I
have never been an audiophile. I love music. I love life performances. For me
there are few experiences more uplifting than a symphony orchestra performing a
classical work or attending a concert with one of my favorite contemporary
musicians. While I’ve always appreciated recorded music I’ve never been
privileged to own a top of the line audio system.
In
childhood I had a little box record player that would spin LPs or 45’s with a
little adapter inserted into the larger hole in the middle. My parents had a console stereo that looked
like a piece of furniture. I progressed to an all in one Panasonic stereo with
turntable in college to a multi component JVC stereo system to the first incarnation
of the CD player in the early 80’s. I progressed then to a Sony Walkman, to a
portable CD player, to an iPod and music I would play on my computer to the
digital music of today.
But
I’ve never loved ear buds or head -sets or head phones. Headsets or head
-phones gave me headaches. Ear buds were uncomfortable and did not provide
audio of any quality. While the digital audio with ear-buds was better than
analog music of days gone by, I wasn’t feeling the love. The sound wasn’t
clear. I couldn’t differentiate the various instruments and I could not
understand the lyrics. Since I love singing along in my car at the top of my
lungs, it was generally preferably to know at least some of the lyrics. What I
couldn’t understand I made up. Really – how many of us must confess to the
same?
But
after my husband dragged me into the Bang & Olufsen store in Bethesda,
Maryland last week, I came to understand the difference between ordinary
head-phones / ear-buds and Bang & Olufsen Ear-sets. Wow! Even my iPhone
sounds live when the music is broadcast through these amazing state of the art
headsets. I can actually understand the lyrics. The music sounds live. I feel a
part of the music. They are expensive,
but I need them. I want them. I lust for them. I never thought there could be
such a difference in how one could experience music emanating from a phone.
But, there is a difference. There is a big difference. I may yet join the ranks
of the audiophiles in my family.
No comments:
Post a Comment