Critical listening and altered states
I will add that music is naturally, never mind acoustic and audio, an altered states of consciousness and the most universally used.
Speech is a musical gesture socially and individually synchronized with Nature... Each perception may become creative and a dual survival strategies of isolation from Nature (society) and also participation to Nature on a higher level than immediate by creativity. |
Obviously every single instrument whether amplified or not, even synths have an inherent timbre. I'd posit the timbre inaccuracies we hear in playback as compared to the original timbre as captured in the studio or live concert are relatively minor for causing stress vs other aspects of sound. I suspect tonal anomalies or imbalances are a much greater cause of listener stress, tonality is a gross measure, more easily heard than the relatively small timbre anomalies we are likely to encounter. On the other hand, I can think of at least one pretty persistent irritant for what I believe to be timbre issue, and that is massed violins, I've yet to experience a fully natural presentation/timbre via digital, vinyl reproduction sounds more like the real thing although digital has continually evolved here.
@mahgister I've long known of your intense experiments with room treatments, interesting diy projects, no doubt you've visualized sound waves. I too have experimented with multiples of off the shelf devices and/or just plain furnishings in listening room. In my experience virtually everything has some effect, 1st reflection points while the most obvious are not close to the end of it. With experimentation I've learned to be far less invasive with 1st reflection points and treat many other reflection points throughout room. Since I don't really have wall behind listening position around 15' into 30'L room opening into a kitchen I got far more immersion into sound field using 6 Synergistic HRT on side walls behind listening position. Having a wall close behind listening position changes the whole equation. I also used multiple Schumann resonators in the past, can also be very effective if used correctly. To reiterate, maximizing sound staging, imaging is extremely important for my ability to easily enter higher levels of ASC, immersion into the sound field meaning stimuli emanating from behind listening position is key. |
I knew my acoustical optimization of my AKG K340 hibryd was done well when i cranked up the highs with tone controls and equalization because the violin sound was enebriating like an angelic silk thread...
If a system dont gave enough bass or beautiful highs and medium as natureal as possible the timbre of instrument, non amplified as amplified is distorted... it is because of this acoustical stress that often people pick their gear piece upgrade to compensate, or some albums in spite of others less easy and natural to listen to... The gear pieces design quality and synergy cannot be replaced but only compensated by acoustics controls, mechanical one mainly in my case and also equalization and tone control. But on the other hand no piece of gear can replace acoustic control impact to gain natural timbre and sound spatial characteristics...
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Glad you mentioned that. It has become my first reference point for judging a system's (and recording's) quality. So often, they are just a blur. |
We would understand each other well , we had done similar things using different paths and solutions for different system in completely different room, but we know the importance of acoustics control... I had used in a smaller room than you a big grid of distributed and localized Helmholtz resonators (The cheapest one to experiment)... Schumann generators, which i used till today in my new system (only 2), are cherres on a cake...Positioning them is key... They gave an "aura" to the sound volume in space and make the soundstaging more fluid...it was evident in my first dedicated larger room, when i put them off one by one the "aura" vacillate and disappeared...
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