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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: My Audio Philosophy
Post Subject: How We Get From Here to TherePosted by Paul S on: 10/26/2019
So many "parts" to a particular hi-fi system, and not just the gear, and so many reasons why a given system turns out the way it does. Didn't Amir say he doesn't listen to a lot of classical music? I was pretty happy with tubes for quite a while, including SETs, when I listened mostly to jazz and I accepted that I couldn't get my system to convey much of the classical catalog. Once I started to develop the Lamm ML2s, however, things changed for me. I got into recorded classic music in a big way and I never backtracked. Again, the Lamm ML2s are SETs that also use global feedback, and I wonder if there are better "full range" SET amps available for a good deal of classical fare. If there is a "problem" with SETs as a genre it's that they want/need easy loads, and this is the reason for DSET with horns, to make it as easy on each output leg as possible. But IMO there are "alternatives". Regardless of what others say, I know from experience that there are better ways to drive big, conventional type drivers than typical SET, especially no-feedback SET, and especially if one wants to explore "big" classical works. On the other hand, if one listens mostly to "easy" music, then no need to go crazy trying for the "ultimate system" in the first place, unless it's the sound itself one listens to, rather than the music, and in that case one might even be happiest simply playing around with different gear as an end in itself.  In that case, more power to you, but you are wasting your time on this forum.

By the way, Robin, when I referred to "Furtwangler's incomparable war time Beethoven 7" in my Neumann mic post a while back I of course meant his 9th. You mention how great performances "trump" the gear, or even the recording itself, and here's an excellent case in point. So very true, and what a shame so many people miss so much while listening to the sound itself and/or the gear. C'est la Guerre. There have been several posts over the years opining in various ways that a well chosen table radio is better for listening to Music than a "pretentious" hi-fi system. Generally speaking, I agree.


Paul S

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