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How do you listen to music?

I still use mp3 and flac files most of the time. Youtube for music I don't own. I'll listen on my pc, either via studio monitors (M-Audio) or headphones (Audio-Technica).
When not at home, the same files, but on my phone, using Sony ear buds. They are Sony MDR-XB50AP model, which have extra bass response. I use the Poweramp app on the phone. It's got a lot of EQing options too.
 
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All second hand mostly free equipment people have given me over the years cause they didnt want it any more. When it is intentional listening I prefer my marantz turntable through the trusty old radio shack realistic receiver from 1978 with matching realistic bookshelf speakers. Been using this setup for over 20 years. Bass sounds clear and full on it.
For less intentional listening I have an old PC with a free radio automation program called Radio DJ installed. With that, my whole digital library is always playing. I push tape monitor in on the old receiver and my library is playing something I liked at one time or another. I have a part 15 compliant home transmitter that broadcasts to any radio in the house. When my house mate isn't home, I'll sometimes listen to my music from the digital library on all radios in the house at the same time :)
My car stereo is garbage so i only ever hear podcasts in the car.
 
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iPhone Music App (subscribed) in lossless mode.
- when exercising or pottering throughout the house I use earbuds.

- in car, Bluetooth. Awesome subwoofers.

- Bass practice: I hook it up thru my Phil Jones BigHead headphone amp with quality headphones. Superb SQ.

- syncs automatically with Amazing Slow Downer. I can change tempo (yay) but I can’t transpose pitch.
Any suggestions (other than ripping an mo3 of the song)?
 
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I have a decent stereo in my living room (Project Debut Carbon turntable or Sony SA-CD player, high-end Sony amp/receiver, Monitor Audio speakers). That pretty much covers the living room, dining room and outside (when I open the bi-fold doors onto the patio). That probably accounts for about 30% of my listening.

I also have over 2000 songs copied on a microSD card on my phone. When I'm in other parts of the house I'll stream from that selection to various bluetooth speakers, either a UE Boom that goes from room to room (and sometimes outside when I'm working in the garden or washing the car, etc.), or some Edifier bookshelf speakers in my office/music room. That's probably another 40%.

The rest would be made up of streaming from my phone to my in-car audio system when driving, or to some Sony NR headphones when I'm commuting by train, walking around town, etc.
 
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If at home, usually on my computer through headphones using YouTube. If I'm doing work around the house I usually have music streaming on my phone using Spotify through a blue tooth speaker. A lot of my listening is at work using my desktop computer into a bass amp under my desk. I also have a bass hanging up next to my work desk for when I feel like practicing at work which is why I put the amp under my desk initially.
 
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Just talking today about how the quality of our listening - what we listen through, source quality, and listening habits, has deteriorated the past 20 years or so, as we were "exercising" our main (living room) stereo - which doesn't happen often enough anymore. The speakers were designed by my brother, who's an acoustical engineer. (he recently suggested B&W 800s as a slight upgrade).

Otherwise a combination of old-school with a bit of modern mixed in.

Half of my listening though, is through AR powered partners on my home-office PC.
I use the Bose mini sound links at the "work" office and "wherever"...

I have several pair of Advents throughout the house, driven by old amps; my original Pioneer 780, NAD, Denon, and a Yamaha amp with my '78 Bose 301s in the garage!
Most these speakers are on an A/B switch connected to the main stereo as well (I wired the house when we built).

The source is usually Spotify (via Alexa inputs on the various receivers), Windows Media Player (mostly ripped from CDs). iPod in the car. I still have sizeable LP & CD collections that don't get played much anymore.

(that's the short version) ;)
 
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For serious listening: CDs through a Yamaha CD player and Yamaha home theater receiver (in stereo mode) to Infinity speakers and Infinity subwoofer.

In wife's car (which I mostly drive): CDs, high bit rate mp3s from my phone by Bluetooth.

In my car (which wife mostly drives): SiriusXm, CDs, high bit rate mp3s from my phone by Bluetooth.

On bus/train: High bit rate mp3s from phone through Fisher Audio Consonance 2 earbuds.

At work: CDs through Sony DVD player (left over from home upgrade to Blu-ray player some years ago), and high bit rate mp3s from phone, through a pair of Insignia Bluetooth speakers in my office; thumb drives with high bit rate mp3s for use in vehicles at work (I occasionally have to drive multiple hours on work assignments).

Other: High bit rate mp3s from my phone in waiting rooms through JBL wireless headphones, and through the Fisher Audio Consonance 2 earbuds when doing yard work; JazzRadio.com app through phone through headphones/earbuds (though I'm thinking about upgrading to the streaming version for use through the Yamaha receiver and/or Echo and Echo Show); Amazon Music through the Echo and Echo Show; YouTube on phone (generally when it's something new I haven't heard anywhere else yet, or I'm watching the song's music video).
 
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I do a lot of streaming on my phone or Sonos but I really do a lot of this:
upload_2022-4-30_21-13-35.jpeg
 
Just talking today about how the quality of our listening - what we listen through, source quality, and listening habits, has deteriorated the past 20 years or so, as we were "exercising" our main (living room) stereo - which doesn't happen often enough anymore. The speakers were designed by my brother, who's an acoustical engineer. (he recently suggested B&W 800s as a slight upgrade).

Otherwise a combination of old-school with a bit of modern mixed in.

Half of my listening though, is through AR powered partners on my home-office PC.
I use the Bose mini sound links at the "work" office and "wherever"...

I have several pair of Advents throughout the house, driven by old amps; my original Pioneer 780, NAD, Denon, and a Yamaha amp with my '78 Bose 301s in the garage!
Most these speakers are on an A/B switch connected to the main stereo as well (I wired the house when we built).

The source is usually Spotify (via Alexa inputs on the various receivers), Windows Media Player (mostly ripped from CDs). iPod in the car. I still have sizeable LP & CD collections that don't get played much anymore.

(that's the short version) ;)

"Deteriorated" doesn't do justice to what has happened/is happening. On the one hand, we have far superior gear at hands for less money. The inexpensive studio monitors we can buy for 100,- to 200,- per speaker with inbuilt amplifiers are far superior to anything one could buy 30 years ago for the same amount of money. In the 80s, you would have to buy a hifi-system for at least 1.500,- to come close to this. CD-players, Tape-Decks, Receivers etc. are no longer needed, it is all on your smartphone or laptop. And the amp is part of your speaker.


The sound at live events, at clubs and at cinemas is far superior to 30 years ago.
Esp. if we talk bass. Clubs have subwoofers and bass-shakers build into the area underneath the dancing-floor (first heard of that in a club in Hamburg in 1983).
Cinemas have Dolby-Atmos or good 5.1 systems, measured perfectly to do the best in the rooms. People, who are not hifi-fanatics or studio-owners, buy headphones for 200,- and more that are marketed for their low-end / bass response.

And then, there are all these people, listening to music on smartphone speakers (that are incredible for their size, but...) or through cheap bluetooth speakers (that are incredible for their size and price, but...).

My only complaint: if people, esp. younger people, are really into music, why don't they buy at least a pair of good active speakers to go along with their smartphones? O.K. some do it.

When I was young, younger people - the cool ones - dreamed about a hifi-system, besides less cool items like a car or a bike:-) In the smartphone world, esp. for those who aren't born ritch, a smartphone is understandable a higher priority and very expensive.
 
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Should've added 99% of the time it's from a computer in my kitchen to a really sweet HK computer speaker rig with a somewhat massive (for a computer rig) subwoofer that sits under the kitchen table. Huge warm bass sound. It's the Harmon / Kardon HK595 Active Powered PC Home Audio Subwoofer. I got it used for like $40. The thing kills I swear.
 
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Stream on laptop usually LIVExONE Classic Jazz, Classic Rock, 2020+ Hits to play along mornings.
iPod Classic 5 gen 120GB set shuffle play along out in the garage afternoons.
Mebbe a CD or tape cassette (a what?) in the truck, sometimes classical on the radio. Usually driving I don't listen to anything anymore, just the sound of rubber on the road.
Can't even remember the last time I fired up the ol' Pioneer PL-7/ Kenwood KR 720/ Sharp RT 31/ Pio CS 33 record player, but it's there.
 
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FLAC files of CDs or hi rez purchases.

At home I have a Schiit DAC that feeds a Denon amp. I have some Bowers and Wilkins 606 speakers attached to that with a RSL Speed woofer. I also have a Schiit tube headphone amp that I use with Focal Clear MGs, ZMF Auteurs, and Hifiman Sundaras.

On the road I plug a Hiby R5 DAP into my car, or listen to that with some Moondrop Aria IEMs.

If I steam I use Tidal.
 
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