2. misc-audio
  3. 1220247599

poor source material

Hello friends,

Before I begin, let me make a quick disclaimer. I am VERY new to this hobby and just started putting together a budget system the other day, so if this sounds like a stupid question please go easy on me!

Anyways, I currently have a pair of Dynaudio Focus 140s, Rotel CD player and a receiver rated at 100x2. I quickly discovered that I am going to have to invest in a good amp but, I also noticed that a lot of albums (that I used to think sounded ok) sounds terrible on my new system. Of course, room acoustics and gear are partly to blame but, am I wrong in putting the blame largely on the album itself?

Is there anything that can be done to make these poorly recorded albums sound 'better'? Like I mentioned, I will be investing in a nice affordable amp, like a Halo A21 but, I'm not sure how much difference it is going to make. How about adding an equalizer?

I've tinkered with the tone controls and it is a quick fix but, a few albums are still unbearable.

I have also toyed with the idea of setting up a separate budget system on the side, strictly for use with lower quality recordings. I'm thinking of using very affordable gear with 'forgiving' speakers. Is this a stupid idea? Or do I just have to accept the fact that some albums simply will never sound good no matter what you do to them?

Any advice, thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you all so much!!!
ucsb21

Showing 1 response by tobias

tobias
1,534 posts
 
As Fafafion suggests, you could start to think about component upgrades. If you find the right combination of pieces, the poorly-recorded music can sound much better.

There is a caveat, though. Systems, and people's listening tastes, can take different directions. Some like a setup that can pull the last squeak of detail out of the recording, revealing the mechanics and structure of the music like sunlight on Mercury (the planet, not the label). Systems like this can make the poor recordings stand out with embarrassing clarity.

It is also possible to build a system which, while still providing piles of detail, doesn't make you want to sideline a great performance just because the recording is blah. If this is the kind of system you want, build it by shopping with your favourite poor recordings among the test material.
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