How can you evaluate a system with highly processed music?

Each to their own.

But can you really evaluate a system by listening to highly processed, electric/electronic music? How do you know what that sounds like?

I like to listen to voices and acoustic music that is little processed.

Instruments like piano, violin, etc.

And the human voice. And the joy of hearing back up singers clearly, etc.

Even if full instrumentation backing a natural sounding voice.

(eg.: singer/songwriters like Lyle Lovett or Leonard Cohen)

There is a standard and a point of reference that can be gauged.

mglik05-13-2023 8:55pm

p05129 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 481 posts 05-14-2023 at 07:37pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete For almost 50 years, I know what certain instruments sounds like because I have them or my band members had them. Sure a Marshall amp sounds different than a fender tube amp, a Rickenbacker sounds different than a Stratocaster or a Les Paul, and a zildjian sounds different than a Sabian (same size/type of course). From the 70’s, I would take albums into stores with my favorite music that emphasized certain instruments and I would make most of my decision on how the system recreates that sound. Once it passes the 1st phase, then on to the other criteria. But if an instrument doesn’t sound like the real thing which I have access to, then it’s a waste of time to go forward with this gear