Top two most important sound qualities


In case you didn't know, it's 2023 and this website still hasn't implemented a polling feature, so I can't define a selection of sound qualities to choose from and see results in a grouped, organized fashion. Boo hoo!

 

If you had to pick two of the typically referenced sound qualities that are most important to you to optimizing the enjoyment of your system, what are they? You know what I mean, right? Could be a certain frequency range and some particular quality that you for in it, or any quality that applies across all frequencies, etc.

(Note: "Sound qualities" mentioned here do not include anything that refers to physical attributes of your system or listening room, such as acoustical treatments, types of components, types of source material, physical tweaks, etc. It's only a reference to subjectively appreciated qualities.)

128x128gladmo

Showing 2 responses by stuartk

For emotional engagement, an absence of distractions such as fatiguing highs and poorly controlled bass is helpful but I'm not at all convinced emotional engagement is, in my case, dependent upon "high fidelity". I can be just as emotionally engaged listening to a car radio as my system at home. What's that, you say -- my system must be pretty crappy?  Compared to others, here, no doubt it is but you wouldn't confuse the two in a snake-oil-free, scientifically-controlled, double-blind measurement-corroborated listening test

For physical engagement, PRaT is very important; if my body is not drawn into the music, chances are the rest of me won't be either. I attribute this to my musical tastes having been formed during the 60's/70's when the Devil's Music dominated the air-waves and, paired with various recreational substances, insidiously re-structured the brain structures of vulnerable adolescents such as myself. (I wouldn't have it any other way). 

I guess this means my intellect is not particularly active during music listening. 

What's that, you say -- this post doesn't appear to display a dazzling intellect, either ?  While there are, no doubt, smarter members here, I don't envy anyone whose aesthetic engagement is dependent upon their IQ.