I’m confused. Please explain.


Hello everyone. There are quite a lot of posts of people wanting their system to sound like real instruments like you would hear at the symphony. I don’t see the importance of it. I’ve been to the symphony one time recently and it was nice but until then I’ve basically only listened to music  made in a studio, amplified and then mixed. I have been to concerts but even that music was at least  amplified. 
Surely you listen to more than just classical music. Are you saying studio music can somehow be made to sound like symphony instruments? I  want my music to sound like it did when it was recorded if possible. I enjoy many genres of music so I don’t see why I would desire it to sound like I’m at the symphony. I consider my system neutral so it is true to the recording. Thank you for your thoughts. 
 

Regards 

Ron 

 

ronboco

Ron, I can’t help but think you’ve missed an important point here. The real reason to want audio gear that makes music sound very similar to how it sounded in the convert hall (unamplified) is NOT so that you could confine your listening only to classical music. I’ve heard a lot of classical music in concert halls, but my home listening is at least 40=-50% other things.

The reason to get that kind of gear is that the hardest thing for audio gear to get right is the tone and timbre of physical, non-amplified instuments (ie, violin, french horn, cello) & the human voice. Gear that is designed and constructed to do that well, will also make everything else sound as good at it can possibly sound. Gear like this uses the best acitve & passive parts; pays attention to circuit layout &  grounding; and is "voiced" to sound very good, not just to measure well.

I just finished listening to several hours of heavy funk/R&B music from the past 50 years on a system I put together to produce music of great purity and timbral accuracy (DAC is MHDT Labs Orchis w/tube output buffer; preamp is Violectric V281; amps are Bel Canto class D monoblocks; speakers are Harbeth 30.1s; subwoorer is JLAudio e110. I can blow the walls down with this home office system, and it sounds amazing. But whenever I dial it back and listen to low volume choral and classical music, it sounds exactly as that music should sound.

Thank you all again  for your thoughts. I have read them all and value each one. 
 

Happy listening and stay cool in this heat! 
 

Regards

Ron 

Hi Ron,

Relax my friend, your system is one of the best I've had the pleasure listening to.

Personally I think too many in this hobby are listening to the equipment and are in

constant 'judgement mode".  

You're in a very good enviable place...just play what you like.

Warm regards,

barts

 

@barts

Thank you! I think you are spot on with the judgement mode analysis. I very much enjoyed having you over and hope you are able to come again. 
 

My very warmest regards to you ! 
 

Ron 

Your view is quite myopic. 
 

The idea here is not that ones audio system sound like a symphony. It is that ones audio system sounds like real unamplified voice and instruments that you would hear if live unamplified performers were performing in front of you. 
 

This is the only objective way to be sure one’s audio system is faithfully reproducing what was recorded. To have no standard by which to ascertain if one’s audio system is faithful leaves you only with measurements. And if you think that’s enough then that leaves you myopic.