Does good technology guarantees musicality?

No. It either faithfully reproduces the original analog signal or it doesn't. "Musical" is a highly subjective term that is impossible to quantify.

-RW-

Shadorne, I agree. But do you only want to have accuracy without distortion? Even techno music from Kraftwerk (which seems devoid from any human emotion has some musicality).

Chris

Cd was thought has a "perfect technology" on a road to perfect sound. And for all practical reason's it did sound quite logical. With no ticks clicks and pops, with a laser reading all info with nothing physically touching to distort. Well unfortunate for us it did not pan out, until independent and small companies picked up the baton and with their tweaking with the use of large corporate R&D muscle machinery, we are still wanting and waiting.

The actual results depend more on component/cable matching, careful setup and the room acoustics of the particular room where the system is installed. Other than that, I do try to look for equipment that provides excellent technical performance per dollar spent.

In case you're wondering, yes, it is possible to put together a system where all the components technical performance and measurements are superb (and exceedingly expensive)... yet the system sounds completely awful, unbalanced, and amusical. And many audiophiles are apparently adept at doing exactly that. In point of fact, the more resolving the system's capability is, the easier it is to screw it up and the harder it is to get it to sound both detailed and musical. That's what makes this hobby so challenging and interesting.

To put it another way, buying the best, top-rated equipment will not, in itself, guarantee good sound. You not only need the best components, you need the experience and skill to get them to work to their best advantage. But the good news is that some of the best performing gear is not necessarily the highest priced gear. A lot of audiophiles actually believe they get what they pay for... Some do, and a lot don't. It's a rule that is bent and broken all the time.

I see so many audiophiles that are very trepidacious and paranoid about making any purchase without exploring tons of data and research and then reaching out for 2nd and 3rd-party opinions in these forums and elsewhere. Then, after they buy the product, they are paranoid that they could have bought a better performing product for the same price.

My feeling is that if you're that paranoid you should simply buy a Bose Wave Radio and leave it at that. Of course you'll want to shop around for the best price, but I digress.

Merry Christmas to all my fellow audio lunatics. Here's wishing you a more precise and expansive soundstage and a very unpredictable yet dynamic New Year!