Are most recordings so bad it's not worth spending large on speakers?

Recording quality comes in all forms. Too many listeners I know, now and in the past, only listen to the better recordings ( Water Lily, Telarc, Sheffield, etc. just as a small example ). These are the folks that seem to spend the most on their systems, and yes, I am generalizing, as there are always exceptions. Although I enjoy these marvelous labels, and find my system to be " all that ", I want to, and do, enjoy my many average recordings. As long as I can " connect to the emotional content of the composers and players ", whether it be a Mozart piece, Jethro Tull, Miles, Billie Holiday, or Charlie Christian ( again, as examples ), I am involved, and transported, to a kind of facsimile of the performance. Depth, imaging and soundstaging, are without a question, characteristics of this playback, and excellent, mind you. But, it is the " unison ", the " togetherness ", the " performance ", the " musicianship ", is what brings me in, and, on pretty much every recording I own or listen to. It is this " connection " that seduces me......If Jagger and Richards are recognizable, in all of their glory ( I know I have repeated this on many of my posts, so sorry ), I am happy. Enjoy ! MrD.

The basic point is huge, and directionally correct. We worry about the smallest things in our hifi, but the big concerns are:

1. poor recordings/masterings/pressings
2. rooms and setup

But all but setup are out of our control, unless we want to buy recordings for technical quality rather than artistic. Count me out.

That said, rock and pop have usually been in a class by themselves (not in a good way). Since i’ve ranted before i’ll stay out of the particulars, but its pretty true. Exceptions exist!


Blues, jazz, folk? I would disagree. Sorry for those subjected to the same examples in two days of the same week, but listen to Ella and Louis (Verve), Andre Previn and friends play West Side Story, or pretty much Any Verve, Mercury Living Presence or -- just to make a liar of me -- Pink Floyd. Superb.
In general the more active production, the less of the original hall and timbre exists. Verve used two mikes, MLP three. They did minimal eq and almost no over-dubbing. Except maybe the cannons, and Bob explains his technique :-)

I would also say that recordings are getting better. Digital facilities are finally, after three decades, a boon rather than a bane. The advent of personal fi means that AM car radios are not the assumed playback device. Many reasons that they might be expected to improve. of course, hearing impaired artists and engineers can still create bright results (and sound good to them!)

Now monopoles bad? Shhhhhhh Don’t tell Wilson.

No.

There are any number of great speakers, that paired with synergizing amp/preamp, will sing and make you all googly! Don't let anybody tell you differently.

Listen to @atmasphere !

His electronics ain't bad either.

If you haven't listened to big Magnepans or ESL's, do. Those who like them, such as myself, will never go back.