Vote

Stereophile  |  May 23, 1999  |  135 comments

Sony and Philips claim that a big advantage to SACD is that the high-resolution SACD discs can be back-compatible with regular CD players. DVD-Audio proponents say that DVD-Audio discs can be made back-compatible with CD players as well if consumers want it. Do you want it?

Is back-compatibility with CD players important to you with any new high-resolution audio format?
Extremely important
53% (168 votes)
Important
20% (63 votes)
Slightly important
7% (22 votes)
Not important at all
13% (42 votes)
Depends if it adds to price of discs
8% (24 votes)
Total votes: 319
GeoSynch  |  May 16, 1999  |  129 comments

One of the hang-ups preventing DVD-Audio from moving forward is the fear that high-quality digital signals make piracy too easy. As a result, the format will likely incorporate various copy-protection schemes---possibly including watermarking. Does this matter to you?

Would DVD-Audio copy-protection schemes alter your view of the format?
Not one bit
31% (70 votes)
Bothers me a little
25% (57 votes)
Bothers me a lot
29% (67 votes)
Ruins it for me
15% (34 votes)
Total votes: 228
Louis McFarlane  |  May 09, 1999  |  117 comments

Reader Louis McFarlane asks a question that may touch a nerve or two among audiophiles.

Who else is allowed to use/control your audio system?
Spouse
30% (69 votes)
Children/Parents
6% (13 votes)
Friend(s)
4% (9 votes)
Other hi-fi persons
6% (13 votes)
Anyone
25% (58 votes)
Nobody else
29% (66 votes)
Total votes: 228
Stereophile  |  May 02, 1999  |  62 comments

Now that we know a little about what you sit in while listening, how about the room you listen in?

Describe the floor in your listening room.
Padded carpet on concrete
34% (67 votes)
Padded carpet on suspended wood floor
27% (52 votes)
Wood floor on concrete
6% (11 votes)
Wood floor, suspended
8% (16 votes)
Area rug on wood
14% (28 votes)
Area rug on concrete
4% (7 votes)
Other . . .
8% (15 votes)
Total votes: 196
Doug Cline  |  Apr 25, 1999  |  138 comments

Reader Doug Cline just bought a new La-Z-Boy and likes the way it feels, but wonders about its effect on the sound. What do you prefer for listening?

What do you sit in when listening to your system?
An overstuffed chair
7% (20 votes)
A normally stuffed chair
17% (51 votes)
A La-Z-Boy
12% (34 votes)
An unstuffed chair
6% (17 votes)
A couch
37% (109 votes)
A bench
0% (0 votes)
A rocking chair
2% (6 votes)
Other . . .
14% (42 votes)
Chairs are for wimps---I stand!
3% (8 votes)
I sit on the floor
2% (6 votes)
I lie on the floor
0% (1 vote)
Total votes: 294
Stereophile  |  Apr 18, 1999  |  216 comments

An audio system is not a system unless you hook it all together. How do you do it?

What types of interconnects and speaker cables do you use in your system?
Here it is . . .
98% (221 votes)
Don't like what I have, but I do like . . .
2% (4 votes)
Total votes: 225
Stereophile  |  Apr 11, 1999  |  0 comments

Next, we move up the chain to the front-end---where the music starts.

What is your favorite source component, analog or digital, and why do you like it?
Here it is . . .
95% (128 votes)
Don't like what I have, but I do like . . .
5% (7 votes)
Total votes: 135
Stereophile  |  Apr 04, 1999  |  305 comments

We got a record number of responses last week when we asked readers to share their loudspeaker preferences. Now tell us what <I>drives</I> those speakers.

What amplifier(s) are you using?
And the answer is . . .
96% (298 votes)
Don't like what I have, but do like . . .
4% (11 votes)
Total votes: 309
Stereophile  |  Mar 28, 1999  |  478 comments

We get requests all the time from readers who want to know what audio components others have purchased. What we're looking for is a description of what loudspeaker products you own and why you like them. Here goes . . .

What speakers do you listen to at home?
Here it is . . .
99% (480 votes)
Don't like what I have, but do like . . .
1% (6 votes)
I don't listen at home!
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 486
Stereophile  |  Mar 21, 1999  |  74 comments

Last week's "Soapbox" stirred up a hornet's nest of comments. Kevin Wilkinson postulated that high-resolution technical developments like DVD-Audio and SACD might spell doom for the High End. On the other hand, they could contribute to its rebirth. What do <I>you</I> think?

Will high-resolution technical advancements finish high-end audio?
Yes, and soon . . .
5% (7 votes)
Yes, but in the long term . . .
7% (10 votes)
Possibly . . .
9% (13 votes)
No, but it will change for the worse . . .
3% (4 votes)
No, it will get better . . .
42% (60 votes)
It's more complicated than that . . .
34% (48 votes)
Total votes: 142
Stereophile  |  Mar 14, 1999  |  87 comments

The MP3 audio format has been garnering significant press coverage of late: record labels abhor the piracy problems, consumers love the ease of use and access, and audiophiles can't stand the compressed sound. Does any of this matter to you?

Do you download and listen to MP3 files? What do you think?
I use it and love it!
22% (45 votes)
I use it and hate it!
7% (14 votes)
I use it sometimes and don't really care
16% (33 votes)
I tried it once and did not try it again
9% (19 votes)
I've never tried it
23% (46 votes)
Not interested
23% (46 votes)
Total votes: 203
Stereophile  |  Mar 07, 1999  |  78 comments

All right, 'fess up. Have you ever bought pirated music? Sometimes it's the only way to get what you want.

Have you ever knowingly purchased "bootleg" or gray-market recordings?
Yes
21% (38 votes)
No
72% (130 votes)
I'm not sure . . .
4% (7 votes)
Let me explain . . .
3% (6 votes)
Total votes: 181
Stereophile  |  Feb 28, 1999  |  68 comments

Protecting copyrighted music has become a major issue in the digital age, but we wonder how it affects audiophiles.

How often do you make copies of music?
Once or more a day
3% (4 votes)
Once or more a week
14% (21 votes)
Once a month
13% (19 votes)
Rarely
41% (62 votes)
Never
29% (44 votes)
Total votes: 150
Stereophile  |  Feb 21, 1999  |  46 comments

We noted from last week's results that many of you do play instruments for fun and fortune. But several of you wondered why there were no categories for sound engineers, audio manufacturers, etc.

Do you have an audio- or music-related job (consumer or pro)?
Yes, I'm a recording engineer/producer/etc.
5% (7 votes)
Yes, audio equipment manufacturing, consumer
1% (2 votes)
Yes, audio equipment manufacturing, professional
3% (4 votes)
Yes, a record-company employee
1% (1 vote)
Yes, audio retailing, consumer
5% (7 votes)
Yes, audio retailing, professional
0% (0 votes)
Other (please explain)
16% (23 votes)
No, I'm a fan/consumer
69% (98 votes)
Total votes: 142
Stereophile  |  Feb 14, 1999  |  96 comments

Audio wisdom holds that musicians tend to neglect their stereo systems. But we're wondering how many of <I>Stereophile</I>'s readers play music themselves, both for fun and professionally.

Do you play any musical instruments?
Piano/Organ
11% (25 votes)
Guitar/bass guitar
30% (67 votes)
Drums/percussion
8% (18 votes)
Violin, cello, other strings
3% (6 votes)
Brass
4% (8 votes)
Woodwind/saxophone
4% (9 votes)
Voice
6% (14 votes)
Synthesizer
0% (0 votes)
Other (please specify)
6% (14 votes)
None
28% (62 votes)
Total votes: 223

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