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A Few Audio Truths I've Learned?

I've been playing around in the (relatively) high end audio world since 1982 or so (with a few breaks for sanity--and economics'--sake), and, for amusement, found myself trying to figure out if there were any "truths" of high end audio (other than perhaps that "reality is fluid"?). What follows are some of my nominations:

1. Tubes have magic.
2. Not all tube gear has magic. Some of it is even downright annoying.
3. Tubes are a pain in the butt. But they're worth it, at least in pre-amps (and, once you get addicted, in amps as well).
4. If you have a tube amp, always keep a spare (amp) around. (Every tube amp I've had has sooner or later blown a resistor and had to go in the shop.)
5. Vinyl has magic (but is also a pain in the butt).
6. Analog vinyl is generally easier on the ears than digital media.
7. However, some CDs, especially more recently made, sound pretty satisfying, and maybe even have some magic.
8. As to classical CDs that consist of older analog material remastered to digital, there is a 70% chance that the sound will be too bright, and annoyingly so, when compared to the corresponding LP.
9. As to classical vinyl, even 25 years after the "death of the Lp", you can find, second-hand and otherwise, enough material (performers and repertoire) to keep you busy listening for practically a lifetime.
10. But you still need a decent CD player because of Martinu, Koechlin, Schmidt, Hahn, Bridge, Marx, and a bunch of other cool composers that are better represented on CD...not to mention excellent performers of standard repertoire recorded in the last 25 years.
11. "Tweaks" are called "tweaks" for a reason. They're just for that last 5-10%, at best. Only exception (for me): record cleaning machine--indespensible for the vinyl-lover.
12. Cables matter. And most of them try too hard to impress you with lots of detail, which becomes fatiguing.
13. That new piece of gear that you just brought home with great certainty that it will be the answer to all of your audio problems, will someday annoy you. Just wait.
14. Most (but not all) British equipment is more "polite" sounding than US gear. If your US gear starts to annoy you by reason of an overemphasis on "detail", try some British gear.
15. A $1,700 system can give very substantial musical satisfaction--and sometimes more--than a system costing 10-20 times as much (as I learned when I was an ex-pat in a flat in Holland with only my Linn Classik system for my music).
16. That piece of gear you tried in your own system at home last week and thought was totally awful sounds really great in somebody else's completely different system today.
16. There is no absolutely accurate (reproduced) sound. (Except we each secretly think that there is, and only we know what it sounds like.)

That's my short list. What's yours?
eweedhome

Showing 2 responses by mechans

mechans
3,048 posts
 
I have owned tube power amps for over a year and nothing has ever come close. I own Cyber 800s like Mr Stark. IMHO the real magic that tubes can provide is only found if you you use tubes in the output section. I have a fabulous tube integrated as well now, a Jadis DA-60. It too has that special quality. I tried the tube anywhere in the system approach with results that don't even hint at what tubes can do.
Tubes are a relative pain in the ass if you roll them and get addicted to that. I did and now can't even recall all of the tubes I own. Many old tubes are just not functioning correctly no matter what the emissions or transconductance are. I have enjoyed them more than found them a burdensome. If you just want stock that works well in my experience for most amps. These are much less prone to give you you a hard time as almost all are equipped with new tubes. The attraction to Old tubes is justifiable in terms of a move toward the better but has its risks.
Otherwise you have hit all the common beliefs.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
I am overwhelmed by the general trend towards generalisation.
As for the audio group providing a competative element and coveting other systems. Go home and play an old favorite. I bet you will say yes that other system was good but damned if I don't like this too.
Audiophiles are no different than any group that lies just outside the current mainstream so they are indeed havens for the different people. But we are very tolerant well occasionally you just have to say why is that bizarre moron here. Most are just regular people, unfortunately regular people are in fact a bit strange.
What is so wrong with liking gear. Who decided that because you want your music played on whatever you consider good or valueable gear (to you anyway) that you don't like music equally as well. That is crap. I like the music and my equipment makes me grin with delight. I don't feel the joy of finding the equipment that does it perfectly, as far as I ever known, fading at all. I am in awe of it's ability to make every listening session a joy.
I tried a lot equipment on the trail to this Nirvana but even really expensive stuff didn't do what I have now.
Gear is important for getting the best experience from music. If anything it shows how much music is important to you. Clock radios can get me thinking what a great song that one is, and I do enjoy it, but I wish I was hearing it on my big rig.
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