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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
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.
slappy
903 posts
 
Dude i think you got a sweet rig.

You might have to add some room treatments, etc, to get it to sound as good as at the dealers place.

I dont really claim to be an audiophile, more of a Toy-guy, i like expencive toys and i like learnign everything about them.
Like you, i would insist on installing everything myself, for guys like us, that is half the fun! :)

It boils down to this. Do you like your rig?

I will be the first to say this will put ANY cineplex to shame, even in a room that is less than optimal.

I disagree with the BOSE comment though.
I like to think that my ears are developing nicely, i dont have the 20years experience in this hobby as many, but any half-deaf moron could listen to your rig, then a bose rig, and think his hearing suddenly got worse.

every now and then an audiophile will make a comment that all that wonderful gear is wasted on less-than-golden ears. The way i see it, just because you and me might not be able to tell the subtleist of changes like some people can, does NOT mean that we cannot appreciate the wonderful sounds being created, and it definatly does not mean that we cannot tell the difference between your rig, a bose acraptimass system, and a clock radio.

Enjoy your system man!

Someday maybe i will haave something as nice as that.

Good luck on getting everything set up. It can be a very time consuming process, but at least a system like that sounds incredible even if it is not calibrated totally yet.
Just look at it like this, IT ONLY GETS BETTER FROM HERE.
willhitx2eb4
37 posts
 
An "audiophile" by definition is someone (anyone) who is an enthusiast for high fidelity sound. Period. One could be partially deaf and be an audiophile.

I never ask a visitor "did you hear that?". Most people take their music on face value and if you introduce the sound quality factor, they either say "no" or "WOW".

That said, becoming an audiophile is either inborn (perfectionist) or comes from hearing a system that makes you say "I want one of those!". Unattainable goal of bringing the performance into your room. But you can come close. That's what it's all about.

I have entry level gear that I love (Anthem/Martin Logan) and I read this site for tips and suggestions to help me tweak in my gear. In my case, I'm sure a power conditioner and power cords would kick me up a notch. Or should I buy a new DVD player? Perhaps a stand alone CD transport? Bang for the buck. But that's MY problem.

Bottom line for my post agrees with someone above who said you should live with it awhile. Get very familiar with a few recordings and then start to move things around and change cables and such. It does matter.
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