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Do we ask too much of our audio systems?

In high school, I taught myself to play guitar and later started playing in rock bands for about 10 years. I used a low powered mono tube record player in my bedroom to study Clapton, BB  King, Page, Hendrix, Beck and all guitar heros of the time and learn how to play. In those years, I never bothered to upgrade my system, mostly because nothing seemed to be able to replay what I experienced playing live in a band, with a Les Paul in hand and a screaming tube guitar amp. As the years went by I built half dozen speakers and had a decent Pioneer front end, using a Philips TT. My system sounded better, but never equalled the emotion and involvement of playing live. So, I guess I grew into Audiophilia thinking nothing is as good as live music. Now I have heard some very good systems and speakers, but still wonder..."am I chasing something un-attainable?" Do we ask too much from our audio systems?
dtapo
tablejockey
4,081 posts
 
"don't leave out Earl (the 4th King of the Blues Guitar). "

onhwy61-
YES! I have a great CD compilation  of Earl.
Now that's some unobtanium wax I'd love to find in the bins!

We all could use more...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=57&v=LmXWbJexqgI&feature=emb_logo

Large scale orchestra is probably the litmus test for any setup/room.
I have some VERY good pressings of things. Even the $100K+ rigs in a good room fail at producing that "presence" you experience when attending a  performance. Some do a reasonable 

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,949 posts
 
You can get very close. 

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,477 posts
 
I agree, you can get very close since sound at the concerts is often pretty bad (nose bleed seats or poor acoustics).  On the other hand some systems cost so much that it might be better to invite symphony orchestra into living room (multiple times) instead  :)
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
dtapo, no, we are not asking too much but under the best circumstances
it takes spending at least $100K to get there from a sonic perspective but there is a visual aspect here also. When people listen to my system sound only they are generally amazed but only when I'm playing a concert video ( I have a 113" screen between the speakers) do they say stuff like, " This is better than being there. This is like having a front row seat," etc. I never get this with sound only. Listening by myself and as long as my wife is out of the house and I can advance the volume to the appropriate level and with a decent recording it can be better than being there. Large indoor concert venues are more often than not crippled by horrendous acoustics. You are just there for the light show.   
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
1,055 posts
 
I don't think we ask too much of our systems, we only ask too little of ourselves in pursuit of what we know, deep down, we really want.
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