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Does a non-audiophile have to calibrate?

To all
I was at an audiophile store for the first time in my life not too long ago and heard the most amazing and beautiful music I ever heard in my life. I watched bits of few different movies that were just breath taking. The conversations sounded like they were in the room. At one point someone in the movie called a character with the same name and I turned around thinking the sales guy must have called me.

So I bought me a system:
Sonus Faber Cremona (Mains)
Sonus Faber Cremona Center
Sonus Faber Cremona Subwoofer
Sonus Faber Concerto (Surrounds)
NBS Serpent III Speaker cables and interconnects
NBS Omega IV digital cable
Krell Showcase Processor
Krell Showcase 5.1 AMP & NBS Omega II power cord
Marantz DV8400 Universal Player
Marantz VP-12S2 projector
V Inc. Bravo D1 DVD Player
VOOM HDTV receiver
Monster HTS 5100 Power Conditioner
76' Stewart StudioTek 130 ceiling recessed w/masking system

I just hooked it up and it sounds good. Now people are telling me I have to calibrate. Would a non-audiophile appreciate a calibration or only a trained audiophile ear can appreciate the difference. I went to HAA’s site and still do not understand why. The site said my system would lack clarity and was very vague and using audiophile words like tonal balance, checking for voice matching, frequency response, room resonance, ambiance effects, and standing waves.

How does this translate in to English? What am hearing wrong? What is not clear? I am not an audiophile, and it sounds fine. I have no problem hiring a calibrator; I just want to understand why.

Perhaps my room dictates a calibration? My room size is 19'L x 11'2"W x 8'H. It is also a library. It’s all filled with books. There are also artistic cabinets built in to the shelves so there is a lot of exposed wood. I have a bench bay window in front of my room, behind the speakers. Inside the room is a love seat and a recliner and a gas fire place that is 4’H x 2’D x 5’L.

Please help me understand,
Cap
captaincapitalism
clueless
763 posts
 
>>Does a non-audiophile have to calibrate?

You do if you want to get the best of your system. It has pretty much been said above by Scott Campbell and Swampwalker. Your dealer has let you down IMHO. Standing waves (and the rest) are not BS. Set-up and tweaking is necessary for any high quality system. Without it you are just not going to get what you paid for. It is a like the Collimation process with a decent telescope. No sense paying for resolution you are not going to take the time to acheive. But that, it seems, is where you are at.

The nice thing is that if you dealer leaves you flat (apparently he has), you don't have to do it all at once.
If you are out of time now put it on the back burner and make it next summer's project or find someone else who has spent a couple decades in audio in your neighborhood.

I remain,
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
Sorry my friend I mean no harm. I didn't want to candy coat the situation.I am sure there are others that are thinking the same thing..but aren't going to say it.

I hope you truly enjoy your system and will grow to appreciate it even more in time.
captaincapitalism OP
52 posts
 
I am sure there are others that are thinking the same thing..but aren't going to say it.
My point exactly! There are audiophiles that think only THEY will appreciate a system that is superior to Bose. That is all I want to know. Can a untrained, non-audiophile hear the difference. That is all I want to know. Video, the biggest idiot in the world will see the difference a calibration can make. Audio, I am not convinced.

It's OK, I prefer no candy coating. Tell me as you see it. I appreciate that.
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
One easy way I get non audiophiles to understand this stuff is by sitting them down in the sweet spot(two channel music of course). Having them close their eyes. Put on a well recorded cd with good spacial information..something with several singers or musicians spread across the soundstage. Then I ask them to point out to me where they hear these singers or instruments , one at a time.

The ones that didn't understand ..normally do after this little test.And the look on their faces are hilarious!
This is only the tip of the iceberg but it does open the door to understanding this hobby.
mrmb's avatar
mrmb
299 posts
 
QUOTE: My theory is that there are few select people in the world who can hear the nuances of a song and can hear the differences that a cable can make. I am certainly not one of them.

My experience suggests that the “select few” is much greater than you express. I fortunately found a dealer with excellent equipment, objective opinions, as much a hobbyist as a businessman, and he helped me “educate” my ears, and vastly improve my system.

From you descriptions, it sounds like you have the desire to enhance your audio acuity, and unless you have significant hearing loss, experiencing the sonics of well-coupled components and set-up systems will quickly “educate” your ears. Having a friend, or dealer on-hand to create, and explain A/B comparisons would help immensely. Folks on this site either provide this service or have more than likely found dealers who will help.

Although I live in a large metro area, I’ve driven hundreds of miles to audition equipment, and find dealers like I have just described.

Perhaps if you advise your location, an Audio Society may be nearby, or folks on this site can suggest dealers as I’ve described. In any case, don’t be too quick to dispel yourself as not, or being able to get it!

One other suggestion, check out the following web site: http://www.high-endaudio.com/index.html

I’ve found Arthur to have a very good ability to describe what we Audiophiles should be hearing. While I’m sure some folks may disagree with his opinions, equipment ratings etc., I’ve found his site to be a wonderful wealth of information.
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