I'm a Music-First Audiophile. What about you? 

"Some people use music to listen to their headphones, I prefer using my headphones to listen to music." Totally with you there. :)

My dad got a pair of Monitor Audios just before my birth in 1981. When my parents divorced i got the speakers, in the early 90's. Later on in started collecting Vynil in 2003. In the last few years i got a job as manager of a very high end audio store. I litterally spent my days demoing 30 000€ rigs. No matter how good the gear or how much discount i could get, i have never felt the need to replace my Monitor Audios. Sure enough i've heard gear that surpass it, but it also reminded that no matter what i compare them to, they actually hold up pretty well, and upgrading isn't worth the price at this point. They're far from perfect, but at the end of the day they deliver the HIFI experience.

You're a good man John. You have your heart in the right place.

Right thoughts! An audiophile is not a person with hardware for a million dollars, and not a man with a million records, but an ordinary person who cannot live a day without music.

Cant deny there is a strong attraction to good equipment & well recorded music but never forget to enjoy yr music.

John, I think your views on the balance between focusing on the kit and focusing on the music are very fair and very sensible. Personally I got 'into' Hifi as a trained classical musician wanting high quality music reproduction in the home. Over the decades though, and once I owned a 'high end' system, I found the focus started to shift towards the gear, it's setup, tweaking and fiddling to try and 'improve' the sound, to say nothing of the temptation for ever more purchases to 'upgrade', and indulging in ever more obsessive audiophile approved rituals such as cable dressing, unplugging and remaking connections to 'remove' real or imagined corrosion on interconnect RCA/DIN plugs, polishing three pin mains plugs with Brasso etc to 'improve' performance. It got to the point where owning a High End Hifi almost completely took away the enjoyment of the music, with one focusing on the kit and what it was 'doing' with the music, rather than the music itself. A move into AV saw that much vaunted and revered brand of 2 channel audio system eventually sold off, in favour of something much cheaper, much more user friendly, and in my professional judgement, much more authentic sounding as well. These days I run a fully active AV system from a supposed 'lifestyle' brand according to audiophile folklore, but find it to be more authentic in it's music reproduction than most price competing passive separates systems from high end 'Hifi' brands. And, most importantly, it removed the HiFi audiophile 'voodoo' out of the equation and gave me my music enjoyment back as regards listening to same in the home. The one area I would mention in your very well done video, is the questionable practice of doing A/B's of price and/or brand competing separates components/passive speakers kit in a retail showroom. Yes, it's impractical to do matched level AB's, let alone blind ABX's in such a situation. But if you're going to compare separates components/passive speakers in such a situation, then I'd respectfully argue that blind and level matched is very important, as otherwise you will hear differences and maybe preferences, that have little to do with the kit under comparison - expectation bias, and psycho acoustics being the scientific research proven reason that such differences are mainly heard in such situations. I agree totally about rooms, and would argue the things that make a difference in perceived sound quality in a given system/room, is the recording quality, speakers, speaker/room interface, and the room acoustics themselves. From that POV, and of my personal experience, for the music lover and audio enthusiasts who aspire to high quality music reproduction in the home, but aren't overly interested in the obsessive hobby side of separates mixing and matching, fully active speaker systems with everything matched at a professional level, and with onboard room compensation software such as the Kii 3's etc are very much the way forward re a balance of very high reproduction quality of music and AV in the home, in an exceptionally elegant, tailored and delightfully easy and satisfying to live with manner.

Great video explaining your perspective. I too am music first.

Thanks John. I’ve been listening to music avidly since 1969 when my dad and I bought our first Creedence Clearwater Revival vinyl. I also discovered FM radio somewhere about that time. I listened to this on an amplifier, receiver and speakers that my dad DIY’d from Heath Electronic kits. It was pure heaven to me. It’s always been about the music for me. In 1984 I bought my first equipment and used it for over 20 yrs. I’ve never been able to purchase REALLY high end equipment. I’ve upgraded two more times, the last one being just a couple wks ago. Music is still the most important part, and will always be. Thanks again for your position, thoughts and attitude. Oh, by the way, I still own that Creedence album, duct taped cover and millions of scratches!

Yes, the music has to come first. The purpose of the quality of gear is to increase the pleasure gained from the music. John mentioned the importance of the room and I noticed some room treatments on his walls. I'd love to see him do an article and/or video on what treatments he finds useful. Also his thoughts on room correction software for listening to music in stereo... as gear is starting to appear with that capability.

Good video John. I'm gear first. All I listen to are log sweeps, pink noise and anime OSTs.

I am completely behind this idea. Music and the experience it gives you are the reasons we get into this scene. Personally, I do want it to sound as good as possible, but virtually always it will be music that I want to listen to. I have a wide taste in music from Schubert to Sinatra to Ozzy to DJ Ham to Enya to King Princess and anything in between. I am probably very lucky to enjoy such a wide range and my pursuit is to enjoy music to the highest quality I can without going overboard (if there is an "overboard")

With you 100%. I've ended up with decent HiFi in my retirement, but get as much enjoyment from listening in my car or in the kitchen when cooking. It's always about the music and I get to as many live concerts as I can. Listening critically (for want of a better description) at home is a solitary affair - my wife doesn't share my enthusiasm, and that's OK. But I also run a music club where 4 other good friends and I meet once a month and choose 4 tracks each on a theme, have a (good) few drinks with cheese and stuff and just have a laugh around listening to each other's choices. Again it's about the music. Keep up the solid work John - like the cut of your jib!

Who ARE you?? What a bunch of complete, total, absolute, unbelievable...COMMON SENSE!! Yes, the sound is important. Yes, the aesthetics are important. But it's the MUSIC that takes center stage, not the hardware or the software. It's the music that moves you, at least it should. You have an immediate subscriber. VERY WELL SAID.

Thanks for this, Mr. Darko. You're right that the goal should be happiness with one's music, or gear, or experience with both - either alone or with others. Too many "audiophiles" seem to find happiness in arguing on the internet. I'm very grateful for the continuing education you provide to those of us less fluent in the subject matter. You present as a person who wishes to welcome others to the hobby (if that's the right word) rather than one who takes pride in knowing all the cool terms and tech and doesn't want to share. in addition, you have a talent for explaining what you've learned in an accessible fashion; that's no mean feat. If you're ever lucky enough to find yourself in Texas, you've got a good meal and a stiff drink waiting for you.

John, you're the reason why I subscribe to your channel and visit your website. The presentation is genuine. Music always first. When I demo my gear for folks, I let them pick out a song they know by heart. Let it touch them in a way they never felt or heard before .

Yes, I'd describe myself as a music-first audiophile. But you know, this video is also a great reminder of how I WANT to be. It's easy to sometimes get too caught up in the obsession with gear, with tech, with imperfections, with the things I want but can't yet have. Great outlook, John. Thanks for sharing.

Music first for me. No amplification acoustic music. Classical Quartet in a small Hall. Jazz group in an intimate setting. Acoustic guitar and singer at home. It is as pure as it gets and sadly not often enough.

I couldn't of said it any better, I'm 100% with you . Music has been my solace since I was 4 years old, in my 60's now it's more true than ever. I'm just thankful I live in a time when we have the luxury of recorded music. For thousands and thousands of years you had to go find a musician or play it yourself if you wanted to hear music. Gear is only there to express the beauty that is music!

Superb. So succinctly expressing how I feel, and with such a great perspective. It’s not black and white. It’s not gear or music. It’s both. But driven by the whole reason any of us got here in the first place. Cos we love music. In my mind an audiophile isn’t someone who spends silly money on gear, it’s, as JD says, someone who sits and LISTENS to the music no matter what the gear is. Love your work Mr Darko. Keep it up!

Yep. Couldn’t agree more. I have high end gear but some of it is 40 years old. In its day it was the cream of the crop but I grew up listening to my parents music on it and I then gradually over the years either was given or commandeered the year bit by bit to make it my own from my Dad. So for me, the sound was already high end but it had a “sound” if it’s time. I have upgraded certain aspects but I still have a 40 year old Thorens turntable that knocks spots of many around nowadays, I was, until recently on a second hifi, using some 40 year old Celestion audiophile monitors. Why? Because they made my music have that “sound” I grew up on. I am totally aware that the gear nowadays can make the music sound much different....clearer, more detail and depth, more....everything. But what it doesn’t give is the sound that evokes the memories associated to that music. Which, in a long way, means the music is first for me. Gear colours the sound and it’s what you want from that gear and sound to get that feeling but you are led 100% by the music and what that gives you. And if the gear can help, then all the better

Great video. I LOVE music. I can be just at emotionally moved by a song on a $50 Bluetooth speaker as I can on $2000 Towers. My listening experience has reached a zenith with the advent of amazing new products. My most treasured purchase as of now are the Focal Clear Headphones. Simply sublime. Music never sounded so good.

You are absolutely right: music comes first, then the hardware. Without the music, the rest does not make sense. Greetings from Chile.

As always fab video John!!! Great music and great equipment (not necessarily expensive equipment) is a everlasting joy! Folks who listen to music with emotional connection have better lives. Audiophiles who listen to their gear only are often frustrated and disappointed. Your 60/40 balance is excellent!!! Cheers!

I see alot of the people in this hobby who are toxic if you don't use lossless flac.... I started to get into the audiophile hobby last year, I upgraded to a Schiit jotunheim +USB Dac module, audeze lcd2c headphones + 4-pin periapt cable balanced cable. My setup is NOT the best you can get but it's the best I could afford ($1200USD) so I'm really happy with how everything sounds so far. Getting new audio gear made me really happy which I started to listen to different kinds of music genre I would have never listened too before.

I can only agree - indeed I wish more reviewers would choose to focus on the music as you have done and focus less on equipment and format.

Great words John! Fully agree! Studied audio engineering and I always chuckle when I hear audiophiles drivel about how their mega system reproduces the sound like they are there in studio together with the musician. Trust me, when I say that will never ever be the case. The minute a sound is captured by a microphone something will happen to the audio. Also, if the CD or whatever truly captured the essence of what it was like in the studio, well lets just say it wouldn’t be a great experience.

Delightful little rant succinct, persuasive it's the youtube audience breakdown video with class we wish we'd see from other youtubers. Music first. I mean even in linear order "audio-phile" that simply makes reasonable sense to me. Love your work, thanks for sharing!

Wow; I see myself in you. Love the way you think. As an audiophile on a budget, and a mainly punk and metal listener (which aren't usually exquisitely recorded) I certainly understand where you're coming from, and think you and I enjoy our hobby way more than those obssessed with the gear and the grail recordings. I've suscribed !

Hi John, I think it's great your spelling out your personal position so clearly on music and hifi, but if I'm honest I don't think this video told me anything I didnt already know. All of your content has an honesty about hifi which cuts through a lot of the snobbery and brings people in rather than pushes them away. If your making videos like this to respond to negative comments I wouldn't waste your energy. You're doing a great job. Thanks again.

Just subscribed to your channel and love your approach. My interest in higher end audio equipment began a few years ago and has always been driven by my listening experience. I love music. I’ve always loved music. The investments I make in gear are never to chase a perfect sound, but rather enhance my listening experience. I appreciate that you offer advice, reviews, and ideas to folks at every budget level and everywhere on the audiophile spectrum. Keep doing what you do.

You are one of what I call “real reviewers”! I admire your candor, your honesty and your stand on what is important to you. I worked in the high end audio world as a manufacturer. To be personally involved in the biz opened my eyes to some things I was completely against. Never mind what it was, but suffice it to say I was displeased. My involvement gave me an understanding and a desire to always deliver my best. Whether or not our product was ever given what I thought it deserved is something I have just come to peace with. It was never about what I produced. It was always about did it deliver the most enjoyable experience to the customer. I busted my ass over it. It mattered because I love music. While we may not share the same taste in music, I believe if you are happy with what you have, that is a good thing. This world we live in requires us to relax and enjoy something that makes us happy and listening to music does that for me. You just keep being honest and let the music play. I can live with that! Thanks John!

Spot on, well said. Thanks to your vids I'm going down the rabbit hole, but my wallet will limit me before it gets out of hand, I hope. You turned me onto DACs for my phone, and I'm still revelling in the new sound experience from my Fiio K1. I've bought some used Shure 215, and some used ATH 50x, and now I'm thinking how did I tolerate the others before. I'm 90% music, but there's lots of pleasure to be had in the listening, and now I understand why many get obsessed. Thanks for a wonderful channel.

Content is King. That's my motto. It's why I still would rather hear French pianists Alfred Cortot's early acoustic recordings than many modern, state-of-the-art hi-rez piano recordings. It just has more heart. But even a CD of an an old shellac recording sounds way better on my modern speakers than the vinyl of the same recording did on my cheap turntable and old speakers. The gear is the vehicle. The music is the destination. The experience of both is the journey.

Everything you've said here just spoke to my heart. I think that you hit the nail on the head when you said that the love of the music puts fuel in the engine that drives the pursuit of better sound or better gear, a point I've been trying to explain to my wife...Thank you, and please keep up the good work.

I am just starting out as an audiophile. I am beginning to be discontent with my cheap headphones and speakers. Having said that, and not having much gear as of yet, if I didn't love the music first, there would be no point to learning about better gear so that I could enjoy all that goes into the recording of the music. I thank you, for your videos, which have introduced me to the knowledge that I can enjoy a better quality of listening. I look forward to my first pair of higher-end speakers, (which I am saving for), and discovering the sound fed through an external DAC. Thank you, again, and I am glad to learn that the music is so important to you.

Nice one brother!..... I think you literally explained my “philosophy of music” to me ......I had never really put it into words before. Music first.... I fell asleep to a transistor radio in bed as a child ....and now I fall asleep on the couch to a high end system.Music first!

Music first, always. Whether blowing out the drive while wearing an iPod, or sitting in front of the Cornwalls, it's the music that drives the desire for better sound and gear...for me anyway. Thanks!

Love your work John. Living in regional Australia these days, I bought KEF LSX's unheard based on your review alone and am now enjoying hearing my 70's and 80's music again after 'giving up' quality equipment 15 years ago. Thanks for giving it back. I wish I could afford better, but these are amazing speakers.

This exactly how I look at this hobby, if you can call it so. It’s unfortunate how the word “ audiophile “ now means a person who’s hard to like something and everybody has to take his word for it. There’s no such a thing. Our tastes are different and that’s why there’s many sound signatures, simply because someone like it that way. Thanks for this lovely video.

Spot on John, your approach and attitude is commendable, this is what makes your channel worth watching.

While I have a couple of stereo systems and a headphone set up I still really like finding new way to listen to my music. Recently I transferred a bunch of my FLAC files on to a SD memory card and play it in my VW Golf. I didn't realize I could do this till recently. It's not at all like my big rig but I'm in my car with MY music and can play it anywhere. Nothing like singing alone while you drive.

Content is king. Everthing else is secondary. I listen to a band that plays on the street recorded by a cell phone. Its because I love their music.

It is true, because it does not help with good sound if you do not like the music, but good sound makes you even more enjoy listening to your favorite music.

John, love your reviews and your polemics! I think I'm a music first audiophile, or at least that's what I want to be. However, my life's path into music has been along a curious route. For personal reasons too long to get into here, I have had very little exposure to music, good music, and by that I mean music that speaks to my soul. Only as an adult am I discovering it. Here is the curious part. What is driving my discovery of good music is my recent introduction to audiophile hardware and file formats. I've been down the rabbit hole researching the hardware which has led to places like your channel, where I discovered The Waterboys and The Future Sound of London, among others. In other audiophile corners of the internet I recently discovered Concha Buika. Through you, I also discovered Roon and Qobuz, and along with my Tidal account I can now find pretty much any music you mention. I appreciate your efforts tremendously. This music discovery is fabulous, even if I came to it by way of descent into hardware research. I'm a fan! Keep up the great work!

Good statement. I watch 3 guys for audio advice or just plain entertainment, because I find this entertainment. The reason I'm watching 3? All three have the same approach as you do. I won't mention the others on here but you are one of the 3, keep it up! Enjoy the content. Oh! You introduced me to Plastikman, thank you. :)

I enjoy music, period. Whether it's on my iPhone, in my car or home stereo---I need to have music playing. I enjoy vinyl, CDs and streaming. I enjoy a $500 system just as much as I enjoy a $5000+ system. I think we all got into this hobby because of music---but some people get too involved in the "machinery" rather than the music. Thanks for the video!

Thanks for this video. IMO The music or audio eclipses the gear every time. As long as it sounds good to you and fits your requirements (budget, wife acceptability, room size etc) who's to tell you your setup is garbage? I currently use Steve Guttenberg's Cheapie setup of Dayton Audio B652 and $30 amp with an Audio Technica LP120 and use built in preamp. Would I love a nicer system? Sure, some day. I'd love a set of Klipsch Fortes. Do I have a toddler and cats that might try and destroy expensive equipment, Yes. However, I love the way my daughter asks to hear Taylor Swift and how it gives her such joy to pull the lever that drops the needle that I would never move my equipment to a man cave.

Agree with you 100%. For me music brings out feelings & emotions such as excitement and joy, and sometimes better sounding gear empathize these states of mind which is one of the reasons I pursue "better sound". But the music comes first.

Thanks much! Very well said and refreshing! I skew much more towards music than you and most audiophiles. I can listen to a crappy file on a presumed lousy system and enjoy it because it's the musical connection I am after. I have vintage systems and thank God, never suffered from the upgrade sickness chasing the holy grail of audio, which does not exist. I also love audiophiles who listen to their gear and know amazingly little about music / artists (NOT!!) Keep up the great work!!

John your reviews, write up's and attitude are top notch! You're down to Earth and keep it real. The audiophile community should listen to what you say and get off their high horse and stop looking down their nose at would be audiophiles. I feel for for the audiophile industry to grow it has to become all inclusive and not like some elite members only country club. Most musicians are not snobs and without music there would be no audiophile. Keep up the good work!

First video I have watched from your channel, and I love every part of it. I am a music-first as well, but with that I also seek for the numbers on the music as much as I can. But that doesn't mean lossy formats can't do the trick. I seek more of the pleasure I get when listening to my jam. Truly an amazing video from you.

Just recently subscribed to your channel, been enjoying music for 40 plus years now and I have to say I find the way you review and describe what you enjoy is dead on for me. it is about music!!!!!!!!!!

Haaahaaaa awesome...........Just nailed it buddy! Love your attitude and love your content. I feel exactly the same, few of my favorite sound tracks are from 80's & 90's when I was growing up. Very lousy sound quality as they were converted by someone from a cassette to mp3, but still love them because they are memory. And music is memory for most of us!

Fantastic video John. I’m with you.

Wow, such a great explanation of how music/audiophile/tech. As a fashion designer, sometimes I love the design/color/fabric of a piece. I like the high low aspect of it. I enjoy that you review Schiit Dacs, Raspberry Pi's, and then some crazy priceless headphones all in the same beat. I also digged the playlist for the Heigle. It definitely put me in mindset as you reviewed the unit.

You nailed it 100%! I would consider myself a music-first audiophile too. I've never understood the point of having the best equipment in the world if you don't like music. What is the point, but to each their own, I guess. Sound is subjective. No two people hear exactly the same. Similar, but not the same. Buy and use the equipment that you can afford and sounds good to your own ear!

John, Thanks for all your videos. I look forward to every new video you put out. This year I decided to upgrade my 3 year old audio system (KEF Q100s, Yamaha AVR) and bought KEF R300s new, and a used Hegel H80. My audio system is connected to my tv, and I stream audio via a Google Chromecast Audio and toslink. It amazes me that there isn't much choice in the $35 range for music streaming. That said, Google is discontinuing the device, so maybe there isn't much demand in that price range. Anyway, thanks again for your videos, and I look forward to your next one.

Yes! Great video! I’m a music 🎼 first audiophile as well. I got into high-end audio thru my love, enthusiasm & appreciation of music.😃

Great video! It's so easy to get wrapped up in the relentless pursuit of state-of-the-art gear and unwittingly end up at a point where the music becomes... incidental. For me, there's music that just emotionally transcends the machines used to deliver it to me. I think like most of us would probably say, my life has kind of a soundtrack. And that soundtrack has been presented to me in a thousand different ways on a thousand different systems - live, on a crappy little transistor radio, on vinyl, on 8-track tape (yes, I'm old!), on CD, and in every digital format that currently exists and that I hope to experience in the future. And no matter the medium, it's the message that matters (with apologies to Marshall McLuhan...). :)

This was gold, love your attitude John, and found myself agreeing with most everything you said. I liked your point about headphones canceling out the room. I’d never thought about it like that before, but it’s probably why my I’ve been moving more in that direction lately. You can also get a taste of high-end sound for reasonable money.

my definition and my way of understanding audiophile is someone that enjoys listening to the music in the best possible way, either at home with a 4000$ system or with some decent bluetooth earphones in your daily commute

I used to think that my collection of music should have cost me about the same as my equipment. But that was when CDs were about 15/20 quid. I've about a bit more than 500 CDs, so that worked for me. However, I am shifting over to Tidal, so that formula doesn't work anymore. But in truth, I am sure if I won the Lotto, I would get the exotic Hi Fi, without thinking about a car!

...and thank you so much for the open, honest and obvious passion - whether your bias is music, hardware or being a tweak freak, it can all be accomodated in the world of audiophiles. Great video.

Music first audiophile always! Its all about the music at the end of the day. Technology is just here to serve the enjoyment of this art.

I'm also a music-first audiophile BUT the hardware matters because (at least in my case) a great system helps me enjoy the music more. So the reason to pursue and attain better hardware is to enjoy the music more! I think the biggest challenge facing audiophiles (again, in my case) is the fact that even though I live only 40 miles from NYC, that the options for demo-ing equipment are incredibly limited. No audio stores at all, unless I travel to New Haven (40 minutes) or NYC (about an hour). Even those stores carry a limited number of brands. So many audio choices but actually hearing them is way too hard.

Great piece John, thanks! We do sometimes forget the source of the passion which is as should remain the music....

I agree with your assessment, music is most important part of equation. Whether $40,000+ system or a much more humble, just enjoy your music and be happy. Life is short so enjoy the trip!

I range between gear first and music first, and for me...personally...no one has to agree with this...and I don't mind if you don't agree with this...I STOPPED listening to music other than on a car ride, for several years. Why? I thought I was just getting older, and it just didn't appeal to me as much anymore. But, I started getting into high end audio gear and now I LOVE music again! Rejoice! I love headphones, I love that I can take a high-fi experience with me to work, or to a coffee shop, or listen when my wife is trying to sleep. I now listen to music more often than I watch TV. Sure, I'm thousands and thousands of dollars into it and I'm always like, oooh what can I get this month, but! It's still about listening to music. I don't enjoy it on cheap ear buds like what come with my iPhone, so there the music almost doesn't matter. So gear-music are tied I suppose. But, this is a hobby, and it's fun! So keep it that way! Great video, John,

Finally a perspective on the Audiophile label I can agree with. For me it’s definitely more about the music than the gear or the format. 👍👍

Yes John with you all the way and really lovely to hear it too.

I mostly agree. Yes, music goes first most of the time. However, I also experienced on multiple occasions a great audio system helping me understand and feel the music I never liked before.

For me, the hifi is the means to an end, that end being maximum enjoyment of the music. I’ll get the best I can afford for the room I have but my definition of “best” is not abstract measurements but rather what I can hear when I play my music through it. People like you, John, are a vital source of help not because I will necessarily like everything you review (or be able to afford it) but rather because you give me a sensible notion about where I might start looking. People who review gear by measurement numbers (a certain three letter acronym’d website springs to mind) are no help at all because a graph showing how something handles a 1khz tone is pointless, I don’t listen to 1khz tones. As such I am proud, also, to claim the label of “Music First Audiophile.”

I'm music first. All of the other aspects of the listening experience matter as well. I'm going to retire and move in a few years. One of the objectives is to get a listening room that is the right size, that has the right look, the right furniture, with my music and my equipment. I watch/read audiophile reviews so I can make good decisions. I think that it helps for a reviewer to put forward his biases or preferences when discussing topics. I think Darko Audio is the most practical site on the net in that regard...

John, I too am an audio first audiophile. I liken my music listening enjoyment to another passion of mine, travel. I've traveled a lot in the US, Canada, and some of Europe via motorcycle. Travel is my primary joy, similar to music is my primary joy. But, the better the vehicle to share in that journey, the more I enjoy the overall experience. Just as a motorcycle journey is improved by the right motorcycle, the listening experience is improved by the right hardware. If it came down to traveling with a lower quality less enjoyable bike verses no travel, I'd choose the former. Likewise, it if came to listening to music on my little JBL bluetooth speaker verses not hearing music at all, I'd choose the former.

Great video. I care more with the music that i am listening than the gear that i am using. So yes, im also a music first audiophile. I 100% agree with all the things you’ve discussed and talked about in this video. I also care with the aesthetics and comfort of the gear that i am using.

I think I've just heard a treatment on audiophilia that makes more sense than anything I've read, heard, or watched in 50 years. Having a background in what goes on in a recording studio, built amplifiers, speakers, and collected gear since the 1960's, I believe this is a succinct summary of what many of us find honest about being an audiophile. I had a lengthy phone discussion about tweeters yesterday. Now for many people, this would've been as interesting as wallpaper peeling, yet for us, we were sharing our own experience and what he wanted changed on a very nice sounding set of rather expensive tower speakers. The bottom like for both of us, no matter how much you invest, tweak, room analyze and correction, it's not going to be the original sound, and most certainly not a live performance. It may be fun working or inching our way towards that exact capture, but it's not the real world. I appreciate you weighing in and explaining so clear.

Ya man, great video! I'm a musician first, live performance audience member second and audiophile third (good tunes are the priority for at home listening followed by gear then source quality at dead last).

From my perspective, music comes first because since I was a little kid music was at home all days. The reason? My mother was a pianist and I was listening to live music everyday. Imagine how I felt when I went to my first symphonic concerto, listening to a full orchestra (I think I was 7 years old). Since then, I've been trying to bring that amazing experience into my living room. Hence, the pursuit for real Hi-Fi: to obtain a sound that can make me forget I'm hearing a "photocopy" of the original and to be focused in what's important for me: great performances of great music. (BTW.: Listening with headphones, even their stereo presentation is unrealistic, allows me a lot of that focusing).

Hi John, thanks for a informative and entertaining channel. After a lot of research, listening and budgeting, I settled on a pair of Kef LS50 wireless speakers(titanium and red). They are spectacular for the price and the DSP really made the setup in my living room so easy. I do agree with you that music comes first. I have a music collection consisting of cd’s, mp3’s and FLAC files, and do enjoy all of it equally no matter the quality, though I do prefer the higher quality music for active, serious listening. Thanks for the great content you post. I do enjoy your channel.

It seems your take is spot on in my estimation. I love music, love gear and appreciate both. So long as the music is being delivered, the media, source etc. are interchangeable but remain crucial to the desired need one wishes to fill. As an Audiophile, I believe the approach you have taken, is simply true to form. We enjoy music, so lets make it sound 'good' and not be damn snobs about it. Not everyone has the same tastes or goals ..so to judge someone based on one's own limited scope and goals is quite ridiculous really. Love the work and appreciate the honesty John..thanks much and keep at it! Much respect.

Great point of view! As a musician, I am the one. When I was young, I interested in audio system and became a audiophile since I was unhappy with it. When i growth up, I got a system that I like and enjoy music, from which I left audiophile. However, i got interest in Pro Audio which is really related to my career. I got back recently since my Musical Fidelity amplifier was burnt.

At the of the day it's all about personal enjoyment regardless of what of music, format, or gear you have these things are there to be enjoyed regardless of cost

Yes, absolutely, the music is WHY we give a damn about all the rest! Couldn’t agree with you more.

I am absolutely a music first audiophile.

Being a rather newer audiophile I would say I'm music first, but also being newer, hearing and seeing all this new gear. I have to fight myself on seeking out "the best".

I had lost my way by intellectualizing hifi and missing out on music. Your videos and the music you play have helped me escape.

First time watching you and I am impressed you are an unbiased audiophile and that is rare. And music should come first before equipment. And speaking of equipment I just heard a class D amp for the first time and I was impressed this has reinforced my thoughts of keeping an open mind. My friend asked me to describe the sound and I told him other than having great bass I really can't describe the sound because I was having fun just listening to music. This $1500.00 amp was really really musical and enjoyable.

How refreshing - an audio reviewer who enjoys listening to real music rather than audiophile test tracks. Great videos - keep up the good work!

The reality is (is) that music is more accessible than ever before. Napster and Limewire kicked open the door to this accessibility. Now Streaming (whose costs are modest compared to any previous "purchase" models) has become a god-send for the "mid-fi" music lover. A budget Amp pushing bookshelf ELAC speakers using Tidal can be a revelation. Sennheiser 500/600 series headphones driven by Schiit's entry-level DAC and Amps and playing your favorite songs can make you weep. While true High-end, high performance equipment (hardware) does improve on fidelity, it's the music (software) and your relationship to it that elicits the emotional response. The highest quality source of Stravinsky played back on the best quality equipment in the most ideal listening environment is only a novelty if you need to bliss out listening to the Beastie Boys in the subway on your earbuds after a crap day at work.

I agree with you regarding the looks and aesthetics of the audio equipment. Btw, I also like your attitude towards high end audio gear. :)

I've always just loved music, lots of live music. I had and heard a few good systems long ago but had switched to surround systems. I never liked how they handled music and after "cutting the cable" I decided I needed a good stereo back in my life. So I read and watched a lot of reviews. At one point I realized I was looking at gear that didn't fit ME, because a reviewer liked it. I went with what I knew I liked and trusted, the heaviest, most expensive 'pure' AB integrated I've ever seen and a 30 year old pair of 3 way speakers that will shake your pant legs without a sub and I'm in heaven. 20 year old me would be impressed. My collection was in pretty rough shape, I ripped what I could, got Tidal and Roon (Bluetooth John? I just let my friends connect to my wifi and play Roon). You could chase this dragon forever, get the best gear you can barely afford(it will last forever) and enjoy the music. I'm going to build myself a tube amp kit as a little project for a "Sunday driver" and stop watching so many reviews. Great video John.

I couldn't agree with you more! Thank you for all the great content. Tom

Ive been thinking of getting a Fiio M11. Everywhere i read about it people say its a mid-tier source gear. For me it is high-tier, becouse it about as far as i can reach in terms of price. Im not buying it becouse of how it sounds(i dont have to opportunity to listen to it before i buy it), im buying it becouse of its features, it suits my every need. Im going to pair it with my TIN HIFI T2's when im on the go and my Philips Fidelio X2 when im home. I have seen two of your videos so far and i just subscribed. You think and say all the things that i need from the HIFI community. So thank you for the good work! :)

I agree fully. My current system is an atlp60 and some 40 dollar Logitech computer speakers. I'm really enjoying because I'm enjoying the music I listen to. 50w speakers with a subwoofer make for a much better listening experience that my Bluetooth head phones. Nice full sound that fills up the whole room. I want to upgrade, but I'm focused on building my record collection first!

Outside of the hardware reviews what I like is the playlists you provide. I find the playlists interesting because I'm interested in what an audiophile listens to, which has exposed me to music I wouldn't otherwise come across.

Absolutely! Well said, sir, well said. The sense of hearing is a little like our sense of smell; often these senses are inexorably woven into our memories, good and bad. I can hear a favorite or forgotten piece of music on the crappiest system and still be swept away. Hearing said music in high-fidelity only heightens the experience. There is a point of diminishing return, however. Broadening one's horizons is equally important.

Spot on. We need more people in the audio industry with this kind of pragmatism. Thank you for this.

Thank you John for your work. Thanks to you I have bought Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Campfire Polaris 2.

Congrats on reaching 20K subscribers! The screen capture chosen as the thumbnail gave (to me, at least) the impression you were going to go the Alcoholics Anonymous route: "Hello, my name is Joh Darko, and I'm a music-first audiophile." I feel sincerity trumps parody, but you could have played it either way.

Felt very identified with what you said. I also think of myself as a music first audiophile, although I have to say I sometimes struggle to separate my analytical mind from just the enjoyment of the music, especially when SQ is not the best. I am also based in Berlin, would be great if one day we can meet up for chat. Cheers!