Adjusting our Audio
A Lawyer, a Senior Logistician, Educator, and a Josh walked into a conference room. This might sound like the beginning of a really poor, eye-rolling joke but it was a true story! Somehow, someway, the four of us walked into a conference room and kicked things off with some small talk.
Soon we found a small topic that everyone had a curiosity with; music. Everyone likes and can appreciate music; it doesn’t mean we enjoy the same styles but there is a tune for every set of ears out there. When I brought up my logistics friend fondness for audio equipment the lawyer eagerly asked a question he had not had an answer to in previous conversations. He needed to settle the debate that has stirred many an argument. “Do vinyl records really sound better than compact discs or digital files?”
Vinyl records have become popular because they sound different. People love the sound and deem it better because a record player is so wildly different and antiquated to the digital age we live in currently. Call it nostalgia or call it retro but there is indeed a certain audible difference when a needle moves across vinyl compared to a digital track played on the same audio system. Some say vinly is superior, others say digital is the best. I’m not an expert by any means but it seems like the vinyl versus digital debate creates conflict among audio people!
The answer I heard was awesome. My logistician friend sat back and explained why focusing on vinyl, cds, or digital files is to focus on the wrong thing. Vinyl is indeed all the rage and is popular but it doesn’t mean it’s superior. He went on to explain that the two most important parts of recorded music are the original recording and the device that plays it back. The in-between, the medium, isn’t as important as those two things. The methods of how we might play music will change, and have changed over time, but a fantastic, quality, original recording and a robust audio system will pull out the best sounds of musicians and singers. Those are the two difference makers.
To get the best play back of an original piece of music you need an audio system that can promote and expand the variety of sounds in intricate detail. Many times the sounds heard on vinyl are different than others sources is because the tunes are being played through the same audio system without any adaptation or modifications. Different mediums require different tuning to get the most out of music. To simply say vinyl or digital is superior is shortsighted. What’s important is the adjustability and capacity of the playback device.
That answer struck a note with me (get it?!). And once I saw my friends’ audio system it made sense. An audio system can be basic and will get some of the original sound out or it can be complex with woofers, tweeters, amplifiers, equalizers, and skilled hands to adjust and tweak settings so that every recording sounds like it’s live and directly in front of you. THIS is how the original recording comes to life no matter what the medium may be. There are general audio systems and then there is a whole other level of audio systems that promote sounds you didn’t know even existed! It’s a whole other level of adjustment and the results speak (or sing!) for themselves. When I experienced the sounds coming from my friends home audio system my ears filled with instruments and voices I didn’t know existed. The playback through a properly adjusted, custom system is as close to the original recording and musician as you can get.
As I thought about the argument between vinyl and digital music it made me think of life, following Jesus, and playing a tune that resonates with others. God speaks to us as our creator. He’s the original artist! We hear from him through the Holy Spirit, scripture, other believers or circumstances. Those “God Moments” present a recording, a way to live life with others on earth and do God’s will. But in order to do that we need to adjust ourselves or be adjusted. We need to be tunable just like a fancy audio system in order to play the original recording well. If we don’t move or adjust we’ll just play part of the song and most likely get stuck debating issues and topics that have more of our thoughts and less of God’s heart.
My friend was adamant that the original artists and their recording was the basis for an amazing sound. And the investment in high-quality, adjustable audio was perfect for a playback of that artist. Debating vinyl versus digital seemed kinda silly when both could be enjoyed when played on an adjusted audio system. Doesn’t that sound familiar these days? There’s a Creator and we are the Playbacks but all we seem to focus on is the debates in the middle and deem one side right and the other side wrong!
God doesn’t change. His love for us doesn’t change, even if you don’t know Him at this time. We shouldn’t adjust God to meet the times but we should allow adjustment to us to bring God to the ever changing times. God has developed the music; you and I get to play it back. And many times we end up groveling and arguing about things that make God’s recordings sound terrible. Gods message to humanity requires our daily adjustment to Him. There’s some sweet music to be played when we are in perfect tune with our Creator.
Play it back friend. Look, listen, and adjust your life accordingly. There will always be the in-between mediums and topics that call for God’s grace and love, it’s up to us to press-in, listen intently, adjust our hearts, and pump out some God-driven tunes.
