Dear friends: How good is your system? IMHO is a wide " open door " to re-think about and try to improve our home audio system.
Obviously there are endless form to improve our system and that is not the subject here but more what to take in count to evaluate what we have, there are no limitations or absolute answers to make it, as all we know everything is relative. I would try to be nly in an enunciative way somethings that could help us when we want to evaluate what we have:
first than all to be un-biased in our system performance like if we are evaluating a friend's system and not ours.
always help to have in deep experiences on music live events ( any kind ) as experiences on other home audio systems ( any kind ), so attend to both " places " as much you can.
choose 5-6 different recordings ( LPs ) that not only you know very well but that can tell you about the quality performance of your systems in different sound reproduction areas: different frequency response ranges, timbre, tonal balance, dynamic, trasients, etc, etc.
Bring with you some of this recording or ask for it every time you hear other systems.
Be consistent about these LPs using it always and only and change any one or add other one if you find something really better. Remember one thing, all these tests LPs that you choose are the ones to use to evaluate it does not matters if the " music " in the LP is not one of your favorities.
try to be relaxed and in good mood when evaluate any system or system's changes. Don't try to evaluate nothing if you are or feel tired.
choose the best day hour to make evaluation's systems , example: when the overall noise floor is lower.
try not to go in a serious system evaluation when there is other person in your room system, always try to be alone.
try to have one or two audio friends that you trust because they are experienced ones and that will tell you what they hear in an un-biased way and not what you want to hear from them, you need honest evaluations/answers not friendly ones.
almost all audio systems have a very short SPL range where performs at its best, try to find the one for your system and the right SPL on each of those LPs that you choose like your evaluation recordings. Sometimes differences of 1db in SPL make " the difference ".
how good is the system at low SPL? how much low?
I think that on the thread and for what some people posted the seat position already be clear as the near field position system and the kind of chair ( free space body surrounded ).
try to find some good CD recordings ( the same recording tyou are using on the LPs ) to compare/evaluate the bass/midrange range, specially the low bass.
every frequency range is important when we are making system evaluuation but it help to concentrate first on both frequency extremes, normally when both are on target the system is ok. overall.
sometimes help to hear how its sounds off axis where normally you can's hear the standing waves that put veils on the system performance.
if you have headphones ( good ones ) use them and compare the differences you hear with and with out.. This could help to find which kind and where room treatment need and for many other things.
don't stop to make changes in your system only because other people had bad experinces about or because the changes go against audio theory/myths or reviewers opinion, try it and give time to those changes to settle down.
time to time check the screws on the loudspekers drivers and thigt it if necessary.
time to time too clean all your system connectors and check that the connection is tight specially the cartridge/tonearm/headshell wires.
be sure that your system is grounded at only one point: usually at the phonolinepreamp where every item in the audio system is connected through.
try to check each channel gain. output impedance and frequency response on the electronics and speakers , it must be even in both channels.
choose the best trade offs according your priorities on sound reproduction and remember that nothing is perfect.
try to lower overall system distortions, any kind.
OPEN MIND attitude, think that everything always can be improved including what you have.
Well there are many other subjects about but IMHO these ones can/could help to any one.
Try to remember that one of the main " name of the game " at audio hardware level are: accuracy and distortion free system performance.
Try to remember too that the only way to beat what we have is through three simple steps: Learn, Learn and Learn, from anybody every single day!!!!, be humilty: IMHO no one knows everything on audio.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Obviously there are endless form to improve our system and that is not the subject here but more what to take in count to evaluate what we have, there are no limitations or absolute answers to make it, as all we know everything is relative. I would try to be nly in an enunciative way somethings that could help us when we want to evaluate what we have:
first than all to be un-biased in our system performance like if we are evaluating a friend's system and not ours.
always help to have in deep experiences on music live events ( any kind ) as experiences on other home audio systems ( any kind ), so attend to both " places " as much you can.
choose 5-6 different recordings ( LPs ) that not only you know very well but that can tell you about the quality performance of your systems in different sound reproduction areas: different frequency response ranges, timbre, tonal balance, dynamic, trasients, etc, etc.
Bring with you some of this recording or ask for it every time you hear other systems.
Be consistent about these LPs using it always and only and change any one or add other one if you find something really better. Remember one thing, all these tests LPs that you choose are the ones to use to evaluate it does not matters if the " music " in the LP is not one of your favorities.
try to be relaxed and in good mood when evaluate any system or system's changes. Don't try to evaluate nothing if you are or feel tired.
choose the best day hour to make evaluation's systems , example: when the overall noise floor is lower.
try not to go in a serious system evaluation when there is other person in your room system, always try to be alone.
try to have one or two audio friends that you trust because they are experienced ones and that will tell you what they hear in an un-biased way and not what you want to hear from them, you need honest evaluations/answers not friendly ones.
almost all audio systems have a very short SPL range where performs at its best, try to find the one for your system and the right SPL on each of those LPs that you choose like your evaluation recordings. Sometimes differences of 1db in SPL make " the difference ".
how good is the system at low SPL? how much low?
I think that on the thread and for what some people posted the seat position already be clear as the near field position system and the kind of chair ( free space body surrounded ).
try to find some good CD recordings ( the same recording tyou are using on the LPs ) to compare/evaluate the bass/midrange range, specially the low bass.
every frequency range is important when we are making system evaluuation but it help to concentrate first on both frequency extremes, normally when both are on target the system is ok. overall.
sometimes help to hear how its sounds off axis where normally you can's hear the standing waves that put veils on the system performance.
if you have headphones ( good ones ) use them and compare the differences you hear with and with out.. This could help to find which kind and where room treatment need and for many other things.
don't stop to make changes in your system only because other people had bad experinces about or because the changes go against audio theory/myths or reviewers opinion, try it and give time to those changes to settle down.
time to time check the screws on the loudspekers drivers and thigt it if necessary.
time to time too clean all your system connectors and check that the connection is tight specially the cartridge/tonearm/headshell wires.
be sure that your system is grounded at only one point: usually at the phonolinepreamp where every item in the audio system is connected through.
try to check each channel gain. output impedance and frequency response on the electronics and speakers , it must be even in both channels.
choose the best trade offs according your priorities on sound reproduction and remember that nothing is perfect.
try to lower overall system distortions, any kind.
OPEN MIND attitude, think that everything always can be improved including what you have.
Well there are many other subjects about but IMHO these ones can/could help to any one.
Try to remember that one of the main " name of the game " at audio hardware level are: accuracy and distortion free system performance.
Try to remember too that the only way to beat what we have is through three simple steps: Learn, Learn and Learn, from anybody every single day!!!!, be humilty: IMHO no one knows everything on audio.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.