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Am I missing something here?

Hello to all Audiophiles on Audiogon.

I am currently using the following system to listen to my music.
Carver M500t
Nad 7130 as preamp.
Arcam r-blink Bluetooth DAC
 Boston A200 Speakers

I am a Bass player now for over 40 years playing various styles and one who listens to all types of music.

So I guess what I am trying to get at here is why am I left so underwhelmed by very expensive highly rated very “thin” sounding audiophile systems that I have encountered when auditioning systems considered for purchase?

I have listened to various tube amps, small to monstrous Piano Lacquered speakers..side firing woofers...etc..I have owned Maggie’s. and various box speakers..(still do) but yet I just can’t get  a similar reproduction in many instances of auditions for instance on a song like “Slap Happy” by Milt Hinton for Bass repro with not only weight, timbre, image and soundstage that my system gives me...also in the same respect minus the bass as say “Blue and Grey by The Who that justifies spending the dollars on a much more expensive system.

I feel my system gives a more true reproduction. Am I jaded from my actual playing music and hearing what that sounds like when comparing to a recorded listening experience?

All said for a system of mine that has cost me roughly $1,200.00 I would say it sounds better than most systems I have heard in the 10k+ region.

Thanks for listening.

Howard

ishkabibil
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,190 posts
 
You're situation is not unusual.  Your system is not a high definition nor contemporary sounding, but it is highly effective at delivering good sounding music.  You're in a very good place, so don't worry about the high end stuff.
If I were you, I'd get rid of the bluetooth dac and go with a wired connection.  But that's me, not you.
The Boston Acoustics A200 is a well regarded design.  Similar sounding loudspeakers are EPI, Allison, IMF and some Dynacos.  By modern standards they all have rolled off highs, slightly opaque midrange, but wonderful upper bass and bass impact.
ishkabibil OP
422 posts
 
@onhwy61 

Thank you forr the reply...

You wrote....

"You're situation is not unusual. Your system is not a high definition nor contemporary sounding, but it is highly effective at delivering good sounding music."

"Contemporary sounding" implies a 2018 system will eventually have the faults of systems of yesteryear?

This implies a timestamp on a system has an expiry date so to speak and gives a signature or propriatery sound to a system which I believe is not what we seek as chasers of a "sound that puts the band in the room".

It is the duty of a good audio system to reproduce the track as it was recorded on that day...at a certain studio....by a certain engineer...using the tools to what sound they wanted to achieve after the final mix before release.

I dont think we want a "Contemporay" sound or any signature stamped on it.



n80
2,116 posts
 
As many will point out, what an engineer intends his recording to sound like is rarely relevant to the circumstances and equipment the end listener can provide.

So you have to decide how you want your system to sound and build a system that will do that for you.

My system is probably 15 years old. Tower speakers with two 7 inch woofers and rear facing port on each. With a beefy amp and proper positioning I get all the bass I want and when I tried a sub-woofer decided I didn't want or need it.

The bass reproduction on my system is what defines it for me. I lucked into it. The point is, it can be done.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,190 posts
 
Not everyone wants to put the band in the room. And yes, at some point in the future the prized systems of 2018 will sound dated and their faults, which are not the same faults as earlier systems, will be easily heard. That does not mean that some people won’t prize that sound. There are still people using bamboo needles on shellac and they are probably completely enthralled by the sound.
what an engineer intends his recording to sound like is rarely relevant to the circumstances and equipment the end listener can provide.

Totally disagree!  High fidelity still means something to some of us.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,315 posts
 

Right now many speaker designers are on a trend toward what is typically called "neutrality" and "accuracy".  I think that's simply what you are hearing--or not hearing.  These goals spill over into the design of other equipment too.  Tube preamps vary a great deal in their sonic presentation, and they're generally not 300B-ish. 

See my thread https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/modern-mainstream-speakers-too-many-models-converging-towards-too

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