Audiophiles biggest mistake: Chasing perfect sound
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- Sean over at Zero Fidelity inspired this video with this, • 10 Unpopular Audiophil...
My favorite Chesky audiophile recordings, • These audiophile recor...
#audiophile #greatsound #bestsound 
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![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](/img/1.gif)
I've got the perfect system.... because I've learnt to be content with what I have
Cooo look at you Mr smug
True
Well said.
Bingo!
@@adotopp1865 I could be a Brooklyn bum that goes through the trash outside Steve's building of a night time who's content with two tin cans and a string. What's there to be smug about?
I found a genie in a lamp once and he granted me one wish.
So I asked him to build a bridge across the ocean from the US to the UK.
The genie went mad and ranted about how it's impossible and the complex logistics and physics involved, and he told me to pick a different wish.
So I asked for the perfect sound system. The genie paused and replied ........ so this bridge, how many lanes do you want?
That's an Aesop's Parable isn't it?
@@Mrch33ky Aesop's Parasound...
Nah it's just that audiophilia attracts delusional people with compulsive disorders. No sane, reasonable mind is capable of the mental gymnastics needed to justify audiophile purchases.
A normal person will enjoy the music while an audiophile will look for equipment "upgrades".
The "high" we get when the music and the sound are right, is like a drug, and once we're hooked we want more, more, more. "Perfect" may not exist, but "more" does!
Sad but true.
If it sounds right and good the pleasure is better than any drug. I even did a comparison once between listening to good music on my stereo and having sex and my stereo was just a bit better.
@@andershammer9307 Don't tell her that!
@@jdmccall56 Too late! lol
@@somebunnielse lol. You know it wasn't you.
I was so busy chasing the perfect sound I didn't realize my wife left me.
joke? truth? condolences or congratulations, probably both
Congratulations most likely.
What costs more - alimony or those electrostatics? 😀
@@olaniyi570 Bitter much?
Probably she found someone with better sound…
it's never about the destination, it's about the journey (life is a journey, not a destination) enjoy the ride
As I sit here listening to a pair of re-capped Cerwin Vega's on an old, low watt, un-restored solid state amp from the 70's on a cheap turntable - Soundgarden is seriously rocking and I'm loving it. No room correction, no acoustic panels, 35 watts of old 70's power. It's all fantastic....enjoying the music. Thanks for the reminder Steve.
Shout out for those old, low watt, unrestored solid state amps from the 70s! They just keep on rocking.
@Fat Rat ... but also has a soft spot for Trio, Philips, Technics, JVC... ;D
Hi Steve. I am also a recording engineer.., and I belong to an audiophile club, but I'm not an audiophile. When asked if I'm an audiophile, I always reply NO, I'm an "audio realist." I've tried to explain to my audiophile buddies, that what you hear on the records we make is nowhere near reality.., we make it up, especially in pop recording. The studios are rather dead compared to a concert hall, and even if we record live in a hall the final result is nothing like the experience you get in a hall. It's, at best, a simulation. So, who's to say that a home playback system sounds real. It can't because the room you're in doesn't have the same acoustics as that hall, and you're reproducing the music through speakers, all of which are different. We don't spend $100/ft on wire since we couldn't aford the recording gear if we did. The records that you like are done mostly through wire that costs approximately $0.30 - $0.50/ft and we run hundreds of feet of it. As soon as you put up a microphone, reality disappears. From that point on back through the chain of pre-amps, line amps, processors and final media, so many changes have taken place that it's amazing a violin still sounds like a violin in the end. What I do commend audiophiles for is attempting to affect the recorded sound as little as possible through their playback chain. Again since each system is different it will never be the same from system to system. So, the best any audiophile can hope for is a really good sounding system that reproduces music in a way that person likes. We have a term in professional recording known as the "Translation Factor." If a final mix sounds good on the greater number of systems in different venues, that mix is said to translate well. That's what you get guys.., and all you get.
Great observation
From real experience
Classical Review magazine claims that classical recordings are done to a higher standard than most "pop." As I understand it, when the big symphonies (Berlin, Vienna, Chicago etc) were in their hey day from the 70s-90s that recordings were done by a small army of engineers playing with the best toys available. I have over 1000 classical CDs and I wouldn't point at any of them being "bad" recordings - although some live performances I suppose might qualify.
We like equipment. And we like any reason to buy more of it. As silly as this might sound, I feel that for many audiophiles, the equipment is more important than the sound. By the way, this particular Audiophiliac episode deserves a You Tube award.
I love learning about electronics also.
Aaaand my audio journey ends. What I've learned is:
The rabbit hole never ends. Stop, relax and listen. Enjoy with what's in front of you, or forever be unsatisfied.
For me it's not perfect sound, it's about an uncritical listening experience. So, if you can eliminate glaring weaknesses, you can then just sit back and enjoy the music as an emotional experience.
That works!
I love this video and the theme, thank you Steve. Thankfully I realized this years ago, but this advice is not just for audiophiles, it applies to life overall. The road to perfection is a foo'ls journey. Don't pass up quality sound, people, or experiences thinking you'll find better.
As once said on an episode of “Dr. Who” many years ago, “The Quest is the Quest”.
Excellent advice Steve!!! Probably the best I've heard ever. I usually find myself lisgening to the system for defects instead of enjoying the music. It's hard not to do this, and it's hard to accept you can't hear something that was never meant to be there from the start! I have to change that ;)
The best video you ever made Steve. Keep up the good work !
And Steve, as we age , we loose the hearing for highs we could hear as we was young. Yes as we get old, we loose it.
So happy I found your channel, Mr. Guttenberg... Your words our wise and after watching many of your videos, I feel I’ve learned a lot and I’m very grateful for your expertise. It’s very much appreciated. I didn’t know what good headphones were before I started watching genuine, opinion,videos on it. I just thought most phones I could afford stunk. I have you to thank for my GRADO SR80E. I always buy American, whenever I possibly can.
So, thank you. You saved my ears from bose.
Steve, this video, without a doubt, was the single most useful presentation I think you have ever done. Like you said, everyone should take a deep breath and relax. The quest for perfect sound is impossible to reach. If your system sounds good to you, then you accomplished your goal. You woke me up to the obvious but I needed to hear it. I do remember Shawn from Zero Fidelity saying something similar but I guess I was listening this time around. Keep up the great work.
Just to pull you up again - we sound engineers DO want to make the best possible, most realistic, pure and natural sound. Sound engineers have a profound and unique relationship with audio...Its the Producers and people who do not have any understanding of sound that force their opinions to the degree that the end result of most music is very poor these days. It is heartbreaking :/
Then why add Autotune, compression, EQ?
I certainly understand, and agree with what you have explained, Jo Par.
@@amazoidal Because they're necessary. It would take a long time to explain why. Books have been written on sound engineering and, without sarcasm, I really recommend that audiophiles go and read one.
@Larry Niles If that were true, there wouldn't be so many ill-informed comments about compression, EQ etc. Groupthink is prevalent in the audiophile community.
Wow Steve, you may have just summed it all up in one monumental video.
A culmination of a lifetime of audiophile knowledge, and you really nailed it!
Everyone likes their own type of sound, so stop chasing what someone else tells you is the sound you are looking for, and be happy with what you have worked so hard to have already.
You may have put yourself out of business!
Brilliant!
Absolutely marvelous!
Possibly your greatest, most important video to date.
Bravo!
This reminds me of the time I was auditioning a pair of Mission speakers. They were amazingly accurate and super neutral and I hated them.
Ha ha ha ha super neutral. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Best video that I have watched to date on this topic. Thanks so much.
Steve!! you hit the nail on the head .. the best way to explain listening to music ..
I always knew I would not get "perfect sound" being a classically trained musician. But the "quest" was to get something decent enough. So, as new equipment came out, I compared and listened. Now, I've reached a point where any huge improvement would cost more than I am willing to spend.
But you are right about the recordings being all over the place. And our rooms...
....Or afford!
Absolutely a GREAT VIDEO! Makes me see the big picture. BIG THUMBS UP TO YOU GUYS.
I've had the same system for over 10 years..Denon/Polk....I thought I would play digital music through iTunes through my system...I bought a refurbished little Dell notebook for $75.00 and A Schiit DAC for $100 and a $150 Yamaha 8 inch subwoofer...I was satisfied with the outcome...4000 songs on shuffle...surprises me every day what I sit down to listen for an hour.
Steve, I would have to say that's the best video you've put out so far very enjoyable and accurate!🤪😇
Thank you Steve, for a very interesting and thoughtful video! God bless you!
Steve, this is the best video that you or anyone else doing audiophile videos has ever done. You have literally summed up everything that I have also learned about audio technology and our perception of sound since starting down this road in the early 70’s. Two things I would like to bring up to augment your discussion are 1. To hear an appropriate tonal balance of the music you should listen at a level similar at least to what was used to record and mix it. This is because we perceive sound differently at different acoustic levels. And 2. Because of point #1, we should always limit the time we expose ourselves to music according to the level of the music played. A good practice is to follow the NIOSH guidelines, which state that for a 106dBA average level for example the limit is 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Since this is about the average time for a song, when listening at around this level, I always stop for awhile maybe around 10 minutes and listen to either nothing or something very quietly to let the ears rest before subjecting them to another onslaught. This has worked well for me as I have normal hearing, for a 67 year old person anyway.
Great video and best wishes for you.
Thanks man!
Most important video to date. Thank you Steve!
Thank-you Steve. That magical moment you realize "everything is a compromise". ✅
The cable running to your speakers is paved with good intensions.
The owner of Audioquest lives in a 5 million dollar condo IN a Newport Beach shopping center thanks to overspending audiophiles.
@Pho Tato It's rare that the product is free. More often than not it has to be sent back.
DAMNIT Steve, you and your ideas have sucked me back in to this hobby😂. I really do enjoy your talks and how you approach audio, It's a fantastic hobby.
I think back to my last major purchase and it was after working with a live rock style band for a while and several other audio projects I had going on.
It took me a while to really get things figured out but I remember going through the thought process of what it took to make a band sound good outdoors vs indoors vs recording and they were all radically different setups primarily on the speaker side of things. After listening to many different speakers I realized I really didn't want speakers that emulated the live sound at all and wanted something that I could use with music as well as movies and music from classical to heavy metal. I loved the sound of Magnepan, Carver amazings and several others but I ended up with a pair of bipolars and a sunfire sub that I absolutely loved and still do. I ended up going with a pair that were easy to place and easy to listen to for hours at high volume - cause, you know - heavy metal and all😂. At any rate, looking back I think spending that time with the band and trying my hand at recording and realizing that when you record it has NOTHING to do with actual accuracy of what you are hearing at the time and everything to do with what you will be hearing when the recording is played back. That process really helped shape what speakers I eventually chose.
I get so frustrated with "audiofiles" that get wound around the axle with silver cables and the perfect tone arm when they haven't even addressed the listening environment. so much time and resource wasted in things that matter only after getting the basics right.'
At any rate - love your videos - Thanks!
Great sermon Steve - you nailed it! FWIW I've gone back to the 70's JBLs and 80's Yamaha amplification that gave me so much joy in the first place..... albeit contemporarily tweaked a little with cables and the like and with a digital source. And this system gives me the least listener fatigue out of any system I have ever put together. I think listener fatigue is where it's at. If it sounds good and it's easy to listen... and put on another and another album then that's it!
"The morning's first cigarette, that's as good as it gets all day I should know by now" - James McMurtry
I find that each change to my system and room reveals different things in my music and that in turn makes the music seem new again. For me, that is what keeps this hobby exciting. It also doesn’t all have to be new equipment, I love vintage gear, though I’m enjoying my new inexpensive Schiit DAC and phono preamplifier immensely. And who are you kidding Steve, an Audiophiles work is never done! !
Brilliant discussion Steve. This applies to many aspects of life. Good book that covers this “ The Paradox Of Choice”.
This is why I will never give up my 1950/1960's vinyl collection. In those days what went down on the disc was how it sounded in the studio and not how the producers thought it should sound.
This reminds me of hunting and fishing. Yes you can become crazy about dropping that trophy buck or landing that huge bass but if your obsessed with that and can't enjoy a day on the water just fishing or a quite morning in the deer stand then you've gone too far. Just enjoy the moment for gosh sakes.
I’m older now like Steve. I love audiophiles because they have given me access to equipment that I feel matches my large space and limited budget. It also created an additional facet to the game in chasing bargains which was a lot of fun.
Maybe your best video ever, Steve! Thank you!
So true Steve ,love your videos brother ,,,,,,,,stay safe to u & yours !! I enjoy your stuff !!
Steve, yet another well thought out rant on getting to one's own audiophile nirvana. Your closing suggestion to just be satisfied couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. Thanks for the needed diversion.
I bet this would go over at an audiophile club...nice shirt and VG talk! Thanks!
Brilliant stuff, Steve!
I have a great system to those that are not “audiophiles”. I believe it’s a really good system myself. A set of Polk S60’s, Pro-ject DC turntable, an old, but minty, Yamaha DVD-S2300mkii for SACD/CD’s and the jewel (in my opinion), a Yamaha AS-1100 integrated amp. The Polks aren’t given a second look by audiophiles, but I’ll put them against some of the best and I’ll bet they’ll hold their own. The Pro-ject is a really good sounding turntable and will be even better when I upgrade its cart and platter. The AS-1100 I think is a steal at its price point. It sounds like butter, I love it. A really serious audiophile would probably scoff at my system, but I think it sounds fantastic.
Sounds like you are a really serious audiophile, yourself!
i like the way you talk about your system.. because you enjoy what you have & that is the main thing .. to be happy with what you believe..
AudioVU I’ll bet it does. Know what? I’d love one of those yamaha integrated amps. What else? The NAD 326Bee sounds pretty good too.
Said like a true "audiophile." Good for you man!
Ha! Steve you nailed it! That's exactly why I upgrade about once every 10 years and spend the time in between fine-tuning, tweaking the room and researching the next upgrade but above all - listening to music! My great 35-year old Exposure pre/power amplifier is next for replacement. Probably. Maybe. If I can afford it and find something better.
I have many Chesky recordings too - excellent. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Chasing perfect sound is like chasing your tail.
Except with the latter, you have a chance.
This is some wisdom I rarely hear in the audio community. The community and merchants would always like you to believe you are just one purchase away from perfection.
Indeed. Isn't the whole point of advertising to persuade you that happiness is just that one purchase away...?
Excellent! Well done Steve (...as did Zero Fidelity on the topic).
Man you hit the nail on the head Steve and I can dig that 👍
AM radio , Vinyl , 8 track ,cassette,CD , Live ! enjoyed them all . Each one bring back great memories of specific time's and friends .
Now we are in Lockdown, the only thing that matters is that your hifi works & you have music to listen to. Thats it.
Don't forget the electricity.
Steve, this is by far (IMHO) your best and most helpful video. You laid it all on the line and I'm very grateful to you for this. Even though I'm aware of all the things you mentioned, it's good to hear it over and over again. Unless you are a compulsive-obsessive perfectionist, this episode may not resonate with you as it did with me.
You make the point perfectly! I've tried to explain this to several friends who've complained that artists performing live don't sound like their recordings.
Thank you for your perspective! After almost 30 years in this hobby, I have drifted away from trying to attain perfection in a system, and more towards a system which simply makes a larger percentage of my collection more enjoyable, rather than make the hand full of my best recordings sound better.
Recently I was in an audiophile salon, listening to an incredible system that probably was the most convincing system I've heard to date.Total cost in a well tuned room was probably in the $200,000 US. range. However almost all the music played were high resolution files, rather typical audiophile demo music. I couldn't help but wonder how the system would present a less-than-stellar recording, i.e. roughly 90%+ of recorded music.
I've learned to change my listening habits. For my "reference" material I listen in the sweet spot ,enjoying both the music and the great recording. But for a lot of other music I "chill" comfortably off axis.
Good old Steve, always coming out with the sensible opinions! I'm sure this drives some people crazy, lol.
The one thing I'd argue with is that horn speakers need a horn space, and a small living room isn't a horn space, not really.
I have been hearing other RUclipsrs keep telling there are differences between this audio product and that product, or this setup compared to that setup.....yadda, yadda.... Then I thought whether the recording is meant to be heard in such clarity where most people are not audiophiles. Sometimes even the simplest setup may be enough just to enjoy the tunes. Choosing between enjoying the tunes and perfect sound, I would choose the fun-comes-first rather than perfection.
Thanks for sharing this.
Nice to hear so much sense. Thanks.
Great video. I find I need to do a values check periodically when I seem to be on a relentless search by asking myself: what am I trying to achieve? And then I remember - look for the differences that I enjoy and that work best in my space(s). During this home confinement I've really come to appreciate my amps with the lowest distortion when listening to classical and jazz while quietly working on my day job tasks. Frequently my attention is drawn to the speakers because the sound is just so good and so rich. And it's not that it sounds accurate or live, it just sounds rich and enjoyable at low volumes. That's my perfection. And the sources are streaming "audiophile" classical, so not even bothering with cd's. Stay well and enjoy the music!
Steve, I LOVE this video. Spot on. I've found a system I can live with. Is it perfect/accurate/realistic system? Hell no. But it is good enough for me to enjoy my music on now, and into my golden years. Thanks for the reminder that we should find what we like, and just enjoy the music.
This kind of video that makes me love your videos! By the way, this video is really hurtful for audiofools!!!
Thanks Steve for this smart advice!
I dig it Steve awesome video!
Great video, Steve! Back in the early 1990s, I read in the UK magazine What Hi-Fi? of a test where experienced audio journalists sat one side of a screen in a large studio and they were asked to listen to a violin solo recording by a famous soloist on several expensive hi-fi systems. Apologies, I don't have a reference for the article and it's too old to be on the web. One of the "recordings" was actually the soloist herself playing her Stradivarius. The Strad came in second, behind a hi-fi system...
Very insitefu video, I've been into audio for 40 some odd years, grew up in an Italian household with parents who loved music. Sunday's while my mom made sauce and meatballs, my Father would put on Sinatra or Jerry Vale or Jimmy Roselli any number of albums he had. I married a music teacher and attended many live concerts. As a teen I had a compact stereo and played Beatles or elvis or Frankie Valli and the four seasons. I yearned for a better music system and when I was about to go to College I got a job at Macy's. At the time they had an electronics dept. I would go there on a break or before I started my shift and chatted with the manager and he told me when I was ready he would give me a good deal on a stereo. My first entry into audio was a Pioneer receiver, kenwood bookshelf speakers and an ADC turntable. Getting home I hooked everything up and put an album on and I was hooked. The kenwoods had a nice smoother sound, even my father came in and commented on how nice it sounded. For me it was always about the music, and enjoying it. Sorry it was long winded. Thanks steve. Ps I also read stereo review and audio magazines and later Stereophile.
If music sounding real is the most important thing to you don’t bother chasing after recorded music. Spend your money going to live performances and concerts.
John Brentford my little town has a 450 seat performing arts center we attend on a fairly regular basis. We have sat in many areas and I I have yet to find a spot that sounds as good as my $1,000 home system. The sound reinforcement system is well matched with the sound guy running it. Not all live sound is good sound.
Most of my greatest musical experiences have been me alone in a room with whatever Hi-Fi I had at that time As far as production is concerned production is always a bit of a magic trick - a wonderful illusion when it works Piano recordings are getting back to the richness and depth of the best analogue recordings of the late 70s Philips for example - tracking was always a problem though Digital is catching up at last - listen to the beautiful recordings by Víkingur Ólafsson . Permanent evolution
Exactly, there's a time and place for everythig. So the premise of the video is: just relax. And the guy actually said it while I was typing this. I guess I am perfect LOL
So John, I am in Day 14 of Camp Corona , at home , not working until May at the earliest . I am truly glad to have a solid upper middle class sound system. Your live music venues are closed. Recorded music lives on, John ......
@@steelydanfan100 Your current ensnared condition has not been life long has it now?You will be back out there some day. But you have made the wrong assumption I never said I prefer live music personally I prefer recorded music to live music. Music sounding real is not the most important thing to me but I know people who prefer it. I suggest the Asshole song by Denis Leary for you since your a giant one anyway! By the way my work is essential so you can set at home on your fat ass!
I love how you just laid it on the line, and revealed the "big secret". Most people don't know how or even seen a PA system up close.
Great vid Steve. "Liked / Shared"
Yep, well said Steve. I too am on the same recent path enjoying the scale and liveliness of horns and even larger full range drivers. The over engineering of recordings when thought through can really get you thinking about all of this too and it's good you brought that up. I recently was listening to Chet Baker, Chet and it was like having Chet and they guys in the room with me. And you now tat was likely recorded with only a couple microphones or similar in 1958/59.
Thanks for this Steve, very well said.
After being an audiophile for more than 30 yrs, I can say that I support every single point brought out in this video.
Best adiophile advice ever. Thanks Steve. Everybody is chasing their own personal perfection.
Excellent video 👍 Best regards from Sweden !
I have a great balanced system that I love listening to and I know it's not perfect, so fkn what. Love your wisdom Steve
That was a very nice episode!
The better my system has gotten the
bigger the difference I hear in recordings. That’s the fun, every pressing has something different to offer. What a great hobby. 😎
Great video, and it feels extra good to listen to as I actually do feel like I'm in that very place. I'm extremely happy with my system. It sounds great and even though I have the money to get more expensive gear I'm not the least bit tempted to change anything because I know it's not going to make me happier than I am, and I don't need to be either.
Awesome, informative video. Thanks Steve!
Be an audiophile and be satisfied ? That's an oxymoron.
Spot on Steve....................you nailed this one. Now, I have subscribed to both Absolute Sound and Stereophile for ages. My pet peeve with TAS has always been there is no such thing as an absolute sound.....the target is moving with too many moving parts....variables if you will. Searching for a system that has a sound that I like is a far more worthwhile endeavor. I know what live music sounds like and if a system can give me the illusion I am happy with that idea.
A wonderful, and enlightening lecture, and thorough explanation of the sound of music! I certainly comprehend what you are saying about chasing, getting to a perfect, or nearly perfect hi fi audio sound; so that the music is pure, and faithful to the moment, to a live performance, as well. However, when I what to a Madonna concert, Who's That Girl in July of 1987, and with a band that played beforehand, I was realized that there was a difference of recorded music compared to live music, in the here and now! Both musical bands were very good, but as you have thoroughly explained, the music sounds different, paradoxical as it my sound.
Furthermore, I recently bought a pair of Klipsch R-51M speakers, and the music sounds good to me; the sound these speakers direct is forward, and dynamic. Therefore, I suppose that is the sound, mostly from rock and roll, pop, R & B, and some country and western music, that I prefer to listen to. Only my opinion. Also, thank you, Steve for reminding us about taking steps, to be very careful, cleaning hands, for the prevention of that covid-19 virus.
The best decision I ever made with my system was being happy with where it is and the sound it produces..........I always look forward to sitting down and spinning another album :)
hello this video is full of truths and and make one stop and think about if you are on the wrong off ramp of your journey.great video
Thanks so much for this lesson!!!!
Steve this episode is my favorite so far this year....we have to pick a style or have a system for different styles.......Peace and love!
Very well said Steve, you're perfectly correct!
Steve - you are so right. I spent a ton of money chasing perfect sound for 40 years and now I have found a group of components that punch way above their weight and I am happy with the sound. In fact, I am so happy, I am afraid to change it. I have confirmed this by realizing that after leaving a half dozen Axpona shows, I come away liking MY system. I now focus on buying MUSIC, not more gear.
Stay home Steve....we love your videos and appreciate you very much.
I went to a theater/opera once to listen to a great soprano. There I’ve found that they got a great acoustic/equipment combo. And I’ve thought for myself : Finally !!! What a great sound !!! Almost as perfect as the one from my bedroom stereo system ! It was a pleasure to listen to the entire concert. And when I went home I took a shower and eat something and off to bed to listen the real deal which was MY system
My system is definitely good enough to reproduce historical recordings as far back as the 1920s weighing worrying about perfection. And it’s good enough for me to enjoy modern recordings while knowing that it would take a LOT of money to make it hugely better.
Thank you. My JVC L-A21 and Art DJPreII just started sounding much more appealing.
Perfection is the enemy of good.
Sagely advice. Thank you Steve - you Audio Jedi :) I find it important to switch off from being an analytical listener to simply just enjoying my music with what I have (which is not much and not expensive). Stay safe. Virtual hugs from Johannesburg, South Africa. BTW, you should visit South Africa if the opportunity reveals itself - you can stock up on funky shirts.
This is an argument I’ve been banging around for quite a while. I gave up arguing 20 yrs ago. “The best hasn’t been built yet” is an insane belief. Too many of my purchases were prestige purchases, and I gave them rave reviews to anyone who would listen, the deadly bias of “I bought it so it’s great”, the Amazon five star so I don’t look like an idiot. I’m so glad you made this video, you are so right! Thank you, I enjoy your videos and your personality! Stay safe! Wash your hands! Stay indoors!
I have only built up 2 systems in 35years the first was for vinyl and the second digital playback and streaming..i realised early that I just wanted a system that was able to play all types of music relatively well....and in an enjoyable way. Not too analytical and not too woolly. Once I have found that sweet spot job done...
And then there are bands/artists who don't even try to sound 'natural' and use the recording studio as another instrument in their arsenal to sound as un-natural and alien as possible. I cannot imagine someone listening to something like Pink Floyd's 'Interstellar Overdrive', Bowie's 'Aladdin Sane', most of Brian Eno's work (I could list many, many more) and have 'natural sound' as a major concern. I think you were really on to something with mentioning "suspension of disbelief" - a recording doesn't necessarily need to sound 'real' - it just needs to present a coherent ambience that sounds 'believable' within its particular context.
The album: Bestiary, by Robert Rich, comes to mind...
Agreed. There seems to be some confusion over the recording process. As soon as you put a mic on something, process it through a mic/pre and record it to tape or hard drive you are performing an unnatural process. For example recording a drum kit, no one has 24 ears, each pointed at a different part of the kit. No one puts their ear 2” from a loud snare drum. Recordings departed from reality in the time of Les Paul, certainly The Beatles.
Recording engineers are shooting for the best sound they can capture, in an artistic sense. Records are recorded and mixed in small control rooms, and that’s the environment most record producers are experiencing when trying to make the best sounding record they can. Not mixing on earbuds, not mixing on car stereos.
Recording as an art, has a huge palette of creative possibilities. To each ear, just desserts.
I almost knocked down a wall in my house to try and get the perfect sound, then realised I would then just go and get bigger pair of speakers and then a bigger amplifier, so I didn't bother.
Absolutely correct Steve!
Steve, it is the same with wine. It can be cheap or expensive but you love it or not.
I ave a LFD Integrated LE V(B), Cambridge Audio Azur 740, Cambridge Audio CX series2, Totem Model one Signature and Elac FS 207. I'm very happy with the sound of the system.
As a 67 year young I do not miss my old B&W's, Onkyo and Technics record player I love the things I have now :-)
When I bought my system I sat next to a retired producer of a Belgian Radio Station (classic music). He loved a certain make of speaker speakers which reminded him of his old studio speakers, I did not, I preferred Totem.
Like your vlogs and keep it save in NY
Good stuff... I think I look at recordings as an interpretation and I strive to be able to appreciate the layers and detail that went about making it. I know I don't know exactly how something would sound like, but more of my expectation of how I think it should sound. I like listening to something that I am used to hearing and discovering something new in the recording that I didn't realize was there. (I don't have an epic system yet, so I'm still discovering)
Very well put Steve