Ultra Audio Destroys Music

[NOMBEDES]

 

Article by Simon Price in the last (?) 13th Note posting:   Read the full article at 13th Note (before it is gone)

 

 

Ultra Audiophile HiFi’ – a pursuit removed from music, rather than about music. This is because it’s about people who have more money than sense, where the diminishing returns are huge as you spend more. Music stripped bare, playing it through a £26k dCS Vivaldi DAC in a swanky New York prime location, or through a wind up radio in an impoverished village in Africa, is essentially the same experience. Or is this true? There is an element of truth to this sentiment and whilst those of developed nations can, are able, and would, prefer the music to be as faithfully reproduced as possible through a great HiFi, how far do you go?

Judging by the dour sullen faces of some of the everyday punters sitting around some £130k Focal Grande Utopia speakers and banks of £125k Naim Statement amps, at a show, playing the ubiquitous Diana Krall (left), Yello etc, the answer is – not this far! Adding insult, the music has all but been thrashed out to death before and it’s boring and you wonder is this really about music? What are they actually selling? But I find the ‘punters’ reaction more interesting than what’s actually coming from the HiFi or the jeans, shirt and jacket topsales guy prancing up and down gesticulating heavily – which is necessary in itself as he will need to gesticulate heavily to sell this stuff to these people or convey it being value. But back to the listeners reactions – they are mostly all thinking, I think, that, OK the music may be more real and the sound huge, but, a), how do I get all this gear in my house/flat and more importantly, b), does it allow me to enjoy music more going back to my point about music stripped bare? The answer to point b) is no. The faces are a giveaway to this. You see people get up and walk off and somebody else takes their seat. I always go home thinking my HiFi is as enjoyable at a fraction of the price.

[Confused]

My own "audiophile journey" has taken some interesting twists and turns.  If I think of my current system, it is comfortably better than my previous system by pretty much every objective measure.  And don't get me wrong, I am very happy with my current system, it is giving me enormous pleasure.  There is a "but" though, in many ways that "old" system was easier to live with, I'd turn it on, listen to music, and never really think much about the system itself.  This is harder to do with my current set up.  Here is where my current position kind of aligns with the article linked above. 

 

From where I am now, I am not that interested in chasing more detail, or a more precise sound stage, or any of these "audiophile" aspects, it is more of a quest to preserve these things where they are now, it is more than good enough, and just make the system that little bit easier to live with.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

14 hours ago, NOMBEDES said:

Music stripped bare

 

All I can say is that if you [author of the article] are listening to "music stripped bare" you have made some wrong decisions.

[Rexp]

27 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

All I can say is that if you [author of the article] are listening to "music stripped bare" you have made some wrong decisions.

If someone who has tried most hi-end solutions for a living can't get it right, not much hope for the rest of us. 

[fas42]

An thought bubble I might throw in, 🤪, is that an everyday audio system is like walking along an embankment which is not too high, pretty wide, and gently curved to where it falls away ...easy, peasy to wander along. But as the walker gets more adventurous, and tackles more "interesting" paths, the embankment gets higher, it narrows, and the sides start to drop away at alarming angles ... get it a tiny bit wrong, and you tumble. But if you can nail the technique for maintaining the balance, then you are up so high - and the vistas you can scan are amazing

[ASRMichael]

Everyone should have just bought a Lada then! & live in a caravan! 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

11 minutes ago, Rexp said:

If someone who has tried most hi-end solutions for a living can't get it right, not much hope for the rest of us. 

 if you have absolute faith in that person and all other professionals agree then I would  say there is reason for concern  

[Rexp]

4 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 if you have absolute faith in that person and all other professionals agree then I would  say there is reason for concern  

Most professional reviewers get paid for hyping junk so are unlikely to agree. 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

5 minutes ago, Rexp said:

Most professional reviewers get paid for hyping junk so are unlikely to agree. 

All the more reason not to be concerned about the authors views

[Rexp]

7 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

All the more reason not to be concerned about the authors views

I guess if I'd spent a ton of money on such a system I might be feeling a tad defensive. 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

14 minutes ago, Rexp said:

I guess if I'd spent a ton of money on such a system I might be feeling a tad defensive. 

Not sure why anyone would spend a ton of money on such a system that delivers music stripped bare.

[Rexp]

4 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

Not sure why anyone would spend a ton of money on such a system that delivers music stripped bare.

Well I guess if they don't listen to live instruments or have an analogue source they might have forgotten what music actually sounds like. 

[NOMBEDES]

After quite a bit of thought, I have come to the conclusion that I don't want live music in my living room.  I don't want "accurate sound" I don't want any veils lifted or audio buzz-word approved sound.  I just want to hear a good recording of good music.

If it sounds good to me, I am happy.  Who wants to listen to equipment when they can listen to music?  

Disclaimer:  I have no problem with expensive equipment.  If you got it spend it.....I just think after a certain point, very expensive audio, just like supercars, become an exercise in design rather than an improvement to music (or driving) enjoyment.  

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

2 hours ago, NOMBEDES said:

After quite a bit of thought, I have come to the conclusion that I don't want live music in my living room.  I don't want "accurate sound" I don't want any veils lifted or audio buzz-word approved sound.  I just want to hear a good recording of good music.

If it sounds good to me, I am happy.

 

 

Congratulations, you have determined what you want and what makes you happy and that really is what counts. Kudos

 

Quote

 

 Who wants to listen to equipment when they can listen to music?  

Disclaimer:  I have no problem with expensive equipment.  If you got it spend it.....I just think after a certain point, very expensive audio, just like supercars, become an exercise in design rather than an improvement to music (or driving) enjoyment.  

 

Here is were I take a slightly different view. I stress this is not directed at your post or your position which you have appropriately qualified and explained.

 

Stuff, like super audio gear or supercars or super yachts or super houses cost money. Everybody will define how much they want to spend and how much they can afford to spend in achieving what they want and what makes them happy (to the extent that "stuff" can make one happy, so I use the word "happy" in a very general sense). There will always come a point of sharply diminishing returns. Again, it is everyone's personal choice and subjective assessment where that point is and if they want to go chasing the last little bit of performance or quality, as they perceive that to be. If it turns out that it is just the bling a.k.a. anaesthetics of the stuff that appeals, so be it. Basically, to hell with anybody who has the audacity to tell me how I should spend my money or what makes me happy.

 

My goal is also to listen to beautiful music and not the equipment. For me there is also beautiful sound. It's analogous to beautiful colour or beautiful visual composition in a painting or photograph which in and of itself is emotive and can be appreciated as contributing to, and an integral part of the whole. It is when you get beautiful sound in the service of beautiful music, for me, is where it all comes together.

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

3 hours ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

anaesthetics of the stuff

not sure how aesthetics got turned into anaesthetics - good music can have a calming effect but only lullabies should put you to sleep🤔