What do Audiophiles really hear...?

[Ken Pachkowsky]

I think the white EQs really woke up my A7s.

Yes, the Whites do have a magic to them that I have found hard to beat and believe me I have tried. Bo has the new KT 700 series (I think) that is supposed to be great but at over 2000 grand it's out of my league. I have to wait and try to steal one on EPray sometime down the road.

I bought a BSS 960 and its ok, but to be honest I preffered the 4400's I sold to Scott.

I did pick up a great pair this week and will give them an audition to see if my head is up my a$$. I have been known to stick it there at times.

Ken

[Zilch]

I find it interesting that audiograms stop at 8 kHz.

Play the EQ/RTA game with Behringer DEQ2496, under $300. WAY fun, and enlightening....

[Akira]

I just bought a true "audiophile" system, which I will post pics and test results later. (JBL vs Castle Winchester)

WELL...I STILL DON'T GET IT.

This system cost $8K plus tax (speakers $3,500.) in 1991. I paid $1000. in absolute mint conditon. While the system does have some nice qualities and is really nice to own as a classy addition to my house.........I'm glad I didn't pay no $$$$$$$.

WHAT IS IT THAT AUDIOPHILES HEAR?

I think hearing is like an aquired taste in food. You get to recognize and seek out certain traits that you have ingrained into your memory. Once there, pride blinds you to other possibilities. I suppose that's why no one will eat my pizza covered in anchioves; they tell their taste buds to reject the notion that something maybe good.
It has occured to me that having been abducted into studio monitor sound at the age of 19, I have trained my brain to seek out ever more perfection in the same style of speaker....NO WONDER AUDIOPHILES THINK WE DON'T GET IT!

In the end consider this. An audiophile spends just as much time, money and research pursuing his endevour as we do ours; he also thinks we are as misguided in our belief system as we think he is f........ in the head.

So in polite conclusion just let me say....they're idiots!*%#$*!!

[hapy._.face]

QUOTE=Akira]...I think hearing is like an acquired taste in food. You get to recognize and seek out certain traits that you have ingrained into your memory. Once there, pride blinds you to other possibilities. [/QUOTE]



I'd like to comment on that statement. While I agree- I'd like to add to it. So often we forget why we go to such great lengths in this hobby: music (or HT)!! It all comes down to indulgences and how much a certain component and/or set up can draw us into the experience. If it's music you love- then the whole goal should be to get the system that makes that music sound as real and/or live as possible. That's just my take...



A visit with a new friend yielded something in our conversation that is SO TRUE- I have to share it with you: '..this industry (music recording/performance) doesn't rely so much on musicians and musicianship these days. As a result- fewer and fewer people growing up in the past generation or so don't even know what a real drum kit (for example) sounds like!!!' How can these people (now viable consumers in the market) be expected to appreciate the critical nature of a quality loudspeaker- any other component?? It's not their fault... The market is a reflection of its consumers and today's market is catering to whole new breed of buyers whose musical experiences are sorely limited. As such they (manufacturers) can sell pure image, hype, and maybe even buy themselves a good review or two in Stereophile. Sad...



Today's audiophile is not yesterday's.



And a word on the 'music is like an acquired taste' comment: Sometimes BBQ ribs are just plain good (much to the snobberies of food critics...)!!

[Mr. Widget]

WHAT IS IT THAT AUDIOPHILES HEAR?

I don't get the question... we all hear differently and appreciate music and film sound tracks differently.

Some people think that ALtec A-7s are it, some people like Lowthers, some like 70's era JBLs, some like Klipsch, and others like the sound of Sonus Faber or whatever "audiophile" brand you choose.

Sure there is hype in the market place... take a look in a 70's Stereo Review mag... the ads were as full of hype then as Stereophile is today. That doesn't mean that the JBL L300 wasn't a good speaker then or a B+W 800D isn't a good speaker today.

The other day an "audiophile" friend came by and listened to the system I've been working on for the last year. (I quite like it.) He said "wow, the detail is amazing... I can hear so far into the music... the sound stage is huge..." Later he said he preferred the smaller more intimate sound stage of his "audiophile" speakers that he has at home.

Our enjoyment of this stuff, is personal and individual.

Widget

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Our enjoyment of this stuff, is personal and individual.

Widget

So, So true.

Although the fact we all have JBL's does puts us in that "Punchy West Coast Sound" category of audio buffs, a term I am more comfortable with than Audiophile.

Ken

[hapy._.face]

I don't get the question... we all hear differently and appreciate music and film sound tracks differently.

Some people think that ALtec A-7s are it, some people like Lowthers, some like 70's era JBLs, some like Klipsch, and others like the sound of Sonus Faber or whatever "audiophile" brand you choose.
Sure there is hype in the market place... take a look in a 70's Stereo Review mag... the ads were as full of hype then as Stereophile is today. That doesn't mean that the JBL L300 wasn't a good speaker then or a B+W 800D isn't a good speaker today.
The other day an "audiophile" friend came by and listened to the system I've been working on for the last year. (I quite like it.) He said "wow, the detail is amazing... I can hear so far into the music... the sound stage is huge..." Later he said he preferred the smaller more intimate sound stage of his "audiophile" speakers that he has at home.
Our enjoyment of this stuff, is personal and individual.
Widget

Yep. I guess that about sums it up! I pretty much agree with everything you say on this forum. Although I disagree with you on the part about there being no difference today as there was in the 70's. IMHO, the whole world has changed the way it does business and advertising is far more aggressive and effective than it was back then. Think about it- would the Bose wave radio be as successful then as it is today? I think not. Reason: Advertising is better today.



However, I think your "taste is subjective" approach (to put a lid on this thread) is dead on!! I don't think that lends any reason for us to classify ourselves into so many categories and subcategories. Hopefully, we all love music.

[edgewound]

However, I think your "taste is subjective" approach (to put a lid on this thread) is dead on!! I don't think that lends any reason for us to classify ourselves into so many categories and subcategories. Hopefully, we all love music.

Amen to that...

One major thing I've noticed in the "audiosnobs" is the total lack of respect for all things JBL, and sheer nastiness of their attitude towards it. A most intolerent crowd, indeed. I think they have more fun looking at their stuff than listening to it..."hey....look at this new cable I spent 15 grand on"...yeah, great.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Actually the original audiophile vanished along with vinyl.

I mean hello, how many of you play vinyl?

No CD player on the face of the earth can hold a candle to a fine vinyl replay setup. That is an undisputed fact.

There is so much more information in those grooves that I fail to see how someone can use CD as a yardstick to draw any conclusions about anything.

[JuniorJBL]

Actually the original audiophile vanished along with vinyl.

I mean hello, how many of you play vinyl?

No CD player on the face of the earth can hold a candle to a fine vinyl replay setup. That is an undisputed fact.

There is so much more information in those grooves that I fail to see how someone can use CD as a yardstick to draw any conclusions about anything.

Uh... Yes sir you are correct

Ahhh... Vinyl

[edgewound]

Actually the original audiophile vanished along with vinyl.

I mean hello, how many of you play vinyl?

No CD player on the face of the earth can hold a candle to a fine vinyl replay setup. That is an undisputed fact.

There is so much more information in those grooves that I fail to see how someone can use CD as a yardstick to draw any conclusions about anything.

Well...yeah...alot more information in the groove....it's called dirt....and dust and distortion. Nuthin' like a needle dragging to clean out that groove.The analog warmth is also known as distortion. 96k and above recordings put vinyl in the stone-age....uh oh....here comes the barrage....

[4313B]

Now we are finding out that CD's aren't all that either. What did they say the other day? Burned CD's have a shelf life of a few years, five at most? Hell, I've already had to hit up several companies for replacement CD media because the media fails. It was proposed that DAT was really the only viable long term storage solution despite it's limitations.

I distinctly remember when CD's first came out. They definitely sucked compared to the same cuts on vinyl. It was all there right in front of our ears and we were stunned that this was the future. But who could beat the convenience of the CD? Vinyl demanded exceptional care. Convenience drives our world.

Regardless of the money spent on home hi-fi, it can't touch the local symphony. It can't. That's exciting.

[scott fitlin]

Well...yeah...alot more information in the groove....it's called dirt....and dust and distortion. Nuthin' like a needle dragging to clean out that groove.The analog warmth is also known as distortion. 96k and above recordings put vinyl in the stone-age....uh oh....here comes the barrage....

Well, 96K is good! I am using a BSS 366T in my system, which samples and converts at 94K/24bit, and its super clean, and MUCH better than digi processors of a few years back!

But vinyl sounds wayyyy better even through this thing than CD,s do!

There is still something to analog audio and vinyl! Hopefully, digital will close the gap in the very near future, and we wont miss vinyl and analog any more!

But, for right now, analog audio and its artifacts still edge out digital a bit.

[Ken Pachkowsky]

The Claremont police department is looking for assistance in the murder of Colton resident Ken Haerr (aka Edgewound). He was found bludgeoned and bloody behind Denon’s Used CD Outlet in Venice, Ca.

Sergeant JA Michell stated "We suspect foul play, but can't prove anything due to a fouled, filthy crime scene causing a distorted view of what occurred. He did state however “a tall handsome fellow wearing a rather worn out "but attractive" t-shirt was seen leaving the scene carrying what could only be described as a large Didgeridoo type object. Police suspect this could be the murder weapon!

Anyone providing information leading to the arrest of the above suspect will receive a Koetzu Phono cartridge.

All tips will remain confidential.

[kingjames]

Now we are finding out that CD's aren't all that either. What did they say the other day? Burned CD's have a shelf life of a few years, five at most? Hell, I've already had to hit up several companies for replacement CD media because the media fails. It was proposed that DAT was really the only viable long term storage solution despite it's limitations.

I distinctly remember when CD's first came out. They definitely sucked compared to the same cuts on vinyl. It was all there right in front of our ears and we were stunned that this was the future. But who could beat the convenience of the CD? Vinyl demanded exceptional care. Convenience drives our world.

Regardless of the money spent on home hi-fi, it can't touch the local symphony. It can't. That's exciting.

Take A Look At This THread

http://computerworld.com/hardwaretop...107607,00.html

I love the crystal clear sound of a cd and a cd also needs to be handled properly. I have cd's over 5 years old that play just as good as they did when I burnt them.As a rule though I only use Verbatim media for my cd's and dvd's.I remember vinyl and I remember when I first saw a stereo Lp didn't know why it was 2.00 more than the regular lp's until I bought one and then realized that is was well worth it.The sound was unbelieveable compared to the older LP'S.I have about 60 reel to reel tapes all recorded from the 60's and 70's and though I can hear some scratch,crackle and pop they have maintained very well.There is some truth in tape!