Can a great system make a mediocre recording sound good?

I spend a lot of time searching for well produced recordings as they (of course) sound so good on my system (Hegel 160 + Linn Majik 140 speakers). I can't tolerate poor sounding recordings - regardless of the quality of the performance itself. I was at a high end audio store yesterday and the sales person took the position that a really high-end system can make even mediocre recordings sound good. Agree?

jcs0104-08-2022 1:09pm

...
123 posts total
View entire discussion

knotscott Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,008 posts 04-08-2022 at 05:44pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete The best you can hope for is for the system and any given recording to sound like it did when it took place...good, bad, or indifferent.
artemus_5 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,992 posts 04-08-2022 at 06:42pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @gregm If by mediocrity you mean bad mastering, I beg to differ. If it is really bad mastering then sure, I agree with you. But how do you know unless its heard and verified by a great system? But even then, I suspect it will still sound better than with a lesser system
russ69 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 3,543 posts 04-08-2022 at 07:23pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Tune your system so it plays 90% of your recordings well. That is the key. If you have a highly critical system, you will only be able to listen to 1% of your collection. Tune your system to satisfy yourself with the music you play.
serjio Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 371 posts 04-08-2022 at 07:46pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete considering that the best music (from the one recorded on media) was already sung in the 20th century and hardly anyone can surpass it (now we have a monstrous degradation of performing skills) - I would not look for systems with a very high resolution ... CD is a good format. With age, you will still come to headphones and YouTube - the content of the song will become the most important factor for you ...
islandmandan Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,260 posts 04-08-2022 at 07:58pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I've owned a CD for years that I could never find listenable on any of the systems I've owned in the nearly twenty years I've owned the disc, a Vanguard Classic recording of J.S. Bach's Brandenberg Concertos, by the English Chamber Orchestra, Johannes Somary conducing. I was able to listen to both CD's in the set, and actually enjoy it. I'm inclined to say the system can have quite an affect on how music sounds on it. Regards, Dan