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Accuracy vs. musicality

I imagine if you have an unlimited budget you can have both ultimate accuracy and musicality.
For those of us whose budget is somewhat limited, we usually have to make a choice.
I very recently obtained  speakers (which I prefer not to name so as to avoid debate.  Some of you do know them.) These speakers were criticized by an Agoner for not being accurate.
Now, I heard the speakers he liked better and they we’re fine, and maybe more “etched,” but they did not convey the musical message as well to me.  Indeed I compared many such speakers recommended by members (there was little love for mine) and I found them not to have the sound I hear in a concert hall. They did not communicate to me as well.
So, what’s more important: precise accuracy or musicality?
128x128rvpiano
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
A big part of this is personal preference for what kind of sound you want. You can definitely get the lush and liquid coloration of Class A amps. Or go towards the unique (but not accurate) coloration of most tube amps. In either case, it’s what makes you feel good.

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That being said, I have been able to obtain a VERY accurate and very musical system. This is a lot harder than it sounds. It is very easy to put in a forgiving "Class A" or other warm sounding amp and have things sound good. But it is extremely difficult to make a "very accurate" system sound good. There is a "fine line" that you are chasing here where you need to get enough accuracy to make the instruments/voices sound "real" and "in your room" without crossing that line into the "too harsh" and "too sterile" area. A good analogy to this is the sharpness adjustment on your tv. This can definitely increase the sharpness and crispness of your image, but if you push it too far, it can easily become over-sharp where it’s just painful to look at. In my system, changing a single fuse can be enough to "push it over the line" into too fast/bright.
ejr1953
911 posts
 
Back in the day I sold high-end equipment and learned that there are people who more listening to the equipment and others who more listen to the music.
I believe we all hear differently and have different ways we enjoy the audio system experience.  So, to me, neither "accurate" or "musical" is "right".
If I were to give any advice, I'd say pick the equipment that gives YOU the most enjoyment.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,653 posts
 
I totally agree with most of the comments here.
Whatever rings your bell.
audiokinesis
2,731 posts
 

This past weekend I showed a speaker at RMAF that incorporates an unusual amount of adjustability.

Its frequency response curve can be "accurate" (approximately flat), or it can be "something else".

A significantly "something else" curve was preferred by a huge margin by those of us involved in setting up the room. We adjusted by ear (and I trusted younger ears more than my own). After the show I modeled what the response curve was after our adjustments, and it sloped gently downward by about 3 dB per decade north of 200 Hz. This isn’t news - this sort of curve has worked well for others.

Point being, the ears don’t necessarily perceive what the eye expects from looking at a curve.

Duke

dealer/manufacturer

jond's avatar
jond
5,742 posts
 
I am sitting here listening to "Bags and 'trane" recorded in 1959. How am I supposed to know if what I'm hearing is accurate? It sounds great to me on my system and it's great music. That's all I can personally ask for in my system.
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