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Technical and scientific discussion of amps, cables and other topics.

No (long)

And I answer in great sincerity.

The late Dr. Gizmo once said that the biggest transformation while capturing live sound occurred at the point the microphone membrane converts acoustic pressure into an electrical signal.

Mics are VERY different from the ear-brain system. A mic is like a single version of one human ear with a completely different mechanism of action but no interpretive system on the other end. The mic is a transducer. It turns one thing into another thing. But what is music? Is it air waves? If a deaf man played music in the woods, would anyone hear it? No. Music is a human experience. When humans are in proximity to music they experience it. When mics are in proximity to music they "do stuff" according to the tenets of their design. Then what mics do is changed AGAIN - from electrical signals into a form that can be stored. Grooves, bits, magnetic domains on tape... Then this information is converted AGAIN to electrical signals and converted again using ANOTHER transducer - the amplified loudspeaker.

So, first off the mic (alone) is too far of a specific view of the process involved in the recording and playback process. BUT, the mic is said to be responsible for even more obfuscation of the original live event than the speakers.

Microphones absolutely do NOT hear as we do becase they don't hear. They don't even create electrical signals the same way our ears do. And the very biggest thing a mic does not have is this: a human shaped head. The HRTF (head related transfer function) is also a very important part of why mics and humans ears "hear differently".

But all of this matters not. Audiophiles are convinced that all that matters is to perform system iterations with the last few steps in the playback chain - the "source" (which is fallacious language when you think about it) the preamp and amps, and the speakers. There are very significant ways in which the "original event" is obfuscated far before the music is placed on portable media. But audiophiles are convinced that a playback system worth tens or hundreds of thousands can compensate for inherent and common deficiencies in the recording / playback chain. They believe that the "live event" is captured in that 'little black or silver disc' somewhere and that a lifetime of endless obsessing will one day result in some sort of metaphysical or emotional transferrence through space and time to the "original event". The live event will be ultimately revealed through some fantastically unique, mystical and "super synergistic" pile of components and audio euphoria will be had. Godlike musical experiences for mere mortals. The allure of this idea is understandable if you compare it to tanrtic sex or an obsession with immortality. (The late great Micheal Jackson who slept in hyperbaric chambers to combat the aging process succumbed to a very common, tragic and very human fate - simple drug addiction, tolerance and the resulting organ systems failure tolerance eventually results in.)

The point is that music is permanently changed in the recording process and the biggest change happens at the mic membrane. But this does not matter because it's an excuse for gear heads to keep buying and playing with new gear. If the goal truly was the "closest to the live event" theory, the entire recording process and how soundstages and venues are mic'd (and then mixed) would have to be turned on it's head. Unless you get into HRTF equalisation and impulse convolution to get the listening space to simulate the acoustics of the original venue, you're never going to get anywhere close to the acoustic "envelopment" of the original venue. You may get a very aeshetically pleasing rendition, but to say soundstage and other spaciallly-related attributes are "accurate" is complete rubbish. These are audiophile beliefs and nothing more, and the word "accurate" implies that the audio-master using this power word has achieved audio grand master status and enjoys sonic zen through years of refinement, mastery and dedication. No no, they say. HRTF and venue sonics are not important and don't 'sound' live anyways. "I want to create an effect that simulates 3D acoustic space (badly) and then fuss and fuss and then say my pile of components throws an 'accurate soundstage with precise instrument placement and proper depth of sonic field'. What poppy cock and clever use of imagination! The terms 'accurate' and 'proper' never have, do not now, and never will be correct terms to define a mere effect - an artifact - that is part recording tricks and part listening room acoustics and part loudspeaker directivity and transfer function. Reviewers use these power words to describe soundstage and get away with it because no little boy will come out of hiding and exclaim that the emperor has no clothes. Well, I do all the time, but I'm probably seen as either stark-raving mad or just a bitter, disgruntled contrarian with tin ears and "insufficiently revealing equipment".

Microphones. Another reason to get some decent gear, set it up, listen to the music more and obsess less.

There is no reward of sonic euphoria to those who obsess long and hard enough. Just like all the wishing and witchcraft and wholistic medicine can never save man from the ravaging sands of time and the inevitable end of our time here, in this form anyways. The truth is you can enjoy a cool "stereophonic simulation of live music" today. And you can play with iterations from now until the end. Just don't think for second you've ever recreated the live event.

But all that being said, if you FEEL like you are there, then hey - that's one hell of a system you have!! If you get the same live-sound goosebumps and you are captivated and sit without moving for hours on end even though your ass fell asleep and went numb after thirty minutes, well then you have a system that should be revered.

But do know that as an audiophile after 10 tracks on your new system the little voice will be suggesting that just ONE more tweak or one more component swap will get you just a few little iotas closer to the real thing. And your chances of that are about the same as someone using the internet to fall in love, have sex and maintain a long distance relationship using only computers, monitors and keyboards.

Mic's take away the human aspect of the live event and turn it into a mere simulation. Sometimes it's a darned impressive simulation. But more often than not, a simulation is all that it is and will ever be.

Cheers,
Presto



Edits: 03/27/11

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