Is there such a thing as Low End Theory these days?

I don't think access to tools is really a problem any more for most average people with average incomes. I don't think there are any excuses for "bad audio."

What we do I think of sort of as a separate hobby from music quality. It's either because we love gear and sounds, and I can't think of any other reason, other than not wanting to stand still. You could make a case for 1% chart topping albums that sound like a million bucks, made with the most esoteric equipment, with millions of listeners. But there's also bedroom stuff up there now as we know.

It's all about skills and experience, the tools are no longer hard to acquire. If you're a bike racer you own a bicycle, and if you make music, a bunch of music gear. So why not have some fun with it, even if it's not literally "necessary."

My 2c:

You can make amazing records with anything if you have the drive, talent, and an ear for detail.

All of us are guilty of being way too obsessive over things that barely matter in the grand scheme of things. It's never going to matter which mic, EQ, preamp, or converter you used, or even how you made something sound a certain way. I always find myself going back to the basics:

1. If it sounds good, it is good.
2. There's no wrong way to make a sound.
3. All that has ever mattered is what's coming out of the speakers.

Your recordings either sound good or they don't, and they either serve the song or they don't. You can have shitty recordings that serve the song, and you can have pristine recordings that work against it.

Gear still matters, of course. Different mics sound different. Not all preamps, converters, and outboard are created equal. We're all here because we're nerds for gear, and that's fine. And I do think there's plenty of merit to the high end stuff — 9 times out of 10, high end gear just sounds right, and thus gets out of the way of the creative process. That's the real beauty in it.

But as much as I love the few high end pieces I have, if I'm being brutally honest, most of them probably aren't necessary. I know so many people who are absolutely killing it with a whole lot less.

There is a lot of terrible music being made on great gear.

Nail, meet head, 💯!

i see what you mean . . .

I agree, they are surprisingly decent. Not too bad at all. I've heard better and I've heard worse. Fun fact the Scarlett interfaces dominate the Reverb.com interface sales top 20 list.

Haha, how did you get into my house!?! Hahaha!!!

As to low end, it definitely is in full effect. I try to encourage my friends to download the Telefunken sessions and try mixing to hear what happens when you record with a pretty solid chain top to bottom. They haven’t tried it yet, too happy with current approaches..

And there always has been.

Man, I hate to be the "that guy" on this stuff, but even though no one listens on anything "good" anymore, the shit still has to be tits out the box or it's not going to sound good on anything. Shitty mixes today aren't going to gain forgiveness on shitty listening sources.

Ugh.

Right on, man. I'm not convinced it takes a village, but I've spent many years, step by step, to get sounds. I know there's styles and music you can get ITB. Totally amazing for those that can get there. Debate forever on how sonically rewarding all of that is, I guess.

For us, it just doesn't happen until it's running through "stuff". I think that may be part of the thing, though - it was easy with hardware, it's tough with 1's and zero's.