Driven to Tears

I agree and disagree with the previous posts.

For me, I can be driven to tears by beautiful tone either by a live performance or on an audio system that reproduces the sweetness of the harmonic structure. Tubes are often better for this than solid-state and the quality of the speakers has a lot to do with it.

I've heard the same recordings on lots of systems and most times I am not so affected. So I don't believe it's the recording itself that brings the tears, but the systems ability to reproduce it in a manner that just tugs at my heart.

I have had two recent experiences with this in my own systems. The first time I was playing Laura Brannigan's cover of The Who's "Squeezebox" on vinyl. I was just using a cheap Sony direct-drive turntable with a Grado cartridge feeding a Prima Luna Dialogue Two tube amp with EL-34 tubes. The speakers were Silverline's Preludes.
When the "squeezebox" enters late in the cut the tone was so pure and the image so holographic that my eyes just welled up and began to tear.

And just yesterday, I began auditioning the NSR D3 Sonata speakers for an upcoming review. Again, the source was vinyl via a Michell Tecnodec and Benz Ref 3 Copper cartridge. I used the Nova Phonomena Phono preamp into a custom 6SN7 tube preamp feeding the NuForce 9V2 SE amps.

I forget the name of the track did me in, but it was one of the middle cuts on Ry Cooder's Bop Till You Drop LP. Interestingly, this recording was the first vinyl pressing to use a digital master.

I have listened to those same albums on a lot of systems and have not be affected at all; so I have to say that it's the way the tone is reproduced that brings the tears.

I had my first experience with this phenomenon oddly enough at a Jr. High School concert where the orchestra was not amplified electronically. I was embarassed and tried to hide my emotion but I had just never heard such sweet and dramatic sounds before.

To those who have not yet experienced this level of musical beauty, I urge you to keep trying. When it happens it will most certainly take you by surprise.

Once, my wife was in the listening chair groovin' on "Living for the City" by Stevie Wonder. When the song ended and I raised the lights, she was crying. I asked, "what's wrong; you don't like my new amp?" She responded, "No, it's fine, but I feel so sorry for that poor kid in the song." I usually skip that track these days.

I cannot recall if I have ever weeped during a musical passage, however the first time I heard my VK75 tube amp in my system I almost pissed in my pants - it sounded that good.

Celine Dion brings me to tears.

And indigestion for that matter.

Tears, no, but goosebumps with amazing regularity.

Happens all the time. Some music is just emotional to me and can bring either joy or sadness.

Along the lines of what Viridian, Mr. T, and others have said, system is secondary, although certainly enabling.

Back in the late 60's or so, I remember reading in the local paper about a study to understand why loud music was so popular (inspired by Grand Funk Railroad, as I recall). If I remember correctly, the researchers attributed an emotional impact to resonant frequencies within the spinal cord/column that were excited at high SPL's. The spinal "resonant frequency" was different among individuals, but present among most. I don’t know if the hypothesis was ever proven.

I really subscribe to the phenomenon. There are certain passages in music, both vocal and instrumental, that when played loudly will elicit an emotional and physical response for me. Tears of sadness. Tears of joy. And, it is repeatable. It has been so long since I have played an instrument I can’t tell you what note, or range of notes it is. But I know it when I hear it.

System comes into this in this respect. It has to play loud enough, without distortion or distraction, to allow the moment to happen.

Two more things... I can tell you which passages, but they would probably belong in the thread above titled “secret guilty pleasures”… and… a Manhattan or 2, or bottle of Cabernet is also a great enabler.

Jim S.