REAL MUSIC VS. SHOW MUSIC PERFORMANCE AT AUDIO SHOWS. PRESENTATION V. PERFORMANCE? WHY?

@deep_333 one of things I say is.  If I’m going to be listening to my favorite cd over and over and the system can’t execute it. Then I’m not going to spend the coin.  We are talking a lot of money on some of these systems. I play a mix of stuff so they can hear what they want then I play a great recording for reference. 

Many times a person would come along with a single CD and ask to play a specific track. You could see they were making a judgement of the whole system based on one piece of music that presumably sounded good on their own system at home. Crazy.

It is HIS MONEY and you want it real bad, don’t you? He has EVERY RIGHT to judge your whatever you sell, based on the 1 track he likes. If your junk didn’t sound right on his favorite track, NO SALE. If you can’t handle that reality, quit this biz and go find another job.

@rooze I definitely understand.  I try to play a mix of multiple recordings in our show room.  We hope people come and stay 15 to 20 minutes. In that time we try to play 4 different tracks and mix them up to give the listener a range. 

I used to have people over to listen to the system when I was more active socially. Many times a person would come along with a single CD and ask to play a specific track. You could see they were making a judgement of the whole system based on one piece of music that presumably sounded good on their own system at home. Crazy. It’s the same at shows, which is why some vendors are reluctant to let people play their own stuff.

I don’t have the problem these days as I’m deep under cover.

Munich High End .

Almost like you were there

+1  @bigtwin 

Silent Pound speakers  seem  interesting.

But the choice of music in this audio show ......?????
 

https://youtu.be/hewlEBbpGGo

Haven’t been to an audio show in YEARS. My choice of music covers multiple genres across various quality of source material.

All I know is that the “heart” of the performance should be there. I did get a major smile when after a Gregory Porter concert, I played my system and was surprised to find how amazingly close the music was to the live concert!

When I was auditioning equipment long ago, I performed what I call the “crap” test… great performance but BAD quality. The music should still be able to move me despite recording problems. If it does so, then I’m good!

Of course, YMMV.

Happy listening!

DeeCee

The Jones MoFi music stuff sounds like basic Thievery Corporation mix

I listen to such a variety of different music, it's hard to pick a few songs to listen to at audio shows. I never hear any of the genres I like so I gave up a long time ago---so I just walk around and see which system appeals to me. I generally don't like 90% of the songs played at the shows.

....personally, I was waiting for the banana to do Anything of a startling nature, but.🤷‍♂️....what can one do anymore......😔

Ah....an obtuse notion for the next audioxtravagansca'....

...seeing if any rooms have the wifi or bt engaged.....😈

"Yeah, @benanders....funnier than seen at Any show, or heard of....

Suddenly, from the 'full boat' MBL system....uh huh, THAT ONE....This cranked up to 11....*L*  Never heard 'WTF!?' in German before......barely heard it then....*LOL*"

@deep_333 that is correct. I just gave a quick answer. Most of my hi rez is that. 

96 and 192 material is hi rez. Or Dsd recordings as well. I’m constantly doing shows with Infigo. So the reason I asked.

Umm, anything over 16 bit 44.1 (Redbook CD) is Hirez

24 bit 44.1......... 24 bit 48khz, etc and upwards are all hirez.

In fact, many official studio masters tend to be a higher bit depth, and not as a high a sample rate. To my ears, at least, the higher bit depth (24 vs 16, 32 vs 16) has always played a much bigger role in perceivable/audible improvements than the SR, while keeping file sizes manageable.

atmos mixes, 360 reality mixes, dts mixes, auro mixes, etc are all high rez.

I don't see why it has to be an either-or, considering there is a wide range of music available in high-resolution formats.  I think better-sounding recordings ought to be used to show what gear is truly capable of; with a bad recording, it's hard to know what is the fault of the recording and what is the fault of the gear unless you happen to be familiar with that particular recording.

It’s business. Good business knows what the customer wants and does their best to deliver it.  
Right or wrong, most audiophiles want to hear a certain kind of music. It sure as hell ain’t my music, but I wouldn’t expect such to be played at an audio show because I know what to expect in that situation.
I think the suggestion I made above seems fair in addressing the concerns of those who feel certain music and certain sample rates/bit depths are underrepresented at such shows.

Personally, I could not care less how well a system plays Diana Krall as I don't listen to this kind of music; I don't need a system that plays everything well, if such a thing and room environment exists, as I don't listen to 'everything'. I'd rather find one that's a master of what I want than a 'jack of all trades'. 

To me, performance would seem far more important for the marketing opp. Lose that and forfeit any real purpose to one’s expo/show investment. “Yes, YES, ‘Yesterday’ sounded sublime in room xyz; too bad I’ve been fatigued of the song for the past two decades plus of audio shows…” being a likely overheard befuddlement among said flesh boulders tumbleweeding by. If @rvpiano ’s thread on music vs. sound is indicative of the lot of 2Ch nutso’s, I suspect many transients (not the sort mastered by a sufficient power supply) won’t be much corralled by music they don’t feel (in an SEL sense, not to be mistaken for SPL; you know which rooms you are…).

Of course not everyone can hear their fav tunes. One more reason the prowess of a well-posited veto from a frontman could always be marauding on tap. “Sorry, I don’t demo music by those who cost us Napster…”

Sorry not sorry if my musing isn’t clear. Sorry very sorry if your music isn’t clear. I’m too busy trying to craft a banana-infused eggplant split after @asvjerry ’s Smith music video link to do better at the moment.

It’s a pathetic excuse. I know.
Esp. with bananas being low-hanging fruit.

Any true audiophile has multi pairs of speakers...No one set of speakers is the BEST for all the different types of music and types of recordings.....Anyway , it’s fun to switch out different speakers , depending on what you are listening to.......My most listened to speakers are Borresen X-3’s....Tekton Pendragons....Klipsch Heresy IV’s......JBL Studio 590’s....Quad L-21’s in that order......Have more fun....Own lots of speakers.....How can you be a true audiophile and own only one pair of Speakers...

None of us has the exact same musical taste.  It's hard to imagine that metalheads would want the same rig as jazz or classical lovers. I suggest the salespeople play what the potential customers ask for. 

Someone already eluded to the "known standards" and I believe that's a big part of it. A known reference point is boring to hear time and again, but it does offer a consistent standard to evaluate with. 

The risk to manufacturers is to let someone request music that sounds poor on the setup, for any number of reasons. No speaker or gear company wants to drive everyone out of the room with a horrible impression of sound quality. 

...now....

Calm....and a byte of Peace 'midst the echos and reverb......*smile* ;)

Tim Buckley....haven't heard nor seen that name in way too long....

Interesting links....at least, to this one.

.... it's the 'one-upmanship: dB Dept.' that got to me, esp. mid-afternoon....

The 'show trudge' that's more tiring than exercising on stadium stairs, narrow(er) feeling halls starved of oxygen ('cuz they Is), and places out of reach of the HVACs' are starting to 'post-game locker room' on any suppliants' caught in the ped version of combat traffic....

Dinky rooms passed too slowly, 'lookie-Lou's' at the doorways, flesh boulders in the pitiful flow. 

After too short a trudge but too much daylight spent One could almost 'see'/'sense' a tangential ragged 'plane of sound' hitting the opposite wall....

*rubbing the wall* as you pass...equally doomed dude next to "What's that about?" query over da din...

"....all those spls' are softening the vinyl wallpaper....soon 'nuff, the scorch bubbles will begin to stick to everything and one in this hallway....

Keep Moving...." 

*looking like the hangin' judge mistaken for the perf....*

That's when I started to bring hearing protectors....and only took them off when I wanted to either listen, talk to, or both.

Simple, really.  If it gets through the 'cans' and Still piques ones' interest, it almost might be worth the damage... ;)

WakeUp!  *L*

I have heard some of the poorest choice of music at shows ,as well as improper setup.

a great example lately, Audio Group Denmark all great products and sound very good

but I have watched many show videos and dull boring music, one-of the worst selections I have encountered lately.noted by many. I actually am planning to purchase from them . at several audio get togethers great choice of music great sound.From Borresen and company.

I would expect a manufacturer to play whatever music makes their system sound the best.  Anything else would be foolish on their part.  IMHO.  

What if you played a diverse batch of songs, each in the 96/192/DSD range, and also sprinkled in a batch of stylistically divergent songs below said rate? The latter could be done with a preface of, “those were hi rez tracks, this one is only (blank)”

96 and 192 material is hi rez. Or Dsd recordings as well.  I’m constantly doing shows with Infigo.  So the reason I asked. 

I’m sorry, but what are these “hi rez” recordings you refer to?  
(I understand ‘hi rez’ means high resolution)

I agree with this let roomgoers put their own music on not only does this show them that your gear can play their music I have consistently found that I like rooms better that play good music.

I wasn't at Axpona this  year, but, some of Jones' demos seem interesting, i suppose (not the usual overplayed crap in rooms that makes ya blue in the face)...

I have no complaint about what music is played at shows.  I do however hate the volume. they all want to play louder than the room next door.  I can't take it.

I would prefer , vocal duo .

More joyfull , and there is more equilibrium and harmony than some posts on this thread .

I would not sit there very long if Metallica ,Slayer ,the above Youtube tracks or that kind of ´´noise ´´ was playing .

Is this more of your vibe?

The lyrics are quite fitting too for this thread, perhaps...🤣

This problem comes up frequently and I don't think there's a solution.  We all like different music.  Music that one person loves drives another person out of the room.  What's a presenter to do?  I sympathize with them because they have 24 hrs to set up a system that is going to be heavily scrutinized in a less than optimal room.

I can understand the use of popular, well recorded standards because they allow comparison between rooms.  Unfortunately, people who go to a lot of shows (not me), hate these recordings.  

Asking people in the room what they want to hear is one solution, but everyone can't get their choice played. Like I said, it's a tough problem for presenters.

I am going to ask Mr. Spock to come with me at the next audio show  😉

Yea , and I could bring my prefered incense sticks , to get me into the right mood  , and those who can’t stand the smell , they can leave and return .

I asked because we played hi rez but we mixed in some funk, rock, jazz and classical. I think test tracks are fine but when you get it home you ain’t listening to Keith Don’t Go.  We listened to Bootsy, War, Human League etc.  I say this because it also seems like part of the question was also presentation vs. performance.  I know some brands push looks over actual performance. When buying it’s smthg to consider. 

Too many were playing meh music., at AXPONA. I have no idea what they were thinking

I would let the exhibitor choose what is best for his gear.

I would not sit there very long if Metallica ,Slayer ,the above Youtube tracks or that kind of ´´noise ´´ was playing . Bring that kind of crap to the dealers for private playback , when your choices have been made.

Play stuff like this @100db at your next show and wake everybody up. When they're awake, they may buy more things (you may sell more). 

Play it safe however, if you have flaccid speakers and amps. If the stuff you're selling is a bit wimpy, play it it safe, stick with lullabies and play Diana Krall @60db.

One time I listened to a limited edition pressing of Reign in Blood by Slayer at the record store listening station. It sounded spectacular on the store’s mid-fi cartridge/TT/receiver/headphone system. Full, rich, accurate, clear, deep, powerful.
I brought it home to my high-end system and it sounded surprisingly bad; lacking in cohesion/warmth/power, tinny.

I agree that not everyone listens to music that the stereotypical audiophile considers “good sound” (I assume this type of recording is what you’re referring to as ‘high rez’). There are a pile of cliches in this regard.  
I listen to everything. Thusly, I want everything to sound good on my system. I agree that if I was at such an audio show, not only would being subject to Diana Krall, Kind of Blue, Eva Cassidy, Brothers in Arms, Aja et. al for the trillionth time make me ill, but I would also want to hear a far wider range of music.

Very few speakers can play all genre , maybe Iam wrong example I prefer my KLH on classical. And since my Andra were voice on piano , when I play piano music I go with the Andra.Both KLH  model 9 and Andra both   are very capable, there are some music will sound good on either speakers.i think to test the performance of the system you have to play different types of music from  country, rock pop, jazz, good vocals, classical, …spend time hrs of listening my 0.2 cents When Mary Chapin Carperter came to Ravinia here in Illinois. After I listen to her Live . I realize Live is my preference over stereo system.