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If a " system " cannot do this, I move on........

I have been advocating on here for some time, that horn speakers ( properly designed, tweeked, executed and set up ) are the only speakers that my brain and ears find acceptable, for the enjoyment of music listening. My listening standard has been live, unamplified music, for now over 50 years. I have also stated on many occasions, that as an audiophile ( as well as being a music listener ), that we are hindered by the recordings themselves, minimizing what we actually are hearing. There has been much talk lately about engineers using " auto tune " ( specifically with vocalists ). Adele ( I am a fan ), with her new hit " Easy On Me ", does not use auto tune, and I am thrilled. Besides being a great singer, she sounds " natural ", less processed. Most recordings in the past 20 years, have used this other electronic " equalization " if you will, that we find embedded in out prescious recordings. The strive for perfection, that " audio nirvana ", we all seek, with the purchase of a new speaker, amplifier, cables, etc., gets us only so far. So yes, dynamics and details are very important to me. Tone, coherence and spatiality are also very important. But the reality is, our recordings, by the time we receive / hear them ( whatever format ), have been severly altered from being close to the real thing. Yet, audiophiles continue to spend big bucks on their gear, their rooms ( their systems ), to get to that place of enjoyment. The title of this thread, " If a system cannot do this, I move on ", has a specific meaning. What I listen for, most of all, with every recording I listen to, is an engagenment between me, and the performers. Following the individual rhythms and musical lines, by the artists, is the number one factor I strive to hear. My system allows for this. My question is : how many of you actually listen for this, or even know what I am speaking of. My personal experience listening to so many high priced systems, has been very disappointing in using this criteria. I am not anticipating this thread to develop into a very large or popular one, but I have not participated in Agon for a while, and I just wanted to shine a light on a subject that is crucial to us and our time listening to music, which some of us spend much time doing. Enjoy, and be well. Always, MrD.

mrdecibel
sns
3,570 posts
 

What I think you're speaking of is what I call immediacy, this is what I'd describe as sense of performers in room. First time I heard this was with my first 845 SET amp some years ago. But it was only after hearing my 845, 300B SET's with stock Klipshcorns this sense was heightened to the point I knew somehow I had to keep Klipshorns.

 

And so, in spite of sound quality defects I heard with the Klipschorns vs. previous speakers, I proceeded to modify the Klipschorns to my liking. On to today, my Klipschorns deliver this immediacy without prior defects. Other wonderful aspects of my  horns (and stock Klipschorns) include extremely high resolution,  without this one can't hear that sense of real live performers in room. Microdynamics, also allied to resolution, but which is as much a function of other equipment in system; horns can expose this ability to it's fullest.

 

Part of what allows this performance is minimalist crossovers in horns, which helps to create high efficiency, which in turn allows minimalist amps such as SET. Much less stands between source and what comes out of speaker.

 

The above qualities, in concert allow engagement with real live performers in room  with every listening session. My horns are the final solution for speakers in my quest for  end game system.

 

Sounds like you're obtaining similar engagement with your horns, you get the magic of horns.

artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,992 posts
 

When boys get toys, they play with them. This is true of recording engineers also. I really like the 60's Motown sound. R&B and others are plagued by Phil Spector's wall of sound. It worked good for AM radio. But it sounds awful on a good system. So this processing is not new. But it has grown in numbers. Iow, there are many new toys for the boys to play with.

This is just a small factor

sns
3,570 posts
 

To expound a bit on listener perspective.

Your are there, the sense you're transported to studio or recording venue.

 

The performers are here, the sense of the studio being brought into your listening room.

 

The performers are here, the sense of performers actually in your room, not even the studio stands between you and performers. Yes, you hear artifacts of recording venue, but the window has more sense of being non-existent. This is what proper horn setup should create for you.

 

Well, if all you heard was wall of sound quality with horns, you've never heard a good horn setup. Yes, they can be what Artemus describes, but in sympathetic setup, and with proper mods for some, they do what they do in special way, Proper timbre, tonality, imaging and sound staging are all attainable. They can be subtle and sublime when called for, and they can be edgy, fast, responsive when called for.

 

Blanket statements should have wet blanket thrown over them.

goose
720 posts
 

@mrdecibel plus one.  I know exactly what you are talking about.  This is the formula for a good recording.  Song writing + talent + producing + engineering + mixing + mastering = a potentially good recording.  If one of those elements are missing good luck!

o_holter
980 posts
 

+1 from me too.

Engagement - exactly. When a song moves me to tears or smiles I know I am there. The less processing the better. Never heard Adele live, but I heard Lizz Wright, somewhat in the same vein, worth checking out. I am happy with a pure tube and horn system (playing vinyl mainly). But sometimes I do "wake up" to a good s-state system, like recently - I was amazed how well my friend’s system with Magico speakers managed to reproduced the new remastering of Beatles Let it be, streaming from Qobuz. So, no "blanket" statements.

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