2. tech-talk
  3. 1279500236

What are we really trying to replicate?

Two questions:

(1) At what point does the level of an audio system exceed the level at which it was recorded and/or transferred to media? Does it make sense to spend thousands of dollars to reproduce a record that is mass produced?

(2) When trying to replicate a concert, can speakers actually sound too good? I doubt most concerts have a equal level of sound quality compared to the systems represented on this forum, so is there a case to simply build a system that plays extrememly loud? How much unamplified live music (think symphony) is really available?
mceljo

Showing 1 response by jazdoc

jazdoc
364 posts
 
Well I think you have asked the $1,000,000 questions. IMO, there is no absolute sound because an individual's interaction with a live performance represents the sum total of so many unique variables; including psychological factors.

Just as you would never be fooled by the most technically adept photograph into thinking you are experiencing the outdoors, a stereo system will always fall short of the live event. The best we can hope for is the 'suspension of disbelief' so that we can transport ourselves to the time of the recording.
More to discover