Top two most important sound qualities

Mid-range warmth which my system does well. Hear my WT system and compare with $30k Taiko Audio SGM Extreme server (with Boulder amps+ Vimberg spkr) in below videos.

Original music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=682ePZmXKMo

WT audio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV8E3FqkJME

Taiko Audio SGM Extreme server https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPENz0WLHPc

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Hear it at

T.H.E. Show / THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHOW LLC
The Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa,
3050 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Dates: June 9th-10th-11th, 2023

My room is # 372.

Alex/Wavetouch

I don't know if anyone here is following the Generative AI stuff. I thought it'd be interesting to ask the following question to one of the Gen AI LLMs. This is the answer I got ...

Q: What are Two of the most important sound quality characteristics that an audiophile looks for in their audio system?

A: Two of the most important sound quality characteristics that an audiophile looks for in their audio playback system include:

1. Accuracy - Audiophiles value systems that faithfully reproduce the original recording without distortion, coloration, or other sonic anomalies. They prioritize equipment that can deliver detailed midrange and treble frequency extension while maintaining accurate bass response.
2. dynamics - Effective rendering of dynamic contrasts within music is another crucial factor in achieving high-quality playback. An ideal audiophile setup should exhibit both smoothness and slam on transients, creating engaging musicality as well as natural realism in presentation. They look for components with wide dynamic range capabilities that effectively capture the ambiance and atmosphere of a live performance venue and transmit this to the listener at home or office. These systems must convey fine microdynamics as well so instruments, voices, etc feel lifelike rather than artificial. Maintaining low noise levels helps ensure quiet passages remain undisturbed when systems stop retrigger under momentary signal peaks to avoid saturating all channels into mush at those transient events driving peaks of brief duration but extreme amplitude excursions .
   Please note these two are not considered exhaustive by any means but are deemed essential for conveying a sense how performers intended listeners experience their artistic work

AI wins this thread

@bdp24 wrote:

As for "hi-fi effects", it is image size and scale. Most loudspeakers sound comically "small" to me, the image of a grand piano, for example, being reduced to a miniature of it’s actual size. It’s like watching a movie on your iPhone. Hearing a doll house-size musical picture immediately destroys the suspension of disbelief.

Exactly. Much has been said about how this or that speaker - oftentime the smaller, monitor-style variant - is able to seemingly "vanish" in its mere physical existence leaving only the sound hanging in free air, but it's still glaringly obvious what's heard is a reproduction. A lot of aspects in sound reproduction, incl. the recording and acoustics, can make for an exposition and revelation of what is not a live, musical event, but there are core parameters more important than others which, when achieved in some minimum measure, are at the basis of a framework of sorts that makes reproduced music appear less of a facsimile. Size and scale are vital for this to come true, as are effortlessness, dynamic linearity and overall coherency/uniformity of the radiation bubble/sphere, and in what's supposed to be an approximation to "High Fidelity" in its true sense of wording in this hobby of ours it's beyond me how mentioned "macro parameters" aren't more readily acknowledged and pursued. 

Just for fun, I reworded the question slightly differently and below is what AI said - notice the caveat at the end:

Q: What are two of the most important sound quality characteristics that a music lover looks for in their home audio system?

A: Two important sound quality characteristics that a music lover typically looks for in their home audio system are:

1. Accuracy and Clarity: Music enthusiasts value accuracy and clarity in sound reproduction. They want their audio system to faithfully reproduce the original recording without introducing unwanted distortions or colorations. This means that the system should reproduce each instrument, vocal, and sound effect with precision and detail, allowing the listener to discern individual elements within the music.

2. Imaging and Soundstage: Another crucial aspect is the system's ability to create a realistic soundstage and imaging. Soundstage refers to the perceived three-dimensional space where the music seems to originate, while imaging refers to the precise placement and localization of instruments and vocals within that space. A good audio system should create a wide and well-defined soundstage, allowing the listener to feel like they are in the presence of the performers, with instruments and voices properly positioned across the stereo image.

While these two characteristics are important to many music lovers, it's worth noting that individual preferences may vary. Some listeners may prioritize other aspects, such as deep bass response, dynamic range, or tonal balance, based on their personal taste in music and listening preferences.