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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
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,211 posts
 
No i was giving my own definition and absolutely not criticizing you....I thank you for giving to me the opportunity to explain myself....


We perfectly understand one another i think....You were clear yes, and i seize this moment for clarifying my own experience....

I apologize if my post has suggest the contrary...It was not my intention at all....I only wanted to  elaborate about the  term "embeddings"....

I’ve never heard the term, "embedding" applied. Does make sense.

My best to you
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
@mahgister- Of course; how others communicate their ideas/perceptions is often a learning experience.                 Somewhat: the theme of this thread.     Happy listening!
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,972 posts
 
Sounds like a lot of audiophiles are frustrated having not achieved success in getting that revealing speaker, being bought or homemade, so they attribute it to other factors, which is a mistake. It's a variation on The Fox and the Sour Grapes.

Add in a normal amount of pride (which we all have) and having spent all that money and/or time and it still isn't revealing (there's that word again) and it's easy to blame it on other considerations that although factor in, are not the culprit.

I don't wish to highjack this thread so I'll stop here and let you know that I'll be posting my impressions soon on a new speaker I heard that one could call, revealing, in the best sense of the word.

All the best,
Nonoise






mapman's avatar
mapman
22,550 posts
 
To me, revealing is not a problem. It is a good thing that  just has to be done right.

There is that old saying though.....too much of anything.....

rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
"There is that old saying though.....too much of anything..... "    Hence: the article link I posted.      
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