Re: O, screw it! I spend yesterday ...sorry Romy - AND TO OTHERS IN THIS THREAD...

24.112.128.78

Posted by Rich H on September 19, 2001 at 08:55:09

In Reply to: O, screw it! I spend yesterday ... posted by Romy on September 19, 2001 at 07:32:18:

Romy, sorry to hear you lost your reply to me. I would really have enjoyed reading it (boy I hate when that happens, I've lost several long posts just before hitting "send." Kinda takes the wind out of you for a while).

I really appreciate everyone's response to my post.

I'd like to point out that I'm quite aware of all the conundrums associated with high-end audio - accuracy vs musicality, the "absolute sound" vs the "absolute emotion" and on an on.

My post was not necessarily related to "how to buy a satisfying sound system." Clearly, tastes being different, some would have found satisfaction in the "mega speaker" over the Dunlavy.
Myself, I can generally enjoy music on almost any system, no matter how modest. However, hi-fi *is* short for "high-fidelity," and my post was actually more concerned with that aspect of the listening experience. I share with many audiophiles, past and present, a fascination with the sound of real instruments, and the reproduction of those instruments. Can we, using wooden boxes, vibrating cones of rubber, metal, paper, (or sheets of mylar), a bunch of magnets and wire, accurately reproduce the sound of real instruments? Sometimes it's amazing how close we get, and other times it's amazing how heroic efforts manage to fall entirely short.

In my post, I was ruminating on the ability of my emotions, and acoustic memory in determining sonic accuracy of those loudspeakers.
One question I left the audition with was: was I right about the timbral accuracy of the Dunlavy vs the mega speaker? Is it possible that in blind testing against real instruments, I might have surprised myself and chosen the mega speaker as more accurate? Could be. But my experience in comparing speakers with real instruments so far implies that the feeling of "rightness" that I experience from a loudspeaker is a good indicator as to how accurately it will reproduce the sound of my real instruments (from my own recordings of those instruments). So if my impressions were correct, and the Dunlavy speakers were capturing something fundamentally right that the mega speakers missed, what was responsible for this? The frequency measurements for each speaker are among the most "accurate" you can find anywhere, with both going for a flat on-axis response. I find this to be a fascinating puzzle.

BTW, It's almost become fashionable to fear the quest for
sonic accuracy/realism. The sentiment is that, since absolute sonic accuracy is currently out of reach for us, attempting to reach that goal will simply drive you crazy; concentrating on the unattainable realism of the sound will distract you from the music. I happen to be quite sympathetic to this line of thinking, which is why I when I listen to music I tend to leave behind questions of sonic realism. However, I also LOVE the sound of real acoustic instruments, and I'm terrifically appreciative of those people who are striving to design gear that may some day reproduce those sounds in my home. They may not be there yet but bully for them, because ideally someday we'll have the choice of reaping the benefits of their work (*choice* as in: we can always stick to our less accurate equipment if we enjoy it more).

So for me, I enjoy the music, but I can also derive pleasure from the engineering aspects of hi-fi, and the quest for accuracy. One line of thinking does not poison the other. Sometimes they feel like entirely separate goals, and other times they move closer together, actually becoming inseparable on some occasions. That's much of the fun of enjoying a hobby that intersects art/science/engineering.

My 2 cents, anyway..

Rich H.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - Rich H 08:57:40 09/18/01 (26)

Re: Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - Bald Iggle 18:25:56 09/22/01 (0)

Re: Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - ishmael 19:53:39 09/20/01 (1)

Same here - Arnel 02:42:25 09/21/01 (0)

I had the same feeling when listening to Revel Ultima's - Troy Richards 15:05:35 09/20/01 (2)

Re: I had the same feeling when listening to Revel Ultima's - Rich H 16:03:52 09/20/01 (1)

Count me in! Revel Salon gets my vote for best "laboratory" speakers. (nt) - Arnel 00:41:23 09/21/01 (0)

Misc observations - Brian A 12:03:07 09/19/01 (5)

Re: Misc observations - Rich H 15:49:46 09/19/01 (4)

Re: Misc observations - Brian A 16:26:49 09/19/01 (3)

Re: Misc observations - Rich H 19:54:17 09/19/01 (2)

Re: Misc observations - Brian A 08:38:58 09/20/01 (0)

Re: Misc observations - David Aiken 01:55:21 09/20/01 (0)

Possible explanation - citroeniste 09:53:44 09/19/01 (0)

I can relate to that same experience- every time someone slams my system without hearing it!!! - Dman 05:11:46 09/19/01 (0)

Real timbre or not so real timbre - Michael Y 00:15:18 09/19/01 (0)

Re: Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - jtube 20:52:28 09/18/01 (0)

Oops! Welcome to the party. <n/t> - Romy 18:53:21 09/18/01 (5)

Re: Oops! Welcome to the party. <n/t> - Chris Heppner 07:16:58 09/19/01 (4)

Re: Crossovers in ET LFT VIII - Bruce Righter 14:10:10 09/21/01 (0)

O, screw it! I spend yesterday ... - Romy 07:32:18 09/19/01 (2)

Re: O, screw it! I spend yesterday ...sorry Romy - AND TO OTHERS IN THIS THREAD... - Rich H 08:55:09 09/19/01 (1)

AND .... - Romy 09:54:44 09/19/01 (0)

Re: Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - ka7niq 12:45:59 09/18/01 (0)

Re: Two GREAT Loudspeakers: One sounds "Wrong," One sounds "Right..." - davera 09:42:31 09/18/01 (0)

Missing the forest for the trees - Troop 09:36:29 09/18/01 (1)

Re: Missing the forest for the trees - Bald Iggle 19:24:17 09/20/01 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: O, screw it! I spend yesterday ...sorry Romy - AND TO OTHERS IN THIS THREAD... - Rich H 08:55:09 09/19/01 (1)

AND .... - Romy 09:54:44 09/19/01 (0)

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