Words From the Wise

Lots of good advise so far.

1A) Patience.

1B) Patience.

1C) Patience.

1D) Patience.

1E) Patience.

Ok now that the most important issue is out of the way.

2) Educate yourself in how and what to listen for in music. The Artist and Sound Engineer don't give us instructions on how there tone should sound, the location of the instruments within the sound stage what a Straticaster (SP) sounds like verses a LesPaul (SP), what a Fender tube amp sounds like verses a Pevy (SP), Why an artist might change the pickup in their guitar to alter the tone of the instrument or why they choose a specific cable to bring forward the midrange of their guitar, how to listen to a grand piano with the lid of the cabinet closed verses open and the irritating resonance (that interfers with the sweet decay of the note) of that piano with the lid closed even when it is a Steinway, what kind of microphone was used, what sound board, what monitors, what effects. Ok I think that covers (2). If you don't get the point yet sell your system and invest in your significent others listening room.

2A) Patience.

3) The accoustical environment that the recording was done in. Is the room alive, dead or some where in between. Are the artists in there own rooms in the studio where each has its own acoustic signature. Can you tell if a kick drum has the back cut out, does it have a blanket or foam in it, is it reflecting and reverberating from the paint on the walls, is the mic in the room picking up those reflections or is there accoustical foam absorbing the snare softening the sound. Or are the musicians in a single room where the main mic picks up the sonic signature of the other instruments within a given room. How has the engineer set instruments (The human voice is also an instrument) within the sound stage. Is the engineer affecting the tone of the instruments through the board or is the engineer working with the artist to achieve the tone they are after in a given song. If you have not gotten it at this point I recomend investing in a good boom box phillips would do nicely.

3A) Patience.

4) Your ears should not hurt even during long loud listening sessions. If they do "THE TONE OF THE RECORDING IS DONE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PROVIDE A BRIGHT HARSH SOUND" In other words what equipment was used by the sound engineer (Ears are equipment) does the engineer have hearing damage at certain frequency ranges. Ok for those that have hung on this long I assume you get it, now it is time to accept the following realities.

4A) Patience.

5) Ok learn what quality recordings and tone are all about. What are the artist and engineer trying to achieve. What equipment and environment were used. Audiophiles IMHO are engineers whether we want to admit it or not. Trying to achieve and accurate reproduction of the recorded music. If you are easily offend read no further.

5A) Patience.

The slam!! Does everyone get it yet. You are an engineer. The producion of sound or should I have refered to posts 1-5 using high end audio equipment and listening room acoustics.

The ultimate slam!!!! The musical reproduction system is only as good as the sum of its components. (The Human Ear is a component), the room is a component. Without good listening habbits and the right environment within which the reproduction of music is to be done, it doesn't matter how much you spend on what. Now lets see is the problem the recording engineer or the reproduction engineer. DAM ENGINEERS WHAT ARE THE GOOD FOR, JUST GIVE ME THE MUSIC AS IT WAS MENT TO BE HEARD BY THE ARTIST. OH I FORGOT :-( I HAVE BEEN ENGINEERING MY NEW SYSTEM FOR THE PAST NINE MONTHS TRYING TO DO JUST THAT.

It is a journey and the education along the way is worth every penny spent.

Ladies, and gentlemen good luck in your searches may your ears guide you through life.

1. Take a 1 month break once a year, no hi-fi, nothing.
2. Go to bed at a decent hour, and not 2am checking ads.
3. Enjoy some wine with your music ( ALL systems sound nice then )
4. Get some forgiving gear, so that more than 20% of your cd's are listenable.
5. STOP ANALYZING THE MUSIC, STOP SEARCHING FOR FLAWS !

1. Protect your ears - wear plugs when vacuming, cutting the lawn, move away from blenders, avoid amplified music at bars and shows where you cant hear conversation above the noise. Take ear plugs to movies. I'm 54 - hearing sensitivity od s treasure to protect.
2. Take a music appreciation course. It will give your left brain something to do while listening, other than analyizing defects in your system. Understanding music better is a great joy and will lead you to explore.
3.When assessing equipment listen to a simple, one instrument melody (a solo flute playing silent night made my wife cry as it soared high and she insisted I but the big babies that produced it. The beauty should make you want to cry too. Then listen to a highly complex and dynamic piece for crowding and choas. The complex should sound breathtaking not assaultive.
4.Kick out any sales person who tries talking to you as you are trying to listen. Go back several times before taking it home and then try it there.
5. Listen over good headphones to give you an idea of how much inner detail is possible.

The most important link is always Speakers, followed by source and amplification last. Pick out your taste in speakers first. Esoteric cables beyond basic sturdy construction are a waste. Room treatments, moving the furniture around and hanging some rugs on the wall can also surprise you.

1/ In speakers, with very rare exceptions, fewer drivers is better but a single full-range driver is usually not adequate. 2-way and 1-1/2 way designs rule.

2/ Keep things simple. For example, some people buy a disc player for Redbook and another for SACD/DVD or some such. Keep yourself sane, channel your funds, and buy one good source that will play all the formats you want to buy.

3/ 2 Channels done right are enough. Better really, even for movies.

4/ A good tube amp on a simple chassis is the best performance-per-dollar buy in amplification. You have plenty of choice at any price point.

5/ If you don't buy a tube amp, one of the McIntosh autoformer solid state amps will be grand.

All else is comparatively minor. Well, 3 more: The "previously-owned" market has tremendous bargains; no one ever regretted owning an EL-34-based tube amp; don't expect anything resembling music to come from any device labelled "Krell."

Phil