Maybe critical listening skills are bad?


In another thread about how to A/B compare speakers for a home I was thinking to myself, maybe the skills a reviewer may use to convey pros and cons of a speaker to readers is a bad skill to use when we evaluate hardware and gear?

I'm not against science, or nuance at all.  I was just thinking to myself, do I really want to spend hours A/B testing and scoring a speaker system I want to live with?

I do not actually.  I think listening for 2 days to a pair of speakers, and doing the same to another pair I need to focus first on what made me happy.  Could I listen to them for hours?  Was I drawn to spend more time with music or was I drawn to writing  minutiae down?

And how much does precise imaging really do for my enjoyment by the way?  I prefer to have a system that seems endless.  As if I'm focusing my eyes across a valley than to have palpable lung sounds in my living room.

Anyway, just a thought that maybe we as consumers need to use a different skill set when buying than reviewers do when selling.

erik_squires

Showing 1 response by ghdprentice

I agree that A/B short term listening skills can get in the way of choosing good speakers. This strategy can easily work against you. By moving your minds eye (ear) around the sound stage you are evaluating things like detail, transients of one frequency or instrument, or decay of an instrument or sound. While these are important aspects of performance they do not add up to great sounding speakers. This can add up to analytical, highly detailed, fast, and lean sound with great bass and slam. The gestalt of these can completely be devoid of music, warmth, beauty and natural emotional involvement. Great scientific instruments for anlysing sound, but not for reproducing music.

So, there can be a downside. Some folks, from the very start get this and pursue the musical center... but in my experience they are few and far between and start (virtually without exception) with tube equipment and stay with it. I was not one of these people... I learned the hard way by constructing an incredible detailed system which was emotionally involving. In my defense I have heard many much worse... and much more costly. 

The longer term listening... A/B over a week (my preference)... but a couple of days works is the only way to access what is important. How much you are drawn in. and the sound field... you almost discover the attributes in reverse of short term... by starting with the gestalt and then working in on the major strengths and weakness in a natural priority.