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Home HiFi better than Live?

From all the magazines and discussions I have seen, it appears that almost everyone of them compares systems and equipment to Live music as the reference standard. That may be the ultimate comparison but it appears to me that I prefer a good home HiFi setup and well produced software to Live music any day. I have been to numerous concerts and never ever get the feeling that the performers are performing for me alone as I do in my own system. I feel alot more emotional involvement from the entertainers in concerts but I don't feel it is any better sound than my HiFi at home.
Admittedly I will say that I do not have the best sense of hearing every nuance in musical performances but I actually like the way my system make warmer, clearer, and softer sounds than live music. Am I the only person who feels this way?
BTW, my own system consists of Levinson reference components and Amati speakers, the analog part is Oracle, Morch and ZYX, so I may be spoiled a bit in this regard.
fwangfwang
seth
38 posts
 
I understand what you guys are saying, because the amplified sound systems at most rock and jazz shows are not very good. However, the reference standard is not just live music, but UNAMPLIFIED live music! For the most part that means classical...
kthomas
911 posts
 
Home Hi-Fi is a better experience than Live in many cases, but the reverse is true often as well. There's no question that a good quality system reproduces music at home in an incredibly good manner, and gives you a lot of flexibility on what you want to experience.

On a strictly sound quality basis, there are at least two instances where Live is definitely better. One - I saw John Williams, the guitarist, live at an intimate venue with fabulous acoustics. I was about 7 rows away and had direct view of his playing. Fabulous. Second - rock concerts with really good acoustics sound so much better than anything you can create at home (or would want to :-) Genesis, Tool, Creed - all examples of rock concerts I've seen where the sound was just incredible, as opposed to the blurry sound you get at many rock concerts.
aball
2,016 posts
 
I always thought this and sit back with a smile when everyone compares their systems to live music. As Seth points out, what is really meant is Unamplified live music. However, I have NEVER heard a band, even small ones, play unamplified music and several of my friends play in good local bands. They have this crappy pevey stuff that hurts my ears, reflections abound, there is a mass of tagled wires all over the place (capacitance must be through the roof), the vocals come across as scratchy, etc. Anyway, I much prefer the sound coming from my speakers than "live" music as well. I have to give my ears the benefit of the doubt, you know, since I value my equipment over bands'. I am sure there are exceptions, but I have yet to hear them. Arthur
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
I use live music as a reference for classical. I am exposed to live music at least once a week; sometimes as much as four times a week.

I have always been doubtful that professional audio reviewers are exposed to that much live music. I think they really rely on their "reference" systems.

But, I'll take the live music, thanks!

I have box seats overlooking the stage at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore. To have the BSO, Yuri Temirkanov, and world class artists playing not much further away than my speakers is hard to beat.

In a month, in two different small intimate halls, I'll have Menahem Pressler and the Beaux Arts Trio playing right in front of me.

I will also be on stage perfoming with Dave Brubeck on March 30th.

A CD or LP does not rate when compared to all of the above.
rcprince
3,070 posts
 
My perspective is principally classical. I'll take a live performance any day; home hi-fi is nice in its own way but is a completely different animal. There is no way any home stereo system is going to match the sheer power and volume of sound of a symphony orchestra going full tilt, let alone even the sound of a single Guarneri del Gesu in a living room (either from a sheer loudness perspective or in getting the overtones and harmonics that you hear live right). It's partially the shortcomings and limitations of the recording process and partially the fact that no speaker can move as much air, among other things. In addition, as another poster noted, there is a spontaneity to a live performance that, with a great artist, can lead to far many more "magical" moments than you get from a recording, particularly a studio recording, which often can sound too cautious in comparison (one of the reasons I like recordings of live concerts).
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