It could be a number of things. The first thing I do in the high end is to try to listen the that piece of equipment. Expensive doesn’t make it the best. I look at multiple magazine reviews and blog reviews. I also look at the audio forums to see what owners are saying about it along with looking at it myself and listening to it. I grade it using my ear. I look for soundstage width and depth, high, lows, Mids and transparency. I listen for the size of the images. I listen to decay and layering to determine if it stands up to being listed among the best. Overall is it natural and musical. For example the best solid state gear I’ve heard is soulutions. It does all this!
The so called "best" amplifies sound as opposed to the music. I auditioned the very top of the line ARC, including CD player, and it amplified sounds in the background that I have never been able to duplicate or heard so clearly, even though I've listened to this CD for 20 years.
I became so beguiled by this, that I focused on that ability, and forgot about the music; consequently, I can't answer the question.
Since it was very expensive, the question to ask, "Is the most expensive the most musical, or the most fascinating"?
It took me a lifetime, but I have a very "musical" system now, including custom speakers with crossovers designed to produce absolute neutrality.
People talk about "neutrality" but they always opt for something else, even though it's the only way to get precisely what the musicians intentions are on the recorded medium. Many people prefer to alter their music until it fits their specifications, as opposed to the musicians intentions; hence, graphic equalizers.
To answer the question, I would say "yes", because it takes a lot of effort to hear the best, including reading many stereo magazines, and going places where you hear the best equipment.
@orpheus10. I put a lot of time in the last 14 years. Listening to gear. I have went to several Audio shows. I have traveled to WHITEHOUSE TEXAS on 5 or 6 occasions to hear raidho, magico, Dali, dynaudio, Sonus faber, soulutions, music fidelity, accuphase, soulutions and revel. I have had in home demos of high fidelity cables, Kubala sosna and amplifiers, allnic, esoteric, veloce, Manley, Cary. I have owned Vienna acoustic, rel, Resonessence, classe, lsa, Sony, EAR, bryston, marantz, Sonus faber, revel, Gato, definitive technology, Kr Audio, Ayon and Audio Research. I have tried cables by high fidelity, Mit, clarity Cable, atlas mavros, kimber, clarus, shunyata. My close friends have owned focal, Ayre, mark levinson, rogue, oppo and Luxman. I feel that I have been blessed to hear all of this gear and truly see what’s possible in Audio and high end Audio. My journey is basically done. I’m going to stay with the system I have for a while and just listen to the music and enjoy it. I have my opinions about all the stuff I have heard and I have enjoyed this hobby to the fullest. I think hearing it all has made me a better audiophile. A lot of it sounds good in many different ways and flavors. Whatever you think enjoy your journey. I have really enjoyed mines
Don’t want your credibility with someone like yourself. As far as namedropping is cocncerned. Not name dropping just telling you what I have heard. But not surprised you saw it that way. Most of your type does. But anyway. Everybody enjoy your journey and hear as much as you can as often as you can. I wanted to hear a lot of different stuff and I have been blessed to be able to. Whether you spend 10$ or 10k enjoy your system and your music
My two audio buddies Bill smith and the late Charles threat set out to hear and try as much gear as we can and for about 7 or 8 years we went on a journey together that was amazing. We met dealers, We developed relationships, shared music, bought and sold gear and tried to better the other persons system for the best sound in our group. We had the best time. We started cheap and bought more expensive as time went on. Usually the sound got better as we went up but not all the time. We almost heard and tried it all. I’m glad that it happened. I’m glad I learned from it all. My audio journey has been unique and I have enjoyed every bit of it.
GET EXPERIENCED ADVICE FROM THISE WHO HAVE HEARD A LOT GEAR. HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE HEARD CHEAP GEAR ALL THE WAY UP TO 5 or 6 figures. MAKE SURE THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN MATCHING SYSTEMS UP. TRY TO FIND YOUR SWEET SPOT AND GET THE BEST SYSTEM YOU CAN IN THAT RANGE. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHATS POSSIBLE IN AUDIO BY HEARING THE HIGHEST LEVEL PROPERLY MATCHED SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HEARING THE BEST YOU CAN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND THEN DECIDE WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH YOUR SYSTEM! ENJOY EVERYONE AND THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR RESPONSES
I'm a 79 year old life-long audiophile (I grew up with a state-of-the-art mono system in my fathers house) and built my own system as a junior in high school. Later while in my first job out of college I took a two year course in sound engineering, and did high-quality amateur recording of my friend's chamber music group for over twenty years. I am also a jazz buff and have had the good fortune to be able to attend weekly jazz concerts in a small jazz club nearby. Over the years I have had too many systems to enumerate, ranging from low high-end when I was of restricted income, to reasonably high end when in better financial condition.
I tell you all this not because my viewpoint is thereby authenticated, but simply so you know what lies behind it. That viewpoint is this:
* The single most important thing: listen critically time-to-time while you are listening to live, unamplified music. By critically I mean the same way you would to a high-end system. Listen to the rattle of the snares, the fade of the cymbals, the percussive sounds of the high keys on a grand piano and the beat of the bass drum, the bowing and plucking of the string bass in various frequency ranges, the "body" and overtones of an alto sax or a trumpet, etc. Also note: when I close my eyes, do I hear "separate" instruments and divergent locations, or do I not.
* Secondly, spend some time studying the physics of sound propagation. Understand how square waves are generated and why and how room ratios affect them. Learn what the frequency ranges of instruments and voices really are, as opposed to what you may believe they are. Learn how and why and when different mic'ing techniques are used, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. Learn about material propagation or absorption of sound, and how room decor can mimic these attributes.
* Experiment. Take whatever system you have and try various recommended room placements (even if you make a mess of the room for a short while). Think about what you hear in light of your newfound knowledge. Try to identify the imaging and sounds and see if you can accurately trace them to their likely sources. Find out that "3 D" imaging has more to do with room setup and acoustics (as well as mic'ing) than it does with speakers.
* Finally, if desired, search for better components. My bet is that by this time you will probably be happier with what you already have. But find a dealer who in exchange for your dollars is willing to set up the components (particularly speakers) in a room roughly the size and setup you have found works best. If you can't find such a dealer, by used so you don't get hosed if you have to resell, and try each component or components for a month or two. ALL THE TIME, referring back to how close it sounds to what you hear in step number one (you are still attending concerts, are you not?)
Take these steps, and you will not have to have "heard the best" to know what is better.
Thanks harrylavo. In my posts I’ve tried to share my unique journey. Some take it as showboating or showing off. I meant as an offer of experiences. My audio experience has been a great one. Hearing music in all kinds of way. Different sounds but a lot of pleasing music. I’m not bragging but my journey I’m blessed for it.
For some reason it seems that owning equipment being more expensive than average is something bad. In general people are ready to judge, (misjudge??) and it seems that those owning such equipment must either be crazy or just plain stupid. Most people are trying to find reasons to not to buy such equipment, as they cannot mathematically justify the high(er) costs. Often I see people asking themselves (or even making statements) that the $ 10K amp for sure is not 10 times better than the $ 1k amp, and so on. Whilst there may be some truth in it, we all know that it doesn't work like that. What I often miss here is respect or appreciation related to the choices people make.
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