The Death of Stereo: How We Shrunk Our Music Experience
Michael Owen argues that Bluetooth speakers aren’t just lowering music quality—they’re shrinking the way we experience sound together.
In a thought-provoking piece for The Atlantic, Michael Owen explores a paradox of modern music consumption: while we have unparalleled access to music, the way we listen has shrunk. His essay, "Bluetooth Speakers Are Ruining Music," examines how single-speaker setups—like the ubiquitous Bluetooth speaker—degrade not just audio quality, but the shared experience of music itself.
Owen takes readers through a personal journey, from his deep connection with Brian Wilson’s Smile album to the revelatory experience of hearing it live at the Hollywood Bowl. The contrast between polished studio recordings and the raw imperfection of live performance underscores his central argument: music isn’t just about sound waves—it’s about space, presence, and the people around us.
"It’s the first time since the arrival of hi-fi almost a century ago that we’ve so widely acceded to making the music in our lives smaller."
Historically, the pursuit of fidelity drove audio innovation—from stereo sound to surround setups—enhancing how we experience music. But modern conveniences, like streaming, compression, and Bluetooth, have prioritized accessibility over quality. More significantly, single-speaker audio has eroded the immersive, shared dimensions of music, reducing it to mere background noise.
And yet, as Owen discovers when he pairs two modest Bluetooth speakers into a makeshift stereo setup, even small adjustments can restore a sense of depth and shared presence.
Key Takeaways:
- Music used to be a communal, spatial experience. From live performances to home stereo systems, sound was meant to envelop and engage listeners.
- Modern convenience has sacrificed quality and presence. Streaming, Bluetooth compression, and single-speaker setups have reduced music to a flat, omnipresent hum.
- Restoring space in music matters. Even a simple stereo setup can transform sound into something immersive and shared, rather than isolated and incidental.
Read the full article at The Atlantic here.
