When I hear a product has a lot of detail, to me it means, etched, sterile, cold and bright. Not a good combination. I also do not want to hear the person playing a clarinet farting. That isn’t detail.
Should We Prioritize Detail In Our Assessment Of Audio Quality?
So many times I’ve read posts, measuring the audio quality of components and recordings, by how much detail they offer. Especially where it pertains to DAC’s and streaming devices. Whenever there’s a thread comparing Qobuz with Tidal, etc… I find multiple posts attempting to win an argument, based on the claim that one streaming service offers more detail than the other.
I like detail but to me, it’s just one characteristic among many. If I sit in different parts of a concert hall, I may hear more detail in one place over another but it doesn’t make or break my desire to sit in one location over another. So many Audiogoners have stated their preference of analogue over digital but in my experience, digital playback usually reveals the most detail. How do others interpret the emphasis of detail when evaluating the level of audio quality in their listening experiences?
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a number of potentially useful and valuable perspective (some more some less so, but all worth a read) https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2020/09/12/hi-fi-how-do-we-listen/ https://www.audioadvice.com/videos-reviews/training-ear-learn-listen-like-audiophile/ https://www.psaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DEVELOPINGCRITICALLISTENINGSKILLS-.pdf.pdf https://hub.yamaha.com/audio/a-how-to/how-to-develop-critical-listening-skills/ https://audiophilereview.com/audiophile/teaching-myself-to-listen/ |
Ok, very funny… (first article) how did Dave get his wife or girlfriend to pose with him, as if she spent all that time listening to his system with him… don’t believe it, unless just married or starting a relationship. I remember my partner listening with me… 35 years ago… once every five or ten years since. |
I can relate to musichead. Above a certain level, the sound becomes a performance that rivets the listener to the chair and rearranges his/her schedule for the rest of the day. I think reviewers, who are usually charged with the task of writing about individual pieces of equipment, have a tough job coming up with ways to explain what they hear. |
+2 @jjss49 well put! This has began as a good and thoughtful thread. I hope it doesn't devolve into yet another analogue versus digital debate (Enough of that tired exercise). Reasonable and experienced listeners can acknowledge both have demonstrated the capacity to sound sublime if effort and thought are applied to the endeavor. Charles
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