Does your system take you there or...?


Happened to purchase a Cary AES Super Amp (original) and AE-2 pre for my office. While I was breaking it in, I noticed it does the detail thing a little better than my Manley 300B/Steelhead combo.

After listening a little while and reading some reviews, I noticed that someone had made the distinction between gear that "takes you there" and gear that brings "there" here. After some more listening back-to-back with the same music, I came to the conclusion that the AES equipment does a better job of "taking you there" but the Manley gear brings "there" here into my room in a big way. Definitely different presentations.

Would appreciate others thoughts.

PMB
pmburnett
Thanks for the interesting commentary so far. I used Ani as an example because it's easier for me to visualize walking around in a small ensemble rather than walking around in an orchestra.

As I said, I prefer having the performance in my room, but that's not saying that the cues regarding the original venue are missing. It's more of an experience of my room being partially transformed. On Ani's recording, there is a living, breathing invisible person in my room. It's more like I can walk around in the performance. The same thing happens with larger works like Mozart's Requiem, but to a lesser degree. For me, this presentation is more "real" but not necessarily as "accurate" at reproducing the original performance. There is a real experience that a performance is happening rather than listening to a recreation of a performance.

Some may not like it that way-- my wife, for example. She likes being able to see the details of the venue like she is there but looking over the railing from a balcony seat. But there is a boundary that can't be crossed.

PMB
Good point Rok2id.

I'd also say that the recording plays a big part in how we might perceive the presentation as well.
It wold be pretty horrible to have a Symphony Orchestra sound as if it were in my 18x13 room - in general I would think approaching the sound of the recording venue would be the goal. And every recording would approximate the sense of the difference between venues - I think in good system sounds quite different from recording to recording, sameness is usually a bad sign IMHO.
I may the the only one here who LIKES my "untreated" room sound...and admits it! Reflections be damned! I'm gonna find out what Ani DiFranco smells like and send some essence to Pmburnett...I assume it's pachouli oil...in any case, spread some around the room and close your eyes! OFF YOU GO....