what is music for me
Music what is it for me
I’ve been thinking about what music means to me over the last few days, and I came to the conclusion that I would really miss something if there were no music in my life.
The idea for this blog post came because someone mentioned that there is always music playing at my home. Honestly, I had never consciously noticed that ( for me, it’s just normal).
Since I moved out of my parents’ home, I’ve always listened to music while doing chores or cooking. I won’t make a list of what I listen to (because that would probably sound boring), but I can say this: from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep, there is always music playing. Not always actively, but always in the background.
That said, I am no music expert (artistic talents were never one of my strong suits), so I normally just listen to whatever comes through the music band. What I can say, though, is that Eminem is my favorite artist. One of my next purchases (or a gift idea, if anyone who knows me is reading this) will be an LP from one of his albums. I don’t even own a gramophone or plan to buy one it’s more about owning it as a piece of art, you know? Or is that strange?
My Music Setups
I’m not really an audiophile probably because of how passively I listen to music but I have a pretty good setup. To be honest, I actually have three setups.
1. Living Room Setup
This is the one I’m most proud of. On the one hand, I got the parts extremely cheap over the years, and on the other hand, everyone compliments how good it sounds. For me, it feels pretty basic, but here are the details for the audiophiles among my readers:
- Source: Desktop PC
- Amplifier: Onkyo
- Speakers:
- 2× main speakers (Dragonaudio)
- 1× center speaker (Dragonaudio) (if I remember correctly I bought it years ago for 100 bucks from an older man who was moving to Romania and didn’t want to take much with him besides clothes and his wife).
- 1× subwoofer (20 bucks from someone two towns over; his daughter left it behind when she moved out).
- 2× rear speakers (free from a neighbor who upgraded his setup).
I put it all together and tried to configure it. From my point of view, it could definitely be improved, but it works great for my everyday use.
2. Work/Walking Setup
For this, I use a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
I’m really happy with them! I bought them used, about a month after they came out, from a guy who only used them for a trip to America and back — all for 80 bucks.
They’re my primary music output devices, and I’m impressed with both the audio quality and the comfort (I wear them about 9 hours a day). If you want a headphone recommendation, this would be it.
3. Desktop Headphones
When I’m at my home PC coding, working on projects, or writing this blog post (yes, I’m listening to music right now), I use my Sennheiser PXC-550 headphones.
I got them for free from an ex-flatmate who didn’t want them anymore. They’re quite worn out, and I refurbish them from time to time. Honestly, I don’t know why I don’t just throw them out and use the Sony headphones for everything. Maybe because I liked the flatmate who gave them to me — a bit sentimental, I guess.
Music Streaming Services
Now that I’ve gone on for ages about my setups (sorry this post is so long), I also want to mention streaming services.
I think music streaming services are far better than CDs for one simple reason: I don’t need to carry them around. Back in the beginning, I used CDs — yes, I’m old.
As for streaming, I don’t really have a favorite provider. Over the years, I’ve used several:
- Started with Spotify
- Switched to YouTube Music
- Currently using Tidal, because I found a good deal
I don’t feel like I can properly review or rank them. For me, it’s mostly a question of price, since I’m not a big fan of subscriptions in general. Even though I understand why they exist, I try to keep my monthly costs low — mostly out of fear that I’ll go overboard with too many subscriptions and lose track of my spending.
Final Thoughts
Music is always present in my life, even if I don’t listen to it in an “audiophile” way. It keeps me company, motivates me, and fills the silence. I guess I would truly miss it if it wasn’t there.