As of late (and by late I mean the past year in its entirety), I have been radically drifting away from the current rock hits to the older stuff, the classic rock, as well as a lot of old Spanish music (Julio Iglesias in his younger days, for example).

Though I still enjoy an occasional listen of the current stuff, I find the older stuff (made around the 70's and 80's) much more intriguing. Whether to attribute this to me getting older and thus requiring a more mature listening, or that the new stuff just doesn't seem as inspired/complex/imaginative/clever/etc as the old stuff, I cannot say.

What I do know is that music I formerly considered "old people stuff" has surprisingly become refreshing and, well, VERY good. However, I couldn't appreciate this before... until I gave them a listen on mid-fi equipment.

I now realize just how well recording used to be and why the current discussions concerning hot recordings/remasters take place.

Perhaps I have just outgrown the banal commercialized music that the media tries to forcefully shove down my ear canal, saying "buy this! it is what all the cool kids are listening to!"

Perhaps I am just in need of something different.

All I know is, the old stuff seems new now.

And I like it.

Excellent! Same happened to me about 10 years ago.