Sound Isolating Earbuds. The are one day old, but the difference between these and my last (and also high-quality) earbuds is drastic and astounding. The highs are crisp, but not piercing. It has two woofers for great mids and solid bass. They handle classical music with aplomb and really shine on commercial music. I like earbuds because they are portable, low-profile, and deliver excellent sound quality a lower volumes, resulting in safer listening.
   Now, some may wince at the $500 pricetag. Look for deals. I purchased mine, brand new, for $250. For some people, even $250 may seem like a lot for earbuds, and it is. Consider that even amateur photographers will spend four times that price for a lens, $250 is a small price to pay for the best listening experience you can jam into your head.
4. Gemini CD Deck. I got this thing for 10 cents on eBay. It was incorrectly listed and I spotted it. It is nothing spectacular, but it is functional. Also, it was 10 cents, so there’s that.
5. BGW Professional Power Amplifier Model 250D. This was also an eBay purchase. I pid a fair price for this amp, but I am very impressed. Like I said, I am not one of those audiophiles. What I particularly like about it is has Balanced XLR outputs. Those plug into…
6. The outputs of my Tapco 6306 four-channel mixer made by Mackie. That’s right, my pre-amp is a mixer. Why not? They make recording equipment with better quality, and more durable components than consumer audio gear. It has a bajillion inputs (more than I need) and the controls are responsive to every adjustment. The sound is clear, and flat, with no added color, as you would expect from a piece of recording equipment.
7. JBL L-100 three-way “bookshelf” speakers. The crown-jewels. I put the term “bookshelf” in quotations because the size of the bookshelf that can hold these boat-anchors would need to be made of some impressive materials. Like galvanized steel. They weigh 50 pounds. Each. When I purchased them (from a friend, who purchased them on eBay… they are no longer made), I had them completely overhauled and both tweeters replaced with JBL original parts. In the 1970s this brad of speaker was used as studio monitors. I love these speakers. I don’t think I’ll ever buy anything else. These can do it all. They give no additional coloration and an almost-flat response curve. What is on the disc, is what you hear, and I absolutely LOVE that.

So that’s it. Nothing exceptionally fancy, save the JBLs and the Shures. But why not? That’s the part that actually makes noise. I am very happy with these products and I think they give me the best opportunity to do my best listening, every time.

Edit:  iPhone upgraded to 3G S 32 GB.  Twice the storage.  Sounds the same though

Giving Up Music to Have a Career

If there is one thing that bothers me the most about Fox’s American Idol it is when the would-be superstars admit they gave up their aspirations in music to pursue a “career.” Usually their “career” is something nondescript, safe, and relatively stable. This season, one of the men is a short-haul truck driver. Last season, it was a bartender. Thee is always someone who says that line and it irks me to no end.

For me, music is my career. I wake up every morning and I do musical things all day until I come home. Then I do more musical things, eat, relax, sleep, and repeat. What’s wrong with that? Why do I need to give it up? I have a family, just like the Idols. I have bills. I have other activities. I have things I want to buy. What is the difference?

The difference is, I took a risk that these hopeful singers were unwilling to take. I decided, when I was young, to devote my whole life to art and music. I did it because I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. The Idols, and many others like them were not willing to risk that, and therefore deserve no sympathy from me. Fox shows these people, from rural roots and presumably middle-income lives, who are taking their one big shot at success and that irritates me. I work everyday. I never quit.

I am not looking for the fame and fortune that comes with being an American Idol. It would be nice if classical saxophone players could assume that role, but we all know that is not going to happen. I am not jealous of them. The point is there are many wonderful musicians who struggle, and work very hard everyday to make something awesome. When I hear a sob story about an Idol’s tough life and how they had to give up music to support a child, wife, sick relative, etc., I am not sympathetic and I don’t blame anyone who isn’t.