High Performance Audio - The End?


Steve Guttenberg recently posted on his audiophiliac channel what might be an iconoclastic video.

Steve attempts to crystallise the somewhat nebulous feeling that climbing the ladder to the high-end might be a counter productive endeavour. 

This will be seen in many high- end quarters as heretical talk, possibly even blasphemous.
Steve might even risk bring excommunicated. However, there can be no denying that the vast quantity of popular music that we listen to is not particularly well recorded.

Steve's point, and it's one I've seen mentioned many times previously at shows and demos, is that better more revealing systems will often only serve to make most recordings sound worse. 

There is no doubt that this does happen, but the exact point will depend upon the listeners preference. Let's say for example that it might happen a lot earlier for fans of punk, rap, techno and pop.

Does this call into question almost everything we are trying to ultimately attain?

Could this be audio's equivalent of Martin Luther's 1517 posting of The Ninety-Five theses at Wittenberg?

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Can your Audio System be too Transparent?

Steve Guttenberg 19.08.20

https://youtu.be/6-V5Z6vHEbA

cd318

Showing 5 responses by roberjerman

The more zeros in the price tag, the more orgasmic the feeling upon ownership! Maybe Dr.Freud can comment on this?
We will never have Charlie Parker (born 100 years ago this month) recorded in stereo. But listening to him in mono on my modest (compared to today's big-buck systems) vintage gear is certainly satisfying!
Steve Guttenberg worked at Sound By Singer in NYC, touting four and five-figure components. I only visited that store once back in the '80s to buy the latest copy of The Absolute Sound. Since I only wanted the magazine he treated me like a peon. I was the only customer at that moment. I saw and commented on a nice pair of Sound Lab RS-1 ESLs - but no invitation to stay and listen to them!
No, he was dressed casually, as was I. Wish I could have had at least a brief listen to the Sound Lab  RS-1's! Maybe if I walked in wearing a Brioni suit ...