My pet peeve: "revealing" speakers


The one word that bugs me the most in all of the audiophile world is "revealing." 

It's plenty descriptive but it's also biased.  What I mean is that speakers that are revealing are also usually quite colored. They don't unveil a recording, they focus your attention by suppressing some tones and enhancing others. The reviewer who suddenly discovers hearing things he has never heard before and now goes through his entire library has fallen for this trap hook line and sinker.

This is not always true, as some speakers are revealing by ignoring the room.  They can remain tonally neutral but give you a headphone like experience.  I'm not talking about them.  I'm talking about the others.  I  wish we had a better word for it.

Mind you, I believe you should buy speakers based on your personal preferences.  Revealing, warm, neutral, whatever.  I'm just saying this word is deceptive, as if there were no down side when there is. 

Best,

Erik
erik_squires

Showing 6 responses by mapman

To me, revealing is not a problem. It is a good thing that  just has to be done right.

There is that old saying though.....too much of anything.....

Maybe it works like hifi itself. If you think it sounds good, it does. If you think it is revealing, it is. if you think revealing is bad,.....
Yes, it happens! Very revealing! Did I get it right?


I can understand why this bugs Eric.   It's not as simple as it seems.
My point is good luck with both. PEople make things much harder and more complicated than they often need be. But it does make for an interesting discussion.  Is "revealing" really so controversial?    That is revealing.  :-)
The most revealing thing is how many definitions of revealing audiophiles have.