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Post by pauld on Sept 27, 2020 9:22:50 GMT
I thought this was an interesting question as so many people like a different sound for the presentation of their music.
When I was younger I liked a brighter sound, but as I have got older, I find that sort of sound impressive at first but very fatiguing after any length of listening.
Now I prefer a more neutral sound with tonnes of detail but non-fatiguing. I also prefer a musical sound rather than clinical and as I would call it hifi.
I have found that since achieving the above with my system, I’m a lot less inclined to track jump and am happy to sit for extended periods listen at whatever volume.
What are others thoughts?
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Post by rexton on Sept 27, 2020 9:26:05 GMT
Neutral and forensic but without strident treble.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2020 9:54:46 GMT
clean. Nice tight bass, i cant abide boomy bass, and smoothness top to bottom.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Sept 27, 2020 10:05:13 GMT
I like timbral and earthy tones. Not fat or rich per say, but natural.
I feel very in tune with harmonies and vocals need to me from the chest cavity AND the mouth, as that's the most realistic representation of how they sound in real life.
I like tonal accuracy. If a particular frequency stands out, it distracts me and that distraction becomes obstructive. That's no good to me.
Organismal replay. That's my new phrase lol
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Post by macca on Sept 27, 2020 10:21:58 GMT
I like a sound where the equipment is contributing as little of its own character as possible, so it's the sound of the recording that dominates.
I don't think anyone likes boomy bass or a sound that's too bright. From experience I know a lot of people like a warm, rich sort of sound, as long as the top end isn't too dull. That's not for me. It's easy and enjoyable to listen to but I get bored of it.
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Post by misterc on Sept 27, 2020 10:24:29 GMT
Very simple for myself, a natural, fluid, sound that demonstrates the ebb and flow of the music with a non exaggerated PRaT, top to bottom frequency Coherence with a timbre which is correct for the music being sampled, not overly rich nor threadbare either (you know who you are naim, chord, T+A  ) The music should have proper three dimensionality not solid 2d, notes should have a start; the leading edge, followed by decay and finally trailing note dissipation coupled with dynamics, (both macro and micro) in keeping with the musical style being played.
Not thrown at you relentlessly like a flocking machine on steroids trying to cover the fourth road bridge in 8 hours  far too many of those systems around, but most of all it must be able to demonstrate the ability for you to WISH to listen to your ENTIRE music collection without fatigue or wanting to put on 'that blow me away track each time' just for self affirmation for your own conscience.
This can be obtained with digital or analogue solid state or valves, it is purely a matter of correct implementation.
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Post by electronumpty on Sept 27, 2020 12:15:31 GMT
Don't like a toppy sound. But happy to listen to a thin and tinny mobile speaker if I like the track. Yes I know this sounds like a contradiction🙂
I don't have much to compare to as I don't listen to many other systems at all. I would describe my systems soud as reasonably detailed without being too analytical and fairly well balanced using stand mounts and sub.
I know there is more to come as my headphone rig displays more detail and nuance than the speakers. Hence my ongoing tannoy project as the speakers are holding it back now I think.
The only other system I heard recently was an Arcam amp and some MS (I think) floor standing speakers. Sounded muddy and bass woolly in comparison.
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Post by sq225917 on Sept 27, 2020 13:25:37 GMT
I like my electronics to be blameless, which means ss over valves. Then I'll dial in my preference with speakers and room setup.
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Post by jimbo on Sept 27, 2020 18:03:06 GMT
I look for tonal quailty over detail and midrange performance over treble and bass as this is where a convincing presentation of a vocal or instrument can happen.
I like my system to disappear so it becomes transparent to the recording. Realism is great to have but that does not mean I would expect a whole symphony orchestra to be playing in my room, I look for cues that suggest that I am listening to the real thing and preferable with a live slightly edgy sound.
Luckily my system can actually sound like a vocalist is there in the room in front of you, whether this illusion is a euphonic valve creation or simply great articulation by the speaker who knows but I dont really care. I like the magic that can happen occasionaly and make you believe the performer is there with you.
Puts my brain in the right place and cancels out any negative effects of the day.
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Post by macca on Sept 28, 2020 7:39:59 GMT
It should sound like a whole symphony orchestra is playing in their room, not yours.
With a vocalist you should be able to hear the reflections of the room or booth they were recorded in (recording quality permitted). It shouldn't sound like they are in your room
That's realism/accuracy to the recording. It's not for everyone I suppose.
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Post by jimbo on Sept 28, 2020 11:39:06 GMT
It should sound like a whole symphony orchestra is playing in their room, not yours. With a vocalist you should be able to hear the reflections of the room or booth they were recorded in (recording quality permitted). It shouldn't sound like they are in your room That's realism/accuracy to the recording. It's not for everyone I suppose. You will never know what accuracy to the recording is because you were not there when it was recorded and secondly manipulation by the studio engineers can make a vocalist sound like they are anywhere from a beach to a cathedral. |
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Post by macca on Sept 28, 2020 12:10:21 GMT
if the engineer added a shedload of reverb to the vocal to make it sound like they were in a cathedral then that's how it should sound. If it doesn't, then the playback system is some distance away from accurate.
One thing they can't do is make it sound like the vocalist is singing in your room. Unless the room they recorded in was your room, or one very much like it, acoustically speaking.
If all vocalists on all recordings sound like they are in a similar space/room that's another good indicator that the playback is not accurate. Some will be similar to one another, of course, but they shouldn't all be.
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Post by jimbo on Sept 28, 2020 15:41:21 GMT
if the engineer added a shedload of reverb to the vocal to make it sound like they were in a cathedral then that's how it should sound. If it doesn't, then the playback system is some distance away from accurate. One thing they can't do is make it sound like the vocalist is singing in your room. Unless the room they recorded in was your room, or one very much like it, acoustically speaking. If all vocalists on all recordings sound like they are in a similar space/room that's another good indicator that the playback is not accurate. Some will be similar to one another, of course, but they shouldn't all be. But if the vocalist sounds like they are in my room how do i know if that was or was not what the recording engineer intended? |
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Post by macca on Sept 28, 2020 16:47:02 GMT
On some recordings you can hear the acoustics of the space the vocal was recorded in. Obviously vocals have to have some acoustic, you can't DI vocals, but it may be that they went for a very dead environment when they recorded them so there's very little acoustic signature present.
In that case it would sound like the vocal was in the playback room. Otherwise the acoustic of the recording space around the vocalist should be fairly obvious - and clearly different from the acoustic of your room - provided the vocal is not embedded in a complex mix or had effects applied to it.
But I think we may be talking at cross-purposes here. Regardless of acoustic, it should sound like a real person singing, because it is! I think that is what you are driving at?
Not all systems can manage that though, some speakers just are not good enough to make singers voices 'realistic' in that way.
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Post by jimbo on Sept 28, 2020 18:31:36 GMT
On some recordings you can hear the acoustics of the space the vocal was recorded in. Obviously vocals have to have some acoustic, you can't DI vocals, but it may be that they went for a very dead environment when they recorded them so there's very little acoustic signature present. In that case it would sound like the vocal was in the playback room. Otherwise the acoustic of the recording space around the vocalist should be fairly obvious - and clearly different from the acoustic of your room - provided the vocal is not embedded in a complex mix or had effects applied to it. But I think we may be talking at cross-purposes here. Regardless of acoustic, it should sound like a real person singing, because it is! I think that is what you are driving at? Not all systems can manage that though, some speakers just are not good enough to make singers voices 'realistic' in that way. Martin, you got it in a nutshell there. Your explanation is spot on and nice to get a comment that so accurately analyses what I am hearing.  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2020 21:12:12 GMT
I like any system that that makes my foot tap, also one I can listen to without being fatigued or want to switch off after only a short time listening.
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Post by antonio on Sept 29, 2020 2:42:19 GMT
Very simple for myself, a natural, fluid, sound that demonstrates the ebb and flow of the music with a non exaggerated PRaT, top to bottom frequency Coherence with a timbre which is correct for the music being sampled, not overly rich nor threadbare either (you know who you are naim, chord, T+A ) The music should have proper three dimensionality not solid 2d, notes should have a start; the leading edge, followed by decay and finally trailing note dissipation coupled with dynamics, (both macro and micro) in keeping with the musical style being played.
Not thrown at you relentlessly like a flocking machine on steroids trying to cover the fourth road bridge in 8 hours far too many of those systems around, but most of all it must be able to demonstrate the ability for you to WISH to listen to your ENTIRE music collection without fatigue or wanting to put on 'that blow me away track each time' just for self affirmation for your own conscience.
This can be obtained with digital or analogue solid state or valves, it is purely a matter of correct implementation.
When we dem'd a T & A intergrated (£13k), we found the sound quite warm, nothing really to dislike, but lacking real excitement. Like everyone else, boomy bass is a no no for me. Like plenty of detail, with a real flow to the music. I think the two systems we have really do this at their different price points. |
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) The music should have proper three dimensionality not solid 2d, notes should have a start; the leading edge, followed by decay and finally trailing note dissipation coupled with dynamics, (both macro and micro) in keeping with the musical style being played.
far too many of those systems around, but most of all it must be able to demonstrate the ability for you to WISH to listen to your ENTIRE music collection without fatigue or wanting to put on 'that blow me away track each time' just for self affirmation for your own conscience.
