It would be ridiculous to judge any music by sound instead of musicianship. Do people actually do that? When looking at a great painting are some simply noticing a bunch of paint colors secondary to the art quality? Hmmm...Jeff Beck kills me playing any guitar from any period...Strats, Telecasters, Les Pauls...all sounding different but clearly it’s his playing that matters. Great sounding crappy music is still crappy music, well played great music is always great. You could arguably judge a system’s tonal qualities for review purposes with beer guzzler belches you were familiar with, but I’d prefer the Danish String Quartet or Julian Lage, and both are well recorded. Win win.
So, a reviewer just said something I need to talk about.
I will not mention the reviewer, nor the specific equipment being reviewed, but this statement was made, talking about sax and strings: "the strings had real body, and it sounded like real strings being played". The tonality of the instruments was what he/she was talking about. I get this. The tone, the spatiality of the instruments, the stage that was presented. All well and good. What about the engagement between the listener and the musician. I have stated so many times here, ad nauseam, that the most important aspect of music listening, for me (and not enough with other listeners) is the "playing of the instruments". The artistry of the musician behind those strings. I just don’t get it. When I listen to Jeff Beck (RIP), using him as an example, what I am attracted to, FIRST & FOREMOST, is his PLAYING. Reviewers talk about "sound". Most people here talk about "sound". I spend more time now on other sites, that speak about the music playing and, the compositions. For whatever reasons, I seem to be realizing, that A’gon members, as so many reviewers, talk about sound. They very rarely mention MY most important aspect of listening. The musicianship and the compositions. Another rant from me. What are your thoughts on this? How do you listen? What do you listen for/to? What does your system convey to you? I know I am out of line again, but........My best to everyone. Always, MrD.
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+1 @hilde45
Who reads an audio magazine to learn about whether a performer sounds like they are emotionally involved, or whether the music makes one want to dance, or whatever. I read music magazines for that. I read audio magazines to get an idea of how the components involved reproduce the sound frequencies produced by the performers. |
Michael Hedges’ “Aerial Boundaries,” Jeff Beck “For We’ve Ended As Lovers,” El Ten Eleven “Thinking Loudly” and/or “Fanshawe” King Crimson’s “I Talk to the Wind,” Nora Jones “Come Away with Me.” All on vinyl, all original pressings, are just a few songs I use every time I “audition” a new piece of audio gear for just those elements you mentioned.
I’ve listened to each probably hundreds of times. I’m NOT a musician - I did take drumming lessons for a few years from a 92 year old Jazz drummer though - but I can appreciate the compositions, the complexity, the PLAYING details, how the instruments are used, how they “move me.” No, it’s not “classical music” - As much as I enjoyed Mozart, Bach (JS as well as PDQ), many other Baroque-period composers growing up, the audio mileau I’m more familiar with is rock-jazz and I’m not a music snob. I mean, Mozart and his contemporaries didn’t leave any LP’s or HS audio tapes around to compare and every player since imparts their own flavor upon those compositions.
I like audio gear to NOT sound like anything, just as neutral as possible, within my budgetary means. |
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