Back in ye olde days, I had a pretty sweet system. Bose speakers, Denon receiver and cd player, and the oh-so-pricey gold Monster Cables connecting everything together. I was a sophomore in high school, and I saved up (Jewish) confirmation gift money, went to Tweeter’s “Scratch ‘n’ Dent” sale, and lugged it all home on the T — from Harvard Square to Oak Grove.
When it was all set up, it sounded amazing. Crisp, clear, and bright — sonorific exultation to the highest degree. Later on, I added a Technics SL-1200 turntable outfitted with an Ortofon Pro S cartridge. Hell, the needle cost nearly $200. It was insane, wonderful decadence. But my music sounded incredible. I heard every nuance, every searing solo, every everything. Music never sounded better.
Nowadays, I have an iPod touch, and a pair of ear buds. Occasionally I listen through my computer’s speakers. The component system is gone, and the turntable lost practicality during an east coast/west coast relocation. As my friend Alyse can attest (and anyone over about 30…), vinyl is ridiculously heavy. There was nothing practical about schlepping roughly 2,000 records cross country.
Good marketers strive to reach their audience wherever they are. If we know that our demo spends most of its time on Facebook, you can be sure we’re there. The thing is, many things translate well across the various media. And in many cases, the shift to digital and online has been welcomed.
iPods are incredible things. They’ve turned the music industry on its ear. Pun slightly intended. Hell, I don’t, won’t, and can’t leave the house without mine. But it makes me wonder — by reducing the actual quality of the music (pesky MP3 compression, lackluster headphones, etc.), have we also lowered the standard by which we participate in the experience?
That doesn’t mean we should all toss our iPods into the river. But, having spent hours in the mastering studio, I challenge (or invite?) folks to listen to music on equipment that won’t snuggle up next to your eardrum. Music discovery is ideal for the Internet. There are SO many slick widgets, sites, and platforms to help drive content to consumers. But once it reaches its destination, do yourself a favor: find your way to some quality gear, and take another listen. Savor the subtleties you’ll find, and soak up the music.
I promise, you won’t regret it …
