No, I do not miss the "loudness" button nor do I miss the tone controls in my ref system.
(I do have both in my HT & bedroom AV receivers! My HT receiver has a "direct" button allowing me to bypass loudness, bass & treble boosts).
Loudness button is just a bass boost button that increases bass by 6-9dB. It's a filter. Tone controls are filters as well.
Both colour the sound while providing the function intended. If one considers purity of the signal then these control compromise it. You can use the best parts to create these controls but it WILL alter the original music signal.
The approach taken in higher end audio equipment was/is to use the shortest path between input & output while still providing the required function (preamp or power amp or D/A or step-up, etc). Has higher end audio acheived this goal? Subject of endless debate!! :-)
Less signal processing => less compromised sound & a better chance that you will be hearing the recording rather than the electronics.
(I do have both in my HT & bedroom AV receivers! My HT receiver has a "direct" button allowing me to bypass loudness, bass & treble boosts).
Loudness button is just a bass boost button that increases bass by 6-9dB. It's a filter. Tone controls are filters as well.
Both colour the sound while providing the function intended. If one considers purity of the signal then these control compromise it. You can use the best parts to create these controls but it WILL alter the original music signal.
The approach taken in higher end audio equipment was/is to use the shortest path between input & output while still providing the required function (preamp or power amp or D/A or step-up, etc). Has higher end audio acheived this goal? Subject of endless debate!! :-)
Less signal processing => less compromised sound & a better chance that you will be hearing the recording rather than the electronics.