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The Definition of An Audiophile

My definition of an Audiophile is a person who seeks the recreation/reproduction of music in their home based on a live event.

The purpose of this thread is to gain an understanding of why the majority of people on this forum only compare components to each other. I don’t understand the terms of one amplifier sounding more musical than another. How about the “cold and sterile” attribute often attributed to Halcro amplifiers. The description “tube sounding” description sometimes applied to a solid-state amp is another example.

Whatever happened to a comparison of an actual live event? I consider myself an Audiophile; as well as, I presume, everybody else who frequents this website. How many of you so called Audiophiles have ever been to a decent live event. I’m not talking about your local Civic Center jam packed with 30,000 screaming punks smoking pot, no offense; I used to be one some time ago. How about a concert in a acoustically correct hall with minimal amplification?

The ultimate goal is unadulterated recorded music from the artist to your ears in the privacy of your home. As we all know every electronic component from the front-end source to the speaker adds some form of signature to the recording. The phrase “the best amplifier is the one that adds the least amount of unwanted distortion or noise to a signal” is a very good description. So when I read a thread on a comparison of a particular amplifier that sounds tube like or more musical then another this only mean one thing; the amplifiers are adding unwanted noise!!

Comparisons of “cold and sterile” are based on someone’s reference, most likely, to a tube amplifier or one that sounds tube like with it’s rounded off music transients to avoid the presumed solid state harshness. Have any of you Audiophiles ever thought that the “cold and sterile” attribute just might be the amplifier with the least amount of added distortion or noise to the original source?

How about the next time someone thinks about asking for advice on the qualities of a particular brand compared to another go to a live event before asking the question. That also goes for all you experts, with all the experience of multiple brand ownership and auditioning ready to give the advice. When you’re at this live event ask yourself this question; does the music sound tube like, cold and sterile, or does it sound like the real thing?
audia
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
I don't understand the use of live events as the benchmark for the perfect system as what is being played through the system is most likely not a live event. Very few of the recordings in my collection are live recordings. They are studio productions with various amounts of processing. I don't expect to ever hear the "live" event through my system no matter how good it is.
One implication I get from your description is that one must listen primarily to classical music to be an audiophile. Is this correct? A quick look at my system will confirm that I am no audiophile and if a deep appreciation of classical music is required for admittance to the audiophile club then I probably won't get in.
ducks2007
30 posts
 
it is fulfillment from the knowledge and understanding of music and its reproduction. It can be a very personal experience, and a very special club where only the listener need be present to enjoy its membership.
audia OP
6 posts
 
Thanks for all of your responses, be it critical or not.

I understand some people don't have the opportunity to view a live performance on a regular basis; that's fine. But when you view an outstanding concert it makes me sad that no matter how good a system you could ever build it will never compare.

The main thing I miss is the dynamic spectacular percussion presented in a live event. Part of the reason of that loss of reality, I believe, is due to the recording compression. I'm not a recording engineer, but I don't understand why a live recording has to be compressed so much. Is there someone out there that can tell me why recordings are compressed? I have never heard any recorded music that didn't have any compression. I don't listen to much classical; I only have one classical recording. Are there some classical recordings that are more true to the actual event? Does it come down to a limit in recording technology, or is it something else?
rodman99999
6,123 posts
 
Audia- Here's a decent little treatise that mirrors my opinion on the subject of compression, and will save me a lot of typing: (http://www.woodpecker.com/writing/essays/compression.html)
zargon's avatar
zargon
453 posts
 
Detlof,

deeply enjoy what you have but at the same time be open for improvement

I found the description of your life long quest to be very well composed, passionate, and much like my own. Thanks for putting it into words for all of us.
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