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My pet peeve: "revealing" speakers

The one word that bugs me the most in all of the audiophile world is "revealing." 

It's plenty descriptive but it's also biased.  What I mean is that speakers that are revealing are also usually quite colored. They don't unveil a recording, they focus your attention by suppressing some tones and enhancing others. The reviewer who suddenly discovers hearing things he has never heard before and now goes through his entire library has fallen for this trap hook line and sinker.

This is not always true, as some speakers are revealing by ignoring the room.  They can remain tonally neutral but give you a headphone like experience.  I'm not talking about them.  I'm talking about the others.  I  wish we had a better word for it.

Mind you, I believe you should buy speakers based on your personal preferences.  Revealing, warm, neutral, whatever.  I'm just saying this word is deceptive, as if there were no down side when there is. 

Best,

Erik
erik_squires
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
My Grandmother would say MC is haughty. BUT, she would say it in a very kind and understanding way. I’m learning... Even about stereo gear. :-)

Revealing, NO idea, what it means. I guess I'll be learning.

Thanks and

Regards
erik_squires OP
16,152 posts
 
Eric that is a very generalized assertion.


Sir, this is a political debate.  If you want specifics you should go to a car dealership.
speedbump6
760 posts
 
Wow, kenjit actually wrote a sentence that made sense, too bad he ruined it with the second one. Eric, unless they’re misusing the term, revealing is not coloration. Stereo, so then you agree he’s a legend? Lol.
speedbump6
760 posts
 
Heavy, for some revealing might be as simple as putting new batteries in the hearing aids. 
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,935 posts
 
Hint neutral to source starts with being AT the original acoustic event in reverberant space. Pick your first microphone and the original event is gone. Kinda cracks me up people using multitrack studio stuff to pick flavors they like, but maybe that’s 2 far off track - pardon the pun....

want imaginary detail and fret noise, give me three minutes to change..., the microphone 
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