2. analog
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When a Reviewer "likes" something

... what does that mean in your opinion. I read in one of the last Stereophile mags a comment from Mr. Atkinson where he wrote about the differences in "opinions" in forums or in printed mags. After all he ended with the argument, a component is good when a reviewer likes it.
Isn't is more helpful, when a reviewer knows something about a real tone reproduction? Or is it ok, when he used every month another CD or LP he got for free, a kind of music nearly no one wants to listen to?
Harry Pearson used in the 90's always the same records for his reviews but that was an exception I think.
What is it worth for you when - for example - Mr. Dudley/Fremer/Valin/HP .... "likes" something? Do you have the same "taste" they have?
I know it is possible to like a Turntable even when that unit can't hold the proper speed, or is extremely sensitive to any influences, there are endless recommendations written about such units...what is it worth for you?
Atkinson for example measures units, some have top datas but they can sound very boring, far away from the real thing, some have no top datas, some "tests" are shortened because a unit can reach a area which can be pretty dangerous (see one of the latest Agostino units, just as an example) but they are rated Class A in recommendations anyway....
When someone "knows" what is right or not, then his "liking" is only a personal opinion which is more or less uninteresting or?
Most customers (not all of course) would prefer to know what a unit is really able to do sonically, or not? Would knowledge destroy the joy of Hardware rolling? Or is there a reason why reviewers use low efficiency speakers when they have a tube amp for review (for example Lamm ML2.1/ML2.2 with Magico Speakers)? Is the matching "expensive + expensive" the proper way to show competence?
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peterayer
1,382 posts
 
It's great that some enthusiasts have the interest and time and resources to investigate very thoroughly certain audio topics/problems and then arrive at what is for them some "answer" or result to their inquiry. Perhaps reviewers should fall into this camp.

Many others just want to relax and enjoy their music without being haunted by the quest for the truth. Perhaps reviewers too often fall into this camp.

As far as "I like it" being an attitude which leads to audio cancer, well that is pretty provocative. I like listening to the BSO on Friday afternoons, and I also like listening to my stereo in the evenings. And the more one sounds like the other, the more I like it.
marqmike
839 posts
 
I appreciate both sides this discussion. I think Raul is right to a large degree but I am not sure what that degree is. I am not surprised that Wolf likes and, I thinks say he, that his tube equip is fun. Just think guitar amps. I agree with both. Wolf as a musician, recording tech and so on I think he would agree that tube equipment sounds more natural but not more accurate. Again to keep it simple just think guitar amps. Could be any instrument amplified. If he doesn't no big deal. A well mic'd set up I find more of the real life of the dynamism, micro-macro, even across the board sound pressure replayed through a ss units as opposed to tube. Sound is sound pressure and I find it is better done with ss. However one of the many big problems we have is, as a recording it becomes some, to very scaled down in its sound pressure for many reasons, so it is hard to recreate that which is not there. I think tubes give us a more pleasant and natural timbre and tone to the sound pressures we hear but not necessarily more naturally accurate musical instrument tone and timbre to go along with the more even sound pressure across the board. So as a play around guitar player with other friends and their instruments I feel the sense of the life of the music that a musician would be listening for(not all pleasant sounds but the raw thing)to me has been better portrayed by ss-stainless steel I mean ss-solid state. Think Gordon Holt. I do think because of some of the nasties of ss it is just a little harder, but not much, to get a somewhat, not exactly, similar naturally pleasant sound out of ss as that of tubes. A disclaimer-I am a professional toilet bowl cleaner.
manitunc
795 posts
 
Swamp, thanks. Sometimes a subject just gets to me.
Dude here. Too bad Raul has decided to hijack this thread. Hard to read through.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
Is there an acronym for "non humble opinion?" IMNHO? I dispute the "accuracy" issue as I don't think at reasonable non clipping levels any decent tube amp sounds innacurate, nor does a good SS amp...both should sound great. I insist! I like good digital AND analog, which is not hard to do. I think one reason analog is interesting is the fact that it works at all, so I'm with Raul on that...sort of...and note that SS proponents are often more sharply analytical and strident, and tube freaks are warm and natural...you want a dominatrix in a rubber nurses uniform or a cute hippy chick in a hot tub? (rhetorical question only)
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rauliruegas
13,055 posts
 
Dear Marqmike: One main characteristic that has the live music is its dynamic power. This dynamic power an efortless power gives the music its endless so vivid impact all around a wide frequency range.

We can't recreate that music characteristic in our home audio system, even that some of us are on the quest/hunt of.

I'm convinced that in a home system music belongs to both frequency extremes that put the music frame for the whole music performance.

Dynamic power/power impact, to be near to this music characteristic we not only need amplifier power and speakers that can reproduce it but deep accurate bass management and " endless " other frequency extreme wide-band and SS meets in a lot better way those needs.

We can ask why powered subwoofers use SS electronics instead tube ones or why active speakers use SS technology. We need to reproduce the music impact the music power.

The real thing is astonishing and that's why as many of you I attend every single week to live events, nothing compare it. The live experience is unique, our home system experience is only that a: " home system experience " away from that unique live music experience.

I know digital is way better music source medium but not for that I give up analog, instead I fight and work day by day to improve to lower the analog distortions to be near to the recording and my first step on that direction was to be aware of those analog distortions and were it comes/came and how detect it because if you are not aware of those distortions we can't improve about thinking that all what we heard is music or comes in the recording. We need on porpose training to do that, with out this training we just can't do it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
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