Pleasurably better, not measurably better

Measurements are definitely helpful. But what everyone experiences as pleasant varies. And what we call pleasant we tend to define as good as well. There the trouble starts.

I´d never expect anyone to like my prefered sonic signature.

When I bought my first stereo the shop owner told me he had sold an amp/speaker combination that was horrible to his ears, but the buyer was a professional cellist and the setup reproduced his experience as a player sitting in the orchestra very well.

„Pleasurably better“ – that´s a good term, because it´s asking to define what exactly is pleasurable. I also like the „euphony“, literally translated as „good sound“. We know euphoria and that it´s experienced in individual ways, so here´s an audio specific sister word.

@femoore12 True! Speaking for myself, I tend to modify the sound to get the perfect space.

Only yesterday I fiddled around with an EQ, using long cables do I could sit on the sofa with it. It really improves the sound = the space (living room) = listening experience.

This chase for neutrality (or accuracy or however you want to call it) makes me wonder. Audio setups with a strong sonic signature aside, it‘s like investing so much in finding something that has least personality. From the top of my hat I can‘t think of any hobby or whatever gives you pleasure where least personality is something widely accepted as the ultimate goal.

“I went out dining, and let me tell you, that casserole was so accurate. I loved its linearity. I measured it.“

I‘m joking of course, but I think there‘s something to it.