analogluvr ... Once you pass a certain price level it's about status and bling, not sound quality ...What price is that for amplifiers, for example? What about speakers? What about turntables? |
@cleeds obviously it's a moving target and it's different depending on each manufacturer. My rough estimate would be about 10 K. You can't seriously think that in these hundred thousand dollar amplifiers there's 90,000 more technology than in a pair of well-built $10,000 amplifiers. Obviously gold face plates and inch thick case work does not contribute to sound quality. |
Difficult to say given different expectations. One problem is the heavy amplification in performance of so much music today, which puts an electronic filter at the head of live performance and judgment. That also applies to the acoustic choices of sound engineer and producer in recording. My standard is live, unamplified music in an acoustically supportive space. My music listening is mainly classical. My highest standard for orchestral music is the Concertgebouw Orchestra live in its home Concertegouw hall in Amsterdam. For chamber and solo the Wigmore Hall in London for performance acoustic. In the music I listen to, I often note the ambiance and effect of the recording acoustic on the immediacy of the performers. However, the very act of recording can strive for concert experience or for its own esthetic to create a recorded musical event as a separate source. This may seem specialist, but it could relate to whatever type of music is most important to the listener. . But for me recorded sound should relate as honestly as possible to high qualify live performance experience that reveals fine musicians in a communicative and convincing acoustic. |
https://www.rawassertions.com/2017/05/in-search-of-sound-accuracy/ Here you may get an “ uncomfortable “ yet truthful analysis about your question!!! Howard Milstein |
As a senior audio tech for 35+ years I have to say that exposure to the best equipment/sound is NOT a yardstick to measure someone's opinions. I seen/worked with people who had access to the most expensive, finest equipment that couldn't tell the difference between great sound and listening to sound on a tin can through a string. Everyone's hearing is different and mine is good but I've known guys in the business who could hear things that I couldn't like distortion that I could only see on a test set. The person is more important than the equipment they've listened to if you are looking for qualified opinions. A lot of audio snobs will tell you a bunch of B.S. about their extremely expensive equipment but it doesn't mean they can really hear the difference, even if they're honest they may be influenced by the cost or the appearance (like appraising furniture) more than the real sound. |
