advertisement


Suits you sir

Tony L said:
Theoretically yes, but many audio systems are compromised and many listeners tastes quite bizarre to my perspective. A wander around any high-end hi-fi show indicates just how wide the sample base is of what people view as acceptable or desirable. As such we all end up somewhere slightly different, in fact my answer is to end up in a couple of places as I’ve not heard a single system that does everything I want yet (I far prefer having both huge full-range monitors and tiny near-fields rather than some compromise in the middle). We also obviously buy a system to reflect our musical taste, and some people’s range is far, far wider than others, which almost certainly leads to different kit choices. To be honest it would really help all hi-fi reviews if the reviewer listed the last 20 albums they played!

PS Someone will obviously be along soon to argue that if ‘graph says flat’ then everything is perfect with the world, but I’d argue one’s interaction with music is way more complex than that and what makes listener A want to keep exploring new music may be different from listener B or some intellectualised theoretical ideal. I actually find looking at someone’s record collection is the best judge of their system, i.e. how much music have they managed to discover, understand and enjoy with that tool? That’s the real test!
Click to expand...


Very interesting your comments Tony with regard Hi Fi Shows as I rarely hear stuff that I am familiar with artist wise and have a very large record collection.
For instance the last show I attended the Absolute Sounds room at the HiFI News at Windsor in 2018.They where just playing their usual obscure incredible well recorded audiophile music mainly a female singer and an acoustic guitar or light opera but visiting their rooms over the years it's always been the same.No electronic dance music - No Rock of any description whats so ever.... or Reggae..So I haven't a clue how these systems sound with anything else.
Funny enough Paul Mc grath presenting the ticket only presentation at Windsor actually fell asleep when the music was playing,or looked close to it.When I looked back at him...Can understand why.. a bit of AC - DC might have perked him up.

I think a good system should just enhance anything you throw at it.
 
I think any good recording...no harshness, no compression, no crazy overblown basslines...should work on any decent system. Poor recordings may be helped a bit by systems where the sound balance seems to 'correct' what's wrong.
 
An acoustically neutral room, driven by a pair of properly positioned loudspeakers with decent bandwidth (30-ish Hz to 20kHz and capable of ), even power response and fronted by electronics that can achieve up to 100dB of SPL in the room without distortion, should be adequate for most music types.

It's like asking about what's the perfect do-it-all car. I'd say something like a BMW M5 should do nicely. Great for carting the family around, taking your mates alpine skiing, or having a hoon around your favourite B-roads or for track day. Sure, there are more specialised vehicles that would give more satisfaction, but let's not pretend they can do more than a solid all-rounder like an M5.
 
James said:
An acoustically neutral room, driven by a pair of properly positioned loudspeakers with decent bandwidth (30-ish Hz to 20kHz and capable of ), even power response and fronted by electronics that can achieve up to 100dB of SPL in the room without distortion, should be adequate for most music types.

It's like asking about what's the perfect do-it-all car. I'd say something like a BMW M5 should do nicely. Great for carting the family around, taking your mates alpine skiing, or having a hoon around your favourite B-roads or for track day. Sure, there are more specialised vehicles that would give more satisfaction, but let's not pretend they can do more than a solid all-rounder like an M5.
Click to expand...
Do they do an M5 Touring currently? I need to get my 46kg dog in the back. Equate this to my love of bebop and hard bop on OBs and SETs. Specialised, not for everyone but once experienced you really appreciate it and don’t want to lose it. This is also why we have a very fast SUV and a not as fast TT. Just as with music systems I need to avoid too much of a compromise. It’s all personal choice.
 
clivem2 said:
Some systems provide a larger than life portrayal which with some music can be very appealing - often it’s with certain forms of jazz. The same systems won’t be as good with all genres. I sense accuracy vs enjoyment rearing it’s head...
Click to expand...

The most extreme form of this I have heard was at one of the Wigwam shows. There was a system that made simple old jazz recordings sound holographic and huge. I went back to hear the system later and couldn't believe how wrong Leonard Cohen sounded. I actually had to Shazam it to check it was him!
 
Tony L said:
I far prefer having both huge full-range monitors and tiny near-fields rather than some compromise in the middle
Click to expand...

My position is the opposite, because my room says so. For me, to play the wide range of music I need them to, a medium sized monitor that doesn't excite my room modes is the best solution. A compromise, of course, but for me far less of a compromise than large speakers that give luxury and richness but threaten mid-range projection and clarity. And with small speakers placed too wide in a medium sized room, I soon grow tired of pin-point imaging when there's no impact and richness.
 
Elephantears said:
My position is the opposite, because my room says so. For me, to play the wide range of music I need them to, a medium sized monitor that doesn't excite my room modes is the best solution. A compromise, of course, but for me far less of a compromise than large speakers that give luxury and richness but threaten mid-range projection and clarity. And with small speakers placed too wide in a medium sized room, I soon grow tired of pin-point imaging when there's no impact and richness.
Click to expand...

I know where you are coming from and obviously everything anyone says is framed by their specific room options. I’ve got absolutely huge Lockwood monitor speakers in a fairly small room and they certainly work far, far better there than any mid-sized speakers I’ve personally tried in that space (Harbeths, MEGs etc), that’s not to say there is nothing else out there I’d like, but I’m sufficiently happy with the choice I can’t imagine changing.

Listening distance is obviously key too. I’m currently playing the superb Coltrane Village Vanguard CD box upstairs via the Leak and new LS3/5As (see JR149 thread) and it really sounds superb by *any* standard, on this music I could want for nothing more, but I’m close to the extent another six-eight inches or so and I could actually kick them off the stands without even disturbing the cat (who also seems to like this period of Coltrane). I’ve always enjoyed listening close up to really good little speakers though, its how I started my hi-fi journey and how I discovered much of my favourite music. That really clean nearfield perspective where the soundstage spreads deep and wide behind the speakers sounds very right to me. If I had Quad ESLs I’d set them up in a very similar way.

By saying that I’m not one for absolutes or entrenched positions on audio, there are many valid approaches and finding the ones that work with your room and listening habits and expectations. That really is all there is too it, I’m certainly not lecturing anyone!
 
Darren L said:
Prompted by the system for Jazz thread do PFM'ers generally think that particular types of equipment or systems are suited or not suited to particular or specific types of music?
Should a 'good' system not be able to reproduce any type of music?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. A good system should cope with any music genre.

*NERD MODE ON*

and it’s “Suit you, sir” actually. ;)

*NERD MODE OFF*
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top