Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
Thanks for the help with clarification Dave. Glad we've managed to do some educating today!
Are there any really good Phono Stages that don't cost thousands?
- Thread starter Elephantears
- Start date
Thanks for the help with clarification Dave. Glad we've managed to do some educating today!
Mescalito
pfm Member
Tonal colour is apparent when a good system retains the harmonics of the recorded sound and in their correct relationship. Colouration is when the system adds distortion so that the sound is changed from what was on the recording.
But I guess you already knew that and you were trying to make some sort of point.
Alternatively, you and I could leave this type of thread to those who want to discuss phono stages and share opinions about their sound quality.
When it's transparent, you mean. OK.
Chris
Mike Reed
pfm Member
I fail to see what is "absolutist" about saying that I found one phono stage is better than another when I compared them in my system. People do it all the time on hi-fi forums. And honestly I don't mind whether you believe me or not. The only real recommendation I've made in this thread is to try the base Whest PS 30, as it's my opinion that they offer the best vfm.
My system is only mid-tier, middle of the road. In another thread here, we have a £2,000,000 system, and I have recently learned that my Naim gear is worthless, as are my retipped cartridges. I have little doubt that Whest are developing a new top-of-the-range phono stage. Things move forward all the time.
On a side-issue raised above, yes I prefer music via my system to live music, which is usually compromised by crappy PAs and acoustics, I find.
TPA
Trade: Tiger Paw
Thats the problem, mid range systems as you say, only ever really sound like that; hifi systems playing in a room, some better than others, and hopefully to the taste of the owner. A close friend's daughter is a trained singer and recently came over with her boyfriend and played a couple of numbers accompanied by guitar. You rapidly realise that discussing hifi in terms of approaching real sound is the equivalent of comparing scalextric cars to F1.
More to the point I've heard PA speakers in open air playing MP3s that sounded more like music than most home based systems. I've also had great musical satisfaction from a car radio in what has to be a ridiculously compromised environment.
So I think absolutism in terms of most home based hifi is a bit of a red herring. It's more a matter of finding what you like and accept it as that. The fact that so many like the Naim sound, old Linn speakers or whatever is really testament to the fact that the majority are looking for a sound they like, which by definition means that it's not actually the pursuit of high fidelity, more the pursuit of highly enjoyable.
per flemming
Registered User
I know English isn't your first language, but can I suggest you look up the meaning of "absolutist"? That goes for several English-speaking people as well.
manicatel
pfm Member
Ok,but what's "real sound", what "sounds like music" to you?
A string quartet playing in the quadrant in Covent Garden or a gig on the main stage of Glastonbury, or a recording from Abbey road studios, or a folk trio in a Pub? Or all of the above?
All "real" but all wildly different in the way the sound is presented.
Let's face it, our hifi is just a way of accessing music in a way we like as individuals, that sounds real or authentic to your ears.
I think.
Matt.
TPA
Trade: Tiger Paw
That's the bottom line for me also.