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The eternal quandary

Is it the sound or is it the music?

A recent experience. Started to listen to a baroque trio on the main system, harpsichord, bass viol and violin. The harpsichord seems to be positioned to the left of centre, the bass viol to the right, and the violin probably somewhere in the middle. The sound of the two continuo instruments is "larger"/more diffuse than I would expect in "real life". The acoustic is slightly "swimmy". Worse still, impossible to tell if the violinist is standing in front of the continuo instruments, on the same plane as them, or even slightly behind them (in a kind of concave semi-circle). Then that tiny little doubt creeps in: although you want to blame the recording, the acoustic, the recording engineer, the digital recorder, could it be the system that's not quite doing the trick? Could its soundstaging abilities be somehow deficient? After about six shortish tracks I have stop.

Later, I finish listening to the CD on the secondary system. No, the timbral textures are not as fleshed out, no, the sheer presence of the instruments is not as intense, and no, the soundstaging is certainly no better, but I listen through to the end, in main part I think because my expectations are not as high now, and I'm listening to what's being played, not how it's being reproduced.

So are we listening to the sound or the music? Is this why car radios, table-top radios, even secondary systems have a certain, curious advantage over the "big rig"? By having so many expectations for the big rig, are we setting it up for failure? Is that one reason why lots of enthusiasts are on an unending upgrade spiral? Does this experience strike a chord (no pun intended) with anyone else out there?
twoleftears
jimjoyce25
215 posts
 
I used to think some of the cds I own were poorly recorded, because they didn't sound good on my system.

Now that my system has improved, I know better. Those recordings that previously sounded bad, now sound right.

If the recording doesn't sound good, the problem is almost certainly with one's system, though most of us, I am sure, hate to admit it.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,320 posts
 
Jimjoyce--I'm afraid that I'm going to have to respectfully disagree.

As one moves up from boom-box to mid-level system, I would think the sound should steadily improve. But there has to be a point, an "elbow", somewhere on this line where, as the resolving power of the system continues to increase, it will start to show up all the particularities and peculiarities of each recording.

An analogy: put a polished pebble under a microscope at lower levels of magnification and it will look good, but as magnification increases, at a certain level you'll start to see roughness and pitmarks not visible to the naked eye.

As far as classical recordings are concerned, I would think many musicians would be more preoccupied with the performance (phrasing, dynamics, intonation, pace, etc. etc.) than with how well the recording happens to reproduce the acoustic of the space that the recording was made in.

Noticing what can sometimes be a large variation from recording to recording is surely a sign of the resolving capacity of the system, as labels, recording engineers and mixing engineers all have different philosophies, which they implement with greater or lesser success with each record.
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Twoleftears,
I have to agree with you right down to your every word. Your experience is also mine, but it took me quite a couple of years to understand what was going on, I must say.
mike60
275 posts
 
This is a wonderful thread. Its a state of mind for me:
State 1 - If I focus on the quality of the sound, then I only select the best recorded material to play and search for weakness and strength in the system. This is a good place to be if you are ready to spend. Its a lot of frustration and a lot of fun.
State 2 - If I have reached an upgrade plateau, I enjoy the music, and the various aspects of sound quality just add to the fun, but poorly recorded yet wonderful music doesnt detract from the pleasure too much. This is the budget state to be in.
The trick for audiophiles is being able to condition your mind to move to the desired state, generally from 1 to 2, and thats not so easy.
When you get carried away with a musical experience in your car for e.g., its because you are in the right mood, have the right music, and arent critically analysing the sound quality. You are focusing on the art of the music, not the science of acoustics. Its state 2, and it is great.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,320 posts
 
Mike--I totally agree, but as you say, it's a mental trick that may be easier for some of us than others. Even if one starts out a session in mental mode #2, something can happen that jolts you out of it. That's the experience that started this thread. You may just want to enjoy the music, but when you put on a particular recording (especially one that you don't know), something may happen sonically, good, bad or just strange, that attracts your attention sufficiently to knock you from #2 to #1. And that's when the second-guessing may begin...
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