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High Performance Audio - The End?

Steve Guttenberg recently posted on his audiophiliac channel what might be an iconoclastic video.

Steve attempts to crystallise the somewhat nebulous feeling that climbing the ladder to the high-end might be a counter productive endeavour. 

This will be seen in many high- end quarters as heretical talk, possibly even blasphemous.
Steve might even risk bring excommunicated. However, there can be no denying that the vast quantity of popular music that we listen to is not particularly well recorded.

Steve's point, and it's one I've seen mentioned many times previously at shows and demos, is that better more revealing systems will often only serve to make most recordings sound worse. 

There is no doubt that this does happen, but the exact point will depend upon the listeners preference. Let's say for example that it might happen a lot earlier for fans of punk, rap, techno and pop.

Does this call into question almost everything we are trying to ultimately attain?

Could this be audio's equivalent of Martin Luther's 1517 posting of The Ninety-Five theses at Wittenberg?

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Can your Audio System be too Transparent?

Steve Guttenberg 19.08.20

https://youtu.be/6-V5Z6vHEbA

cd318
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,513 posts
 
And, by corollary, a system which does sound good with good and bad recordings is similarly not balanced properly.
All corollaries are not equal.... :)

My system makes sound better, that is to say more listenable, except for sure a few rare atrocious one, the good and the bad files or cd alike...More than that, surprizingly, many cd or files i tought bad one sudddenly reveal itself good one....It takes a balanced system to rightly evaluate good from bad indeed,,,,

My system CANNOT transform a really bad files or cd in a good one....But really very bad files are rare amongst my near 10,000 cd or files....

But all is more listenable.... In this sense only, all files are improved, even the bad one....But more listenable or simply listenable is not synonymus with good recording....

In a word a balanced audio system, or in my words, a rightfully embedded one, makes ALL files more listenable...He does not miraculously transform bad apples in good one....But makes less fresh one taste more good yes....

My best to you....
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I have a Krell Digital Vanguard Integrated, Yamaha A-S2100 SACD player, a BluOS Vault and JBL 4429’s.  I’ve owned 6 figure systems that did not offer me the level of enjoyment I receive from this humble system.Clear, dynamic and colorful with no compression.  Huge soundstage and a glorious midrange!
spenav
468 posts
 
@douglas_schroeder 

“If you're running a $5-10K rig, then do not expect such music to sound great.”

How much do we have to spend to expect such music to sound great?  Wow!! I didn’t see that one coming from you. You should know better. 



mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,513 posts
 
@douglas_schroeder

“If you’re running a $5-10K rig, then do not expect such music to sound great.”
When reading it i was speechless...

Ignorance? Snobbery? Delusion of new riches? Certainly not informed audio management installation.... What i call the triple embedding....

My system value is 500 dollars, i dont pretend that it will beat costly system, i pretend they will eat their spoon with surprize to make so much with so little on their point of view for sure...

I know better now, and i had learn that audio is the art of engineering when you create a design, but the art of embedding when you have bought it....

Only non reflexive mind or conditioned consumers thinks that audio products are ready to go to their best out of the box....
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