ASR MEMBERS: What System Would YOU Choose To Blow Away Non-Audiophiles?

[Vacceo]

Human voice is the best first check of whether a system is natural, ie accurate, or not.

It obviously does not cover the whole gamut of music but we are all familiar with it and, maybe subconciously, aware of the effect of the environment we are in on it like excitation of room modes.

Basically if a system doesn't sound natural on human voice it isn't accurate - though we still have the recording accuracy to contend with.

That can be easily tested with conventional spoken radio.

Sure, you don't need much to get the conductor's voice right, but It is surprising to many people.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Human voice is the best first check of whether a system is natural, ie accurate, or not.

Quite a few sound engineers I've met, when familiarising themselves with a new environment, start with a spoken voice piece they know well. In the tape days, they carried their reference tape with a spoken piece on it with them. Later on this became a CD or memory stick.

 

[Gregm]

A correctly-treated room with active (or semi-active) horn loaded speakers that reproduce powerful, deep, and well-articulated bass. The room helps us perceive said bass effortlessly (dsp a bit if necessary)
A good midrange & extended HF are an added plus...

The moment those bass SPLs hit the non-audiophile eardrum, the wow factor will be instantaneous!
(Probably the same applies to audiophiles)

 

[Snarfie]

Human voice is the best first check of whether a system is natural, ie accurate, or not.

It obviously does not cover the whole gamut of music but we are all familiar with it and, maybe subconciously, aware of the effect of the environment we are in on it like excitation of room modes.

Basically if a system doesn't sound natural on human voice it isn't accurate - though we still have the recording accuracy to contend with.

I found a remark from John Atkinson regarding how to test a speaker quite interesting. He stated that if a stratocaster sounds like a telecaster in certain quality recording their is something wrong with the speaker. Problem is who of us knows the difference.

 

[Vacceo]

I found a remark from John Atkinson regarding how to test a speaker quite interesting. He stated that if a stratocaster sounds like a telecaster or visa versa in certain quality recording their is something wrong with the speaker. Problem is who of us knows the difference.

That is because not enough distortion was added on the pedal.

 

[Snarfie]

That is because not enough distortion was added on the pedal.

Thought this was the interview with him.

 

[gnarly]

Matt, your question poses an interesting aside in my mind......what is a "non-audiophile", or rather what is an "audiophile".

I have my own definition, as I considered myself an 'audiophile' for maybe 35 adult years; and have steadily changed to no longer see myself as such.

I now think of an audiophile as one who focuses on the best 'sweet spot' listening experience they can achieve.
A personal kind of experience.
As enlarging the size of the sweet spot most often comes at the expense of the ultimate personal SQ (achievable at a smaller sweet spot).
I spent 35 adult years, and a fair shit ton of money, going after that.

I now see myself as a "soundman".....one who focuses of the best listening experience I can achieve for myself and others, to all hear simultaneously.
So bye-bye narrow sweet spot and making imagining, soundstage, etc, the consummate primary goals.

I've traded the traditional 'audiophile goals', for ones more akin to live-amplified music......
....such as even coverage (aka big-ass sweet spot LOL).
Clarity, tonality, timbre, dynamics, powerful bass-extension, with a focus on them all holding up sounding clean and correct at high SPL.

Yes, it takes big speakers and lots of power. But I can tell you, I love it and so do my guests.

When they hear powerful sound like at a live concert, that stays absolutely clean and louder they they have ever heard in a home environment.....well, there's a lot of wows and big grins. And questions like; Can I play something? Can I adjust the volume and tone controls? Do you sell any speakers?

Whereas in all my audiophile years of getting folks to take turns sitting in front of my varied electrostats, it sometimes seemed like they were doing so just to be kind / humor me. (And it really was glorious sound....to my ears, anyway! .)

Yep, I'm a soundman now...

 

[Short38]

With apologies

 

[fpitas]

In the end though... what really is "high-end audio"? It always seems to be about cost and appearances... not always high fidelity audio reproduction.


JSmith

High fidelity in that circumstance seems to be incidental. Even here we have people defending ragged response from very expensive speakers.

 

[MattHooper]

Yep, I'm a soundman now...

While I still consider you an audiophile, I'm happy to use your preferred pronoun if it makes you comfortable.

 

[Ron Texas]

While I still consider you an audiophile, I'm happy to use your preferred pronoun if it makes you comfortable.

My preferred pronoun is HRH.

 

[Axo1989]

Funnily enough, the following authors have also influenced me. I have often given Taninzaki's book as a gift to friends because I think it offers one of the best introductions to the classical Japanese aesthetics. A friend who used to work in my former agency as a consultant had recommended it to me. She studied Japanese studies.

That looked interesting, so I've just checked and the opening almost exactly describes a period of my life that I'm right now re-visiting (rebuilding a Japanese-influenced house in Sydney) ... all the aesthetic dilemmas and quagmires ... I'm ordering the book, a small extra holiday present for me to reflect on.

 

[Axo1989]

As for the OP question, I don't know. Previously I've really thought anyone/everyone I know would be as excited to hear stuff as I am, but gradually discovered that almost no-one was. I rarely think about the question now.

 

[computer-audiophile]

That looked interesting, so I've just checked and the opening almost exactly describes a period of my life that I'm right now re-visiting (rebuilding a Japanese-influenced house in Sydney) ... all the aesthetic dilemmas and quagmires ... I'm ordering the book, a small extra holiday present for me to reflect on.

Interesting once again. Does the rebuilding of the house have something to do with your profession? Or are you building your own home? Is there a photo of it? I can't really imagine what kind of house it might be. Exciting topic.

BTW: I hope you enjoy Tanizaki's book.

 

[krabapple]

Any 2.1-channel system that looks modest and performs well at the MLP because the gear performs (measures) well and is set up properly in the (DSP-treated) room.

Then when they've recovered their dazzled senses, you could inform them it would sound even better with a multichannel system.

 

[fpitas]

As for the OP question, I don't know. Previously I've really thought anyone/everyone I know would be as excited to hear stuff as I am, but gradually discovered that almost no-one was. I rarely think about the question now.

I'm in the cynical camp that realizes most people are impressed by loud bass, maybe some tizzy treble, and hardly notice if for example voices are properly reproduced. I'm sure many can be more discerning with experience, but I doubt most really care to expend the effort.

 

[JayGilb]

In the 25 years at my current location, I have had only two guests in my listening room. My system is located in the basement of a 4 level house and even my grown children have no idea that I have a large stereo system.
Everyone I know that has a music system, it is in the form of a home theater and when they want to show it off, put in a Michel Bay dvd and fast forward to the explosions and are grinning ear to ear because they rattle the windows in their home.

 

[fpitas]

In the 25 years at my current location, I have had only two guests in my listening room. My system is located in the basement of a 4 level house and even my grown children have no idea that I have a large stereo system.
Everyone I know that has a music system, it is in the form of a home theater and when they want to show it off, put in a Michel Bay dvd and fast forward to the explosions and are grinning ear to ear because they rattle the windows in their home.

First thing to realize is that ordinary people have no opportunity to hear bass.

 

[MattHooper]

First thing to realize is that ordinary people have no opportunity to hear bass.

I think most people have experience hearing plenty of bass...most have attended live music of one sort or another, usually using PAs, or have danced in clubs etc. All of which tend to produce a scale of bass most audiophile systems could only dream about.

That's why I argued earlier that most people actually do have experience with powerful, dynamic sound. What they have far less experience with, or even conception of, is "music re-produced with a sense of realism." That's why even musicians who regularly play gigs on systems that make their pants flap, can have a listen to some well recorded vocals and instruments on my system and still have a "wow" moment.

 

[computer-audiophile]

most people actually do have experience with powerful, dynamic sound. What they have far less experience with, or even conception of, is "music produced with a sense of realism."

It seems that way to me too.