I realize that we are limited by the original recording and then again by the copying of that recording. I realize that, no matter how good one's ear is and no matter what equipment they have, music out of ANY system will be sub-par in comparison to the original performance. I also realize that our goal (for the most part) is to come as close as possible to faithfully reproducing the music on whatever media we happen to be playing within a given budget. My original point, which I still maintain, is that the average audiophile, has absolutely no idea what accurate sounds like.
Zaikesman, Unsound and Sean, please realize that this statement is not directed at you as individuals. You're creditials and experience in the realm of live music may far outweigh mine. If it does though, I feel you would understand this point I am trying to make. By the way, to avoid offending anyone else, my "average" audiophile to which I keep referring, is simply the stereotype I'm applying to audiogon from the observations I've made of individuals I know personally in this hobby. On the whole, with a few exceptions, they do not attend live shows with any greater frequency than the average population and, more importantly, they do not play an instrument. Their ability to hear the subtleties and nuances of music is generally far less developed than a musician. I know this will most likely fall on deaf "golden" ears with which we so pride ourselves, but the true golden ears are not to be found among audiophiles. I am not talking about enjoyment. Some of the guys seriously into this hobby could sit and listen to music all day long; their enjoyment of it is obvious and I think this is wonderful.
I guess what prompted this outburst of mine, is that I am frustrated by the advice which flies around on these pages regarding components or systems and how accurately they reproduce the music. Here's some simple logic here which I briefly addressed in a response to Sean regarding his 5 systems: If two components/system sound different from each other, then one of them is more accurate than the other. The fact that there is not a set of magical components or a magical system out there (and by this logic there could be only one) is proof of one of two scenarios: either the average audiophile is not striving to achieve accuracy (that would be me), or the average audiophile has no idea what accuracy is. Since it has been so clearly stated by hundreds of people on this page that they are searching for accuracy, we are left to conclude that, on the whole, they are unable to perceive what accuracy even is. If one doesn't feel they fit into this category they may not be "average". I am hardly offering myself up as the end-all expert in this matter; I'm simply trying to point out that the emperor is not wearing any clothes. Although, in this situation, most of us don't even have the eyes to see him in the first place. I'm just looking for a little honesty.
Zaikesman, Unsound and Sean, please realize that this statement is not directed at you as individuals. You're creditials and experience in the realm of live music may far outweigh mine. If it does though, I feel you would understand this point I am trying to make. By the way, to avoid offending anyone else, my "average" audiophile to which I keep referring, is simply the stereotype I'm applying to audiogon from the observations I've made of individuals I know personally in this hobby. On the whole, with a few exceptions, they do not attend live shows with any greater frequency than the average population and, more importantly, they do not play an instrument. Their ability to hear the subtleties and nuances of music is generally far less developed than a musician. I know this will most likely fall on deaf "golden" ears with which we so pride ourselves, but the true golden ears are not to be found among audiophiles. I am not talking about enjoyment. Some of the guys seriously into this hobby could sit and listen to music all day long; their enjoyment of it is obvious and I think this is wonderful.
I guess what prompted this outburst of mine, is that I am frustrated by the advice which flies around on these pages regarding components or systems and how accurately they reproduce the music. Here's some simple logic here which I briefly addressed in a response to Sean regarding his 5 systems: If two components/system sound different from each other, then one of them is more accurate than the other. The fact that there is not a set of magical components or a magical system out there (and by this logic there could be only one) is proof of one of two scenarios: either the average audiophile is not striving to achieve accuracy (that would be me), or the average audiophile has no idea what accuracy is. Since it has been so clearly stated by hundreds of people on this page that they are searching for accuracy, we are left to conclude that, on the whole, they are unable to perceive what accuracy even is. If one doesn't feel they fit into this category they may not be "average". I am hardly offering myself up as the end-all expert in this matter; I'm simply trying to point out that the emperor is not wearing any clothes. Although, in this situation, most of us don't even have the eyes to see him in the first place. I'm just looking for a little honesty.