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Most "Accurate/Realistic" Sounding Speakers?

I am a major audio enthusiast and I was listening to some live, non amplified acoustic jazz and I could not help but wonder what speaker sounds that "live"? To me, the most "accurate/realistic" speakers would accurately reproduce acoustic music as if it were playing right in front of you, and also human voices as if they were talking directly to you. I guess that is my gauge by which speakers and audio systems should be judged. I know there are a ton of "accurate" reproductions, but I have never heard anything even close to the realism, super deep bass by the acoustic bass, and slam of the snare and cymbals. Have you heard any speaker truly close to this? As an over analytical audio nerd, instead of truly enjoying this great music, I could not help but think about the system that would come even close to that realism, deep bass, and gritty fast sound. I guess the closest I have heard has been Wilson Audios, but even those were not truly accurate reproductions. I have also heard that Quad planars and ATC powered speakers do a pretty amazing job.

Please opine!
regafan_1972
erik_squires
16,041 posts
 
My opinions:

1 - I don’t usually want LIVE volumes. I’m afraid 80% of my listening is background or late night, low volume. So I need speakers that sound good even then. Having actual performance level volumes is not my first priority

2 - Imaging. I challenge everyone to go to a live acoustic event and close their eyes and listen. Compare to home. The truth is most real life venues imaging is not that specific. Listen to a street busker even. Close your eyes and compare. IMHO, "hyper imaging" is not at all realistic and a deliberate artifact of speaker tuning.

3 - I do care about butter smooth frequency response, natural attack and decay, and the ability to convey the music, voices and environment with complete effortlessness. Again, listen to real instruments for this.

Best,

E
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
+1 Eric. Real instruments, especially horns, cymbals, piano, and female vocals often "bite the ears" a bit at real SPLs in real life venues.

A danger point is aggressively trying to tune this aspect of real instruments at accurate SPLs in real acoustical environments out of an audio system as other consequences inevitably accompany this path. Better just to reduce the volume...

Dave
erik_squires
16,041 posts
 
@dlcockrum

Check out Trombone Shorty's Parking Lot Symphony though for amazing sound and dynamics and music! :)
erik_squires
16,041 posts
 
Also, I get "bitten" more by "High End" loudspeakers deliberately tuned bright, and ragged. It makes the speakers seem like you can hear never-before sounds in your recordings.... and tires you out fast. Again, not realistic, but pays the bills.
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
Yes that is very true Erik, not only of speakers but DACs too IME. I am learning so much from extended listening to a Exogal Comet Plus DAC. Somewhat unimpressive on first listen, but very instructive re: true timbre, subtle yet ample and expressive detail, etc. and completely unfatiguing. However, bite from instruments that sound so is present as it should be IMO.

Thanks for the music recommendation. :) The trumpet on Laveau Dirge No.1 has that realistic bite I am droning on about.

Dave
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