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"Air, Extension, Resolution" Music or Hi Fi?

I have mentioned in other threads my efforts to tame the treble on my Tympani IV a's which has led to a number of upgrades:

tweaky resistors in line with the tweeters
MYE stands
a Musical Fidelity tube buffer
new tubes for the Audio Research SP11
new Signal Cable speaker cables and interconnects

Once in a while, with the right recording, late at night, the system sounds very, very good, and although not quite the midrange magic of my Apogess Stages with Jadis preamp and Aragon 4004 MK II, probably some of the best "sound" I have ever heard.

But to be honest, I dont find myself compelled to go and listen to the system and often, the system still sounds fatiguing.

Ever the audiophile, I have wondered if

Rives Audio room treatment and/or
Replacing the SCD-1 with a TURNTABLE

would really restore the passion that got me into this hobby nearly 30 years ago.

But reading an ad for Tympani 1-Ds on ebay a couple of days ago gave me a Eureka?! moment:

As much as the ribbon tweeters sound really impressive, with air, extension and detail that the non ribboned models clearly dont have...

...I am suddenly wondering if all of this comes at the expense of the MUSIC.

I cant ever remember, for example, listening to my Magneplanr MG-1Bs, for example, and saying:

"I stayed up all night listening to MUSIC, but sadly the experience was ruined by my craving for more "extension" "air" and/or "inner detail".

All of this is making me wonder if the evolutionary push for "transparency" "lifting veils" "inner detail" "resolution" is exactly what turns music into hi fi, and if I might enjoy a newly restored pair of Tympani 1D's more than my Tympani IVa's.

Just my latest thought.....thank you for listening.
cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Slv

Good point where I didnt make the immediate connection, DUH?!?! Yes, I should examine the AC angle in more detail.

But I still wonder if I might be happier selling my Tympani IVa's and going back to the Tympani 1-Ds.

Gmood1, you hit the nail on the head with:

"Honestly when I think about it, I enjoyed the older model sooo much better. "

So I stand by my epiphany when I think that "resolution, air, inner detail, resolution, extension blah blah blah blah blah' live in the domain of "hi fi", not music.

Imaging, I would agree, is not critical to whether or not a system sounds "musical".

However, I would suggest good imaging is FUN and certainly doesnt DETRACT from the experience.

Overly hot or revealing highs, however, despite air, extension etc etc can ruin the whole thing.

Look forward to more of your thoughts and opinions.
cdc
1,773 posts
 
Cwlondon, I had the exact same thought today. For some reason speakers keep getting toned brighter and brighter. For example Epos got bashed for years with the "airless" presentation of their M15. Now the M15.2 has a rising response curve - ugghhh too bright for me. I don't see the same trend with electronics.
Maybe this is one reason people are going back to tubes and vinyl - to mellow out the speakers.(just my uneducated statement as I own neither). ITOH, maye people like tubes and vinyl so speakers are voiced to sound better with them.

I agree with Auaarons about most recordings NOT sounding like live music and tweaking a system to make these recordings sound live is going to cause problems elsewhere.

When you can analytically hear the improvements but emotionally enjoy the music less and less something is wrong.
artg
362 posts
 
I think the Signal cables are a good buy, but not all together smooth, and may be contributing greatly to your observations. I would try some other cables (from local audio ship, local aphile) to see what it does for you. Cardas and Audience immediately come to mind.

just my $0.02
cdc
1,773 posts
 
Auaarons, so what did you end up with? I'm in the process of doing the same thing. When you don't spend a lot of money, you don't worry so much.
I somehow connect the statement "the devil is in the details" with hi-end audio. Defined as:
"The devil is known for always make life difficult for man in many small ways"
Isn't that what hi-fi is all about; undefinable small details?

I think some people get off the merry-go-round because they give up trying to figure it out and decide to just accept what they own and resign themselves to be happy with their $$ six figure $$ purchase
tomsum10
1 posts
 
Onhwy61, your post is so sane it's astonishing.

I have a pretty decent system (with ribbon speakers) that I think is extremely "resolving", "detailed", and, well, you know the rest. In my experience, the range of recording equalizations is huge. How can one system ever be perfect when the recordings themselves vary so greatly? Contrary to the standard audiophile bible proclamation that tone controls are forbidden, I want them as long as they can be bypassed. When the recording is too hot, as you pointed out, just dial out some treble. Bass too light for your taste on a CD? Turn the bass up a little.

If we somehow guiltily think that the whole sound is degraded and the audiophile police will show up, maybe we aren't listening to the music, just the equipment.
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