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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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,653 posts
 
Twoleftears,

Point well taken.  If you close your eyes, you can imagine “being there” with a more distant perspective.  This applies to the engineering of the recording  as well.
However, some labels have such a distant image, it’s hard for me to believe I’m there (e.g. Reference Recordings.)
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atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,753 posts
 
The more the sonic illusion of a full orchestra is created, the more it's going to fight with your perception (or at least knowledge, if eyes closed) that the room you're in could not get close to housing a full orchestra. I think that's why I tend to prefer speakers that project a more laid-back or distant soundstage--the impression is of listening from a row further back in the auditorium, from which point the image of the orchestra would be narrower.
The model I use is that my stereo has the ability to move my room, not just my listening chair, through time and space to graft on to a musical event. IOW the illusion is that the event is happening at or behind my wall (depth), and in some cases somehow my room is wider than it looks :)
wolf_garcia
6,681 posts
 
My Klipsch Heresy IIIs are absolutely "accurate" in the sense that they reveal the differences between recordings to a very high degree, and provide a sense of "being there" by projecting a believable and musically appropriate sonic image. This could be due to  synergy between them and the tube stuff I drive 'em with, and a good sounding room match...but whatever it is it works, and like Atmasphere noted with his rig, I simply forget the gear and enjoy the sonic illusion of the musical event.
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