Are you hearing the instruments or the music?
I find that as my system is warming up, it sounds pretty good. The instruments sound as I would expect instruments to sound. The imaging is great and the bass is distinct, clear, and powerful. I appreciate the accurate and extended dynamics. But over time, like an hour or so, I find myself not listening to instruments, but rather to music. I slip into it unconsciously. It would likely be faster with class AB amps.
This is the end goal of audio. Just being able to listen to music. Horns, planars, dynamics, tubes, transistors, etc. are all capable of accomplishing this, just in different flavors. For some, a JBL Bluetooth speaker gets them to their “music place” and so there is clearly a personal and idiosyncratic aspect to this. But it supports the notion that all a system has to do is get you there.
This is also how I know if a change makes a difference. Does it do no harm or does it add or detract from the sense of music? Going from Takatsukis to Western Electrics was more music, not as much instrument. Some might say analytical versus warm, but that’s not what’s important. And for some, analytical might be their music.
If your system delivers instruments well but does not carry you to music land, at least occasionally because some recordings are better at this than others, you might consider changing something.
@richardbrand I don’t go to orchestral concerts and listen to very little classical music. But it was nice having them accompany the Beatles on Let It Be and Magical Mystery Tour just a bit ago. And the placement of many of those instruments is very distinctive. And it is truly amazing how they all fit into the room. |
What I appreciate most about high-end audio is the sensory quality of the performance, that is, do the drums pop, does the bass make you stomach vibrate, are the instruments and voices suspended at specific points in space (both lateral and vertical)? But, these are attributes of music, so you need music too. Which is most important? Well, which do you like the most. For my part, I pick music I like and play on my audio system, which does the sensory stuff too. But, I enjoy a good song even on a cheap system. It's not either or. |
I owned an album for 50 years... I never listen to it BEFORE optimizing my system few years ago... It does not cost money to optimize a system (at any price) only knowledge ... my actual speakers are Chinese low cost one and they are optimized... My Tannoy TOP design dual gold i owned for 40 years were never optimized Alas! I did not know how to optimize then as most people when i owned them... Guess which gave me the best experience ? The low cost Chinese design which is optimized, not the best design ( the Tannoy dual gold ) because i fail to install it correctly mechanically, electrically and acoustically... Most people dont know how to optimize a system/room... It takes me a lot of time to catch with this knowledge ... It cost nothing by the way ... Music is not sound but good sound help....
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@larsman - I relate to everything you said minus tubes. |
If it plays music, it will carry me to music land. I was that way when I was a teenager with a cheap handheld transistor radio or clock radio, and I'm that way with a system costing tens of thousands of US dollars. Gear doesn't make my toes tap, music does. That being said, I do pay attention to how the music SOUNDS, especially when changing a piece of gear, but even a lousy system will not make music I enjoy unenjoyable. WE 300B's are amazing.... |
