grannyring
5,893 posts
#1 - the recording quality
#2 - my mood and how tired I am
#3 - proper speaker placement in room
Wild applause!
Recording quality is the number one ingredient to beautiful recordings/playback. The performance, the instrument, the recording room, the recording technique, the microphones, preamps, and the mix. All of these things are so so so crucial, and many famous recordings aren't even close to being as nice as your speakers are! (Even when engineers use the latest and greatest technology, they are rarely recording in a way that makes sense to our ears/brain.)
And after a great recording is done, your room can dramatically change the perceived sound of your speakers. I was mastering solo piano recordings in a new, purpose-built studio control room. Acoustically pure, dedicated HVAC system, electrically and mechanically isolated, with in-wall ATC speakers. Sounded fantastic, but if you left the door to the control room cracked open, you could hear a distinct [negative] difference in the sound. Had to be shut to have the right dimensions and reflections!
What am I getting at?
- recording quality is king! and a good mix will sound great on your towers or your iPhone
- your room shape, couch, or bookshelf position may have more impact than your cables
- enjoy the music, and let's build bridges between the audiophile (playback) community and the recording (tracking) community.
PS. This same discussion comes up all the time in the recording world: "What makes the most difference in the recording chain? What is the most important piece of recording gear? What should I spend my money on?"