Ok, perhaps. For some music. Sitting...7th row center? Further up? Back? Ok, we can just rough it out. Dark Side of the Moon and everything else multi-tracked, mixed, tweaked, etc. -- live music is not a guide. Electronic music, made with synthesizers, computers, etc.? Live is not a guide.
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Agree. Has his room changed in that time? Have speakers, DACs, other things changed? Has his preferences changed during his auditions? What keeps his compass pointed at the north star and his variables stable? Or is this more of a kind of performance -- something like one would see at a carnival. "Watch the spinning plates, kids." |
Classic audiophile dilemma is assembling: the most accurate audio system with very high sensitivity money can buy OR an audio system musical and forgiving with modest sensitivity Now some may argue one can have the cake and eat the cake. That depends on your software. If your software is all high quality LPs, CDs, etc,. then perhaps you can put together the best system money can buy with very high sensitivity, yet also musical. However, for an old geek like me who still listen to music from very old mono recordings, cassettes, LPs, CDs, from 1930's onward, cranking up sensitivity comes with a price.
So I tend to favor audio components mostly forgiving yet musical. I may sacrifice sensitivity to get there. Only exception is my speakers, Thiel 3.6s which I will not say very forgiving! But I get to enjoy >90% of my software this way.
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Thank you guys (ladies are welcome, please) for some very informative responses. Keep ’em coming, please. @cd318 That video is fascinating. Thank you. @mike_in_nc Good one. And relevant. @gdnrbob Coincidentally, I did chat with Mr. Rutan a few weeks ago to get his opinion of an Audio Research tube integrated I’ve been considering. :) Be well, all.
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Factor 1 - Audiophile equipment ranges from relatively affordable to stuff that's very few could even consider as a possibility, so there's always something bigger and better available. Factor 2 - Every audiophile has different references and unique listening spaces, so the only way to really know is by trying gear in your own listening space. Factor 3 - Many audiophiles are in it for the hobby as much as for the music so upgrading and trying different gear is part of the fun. Factor 4 - In my opinion, most people struggle to separate something sounding "different" with it sounding "better" unquestionable better. At this point my system is reasonably on the audiophile scale of possibilities, but exceeds anything that I ever had as a goal, so I'm satisfied...for now. |
