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In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: Audio critique – open your mind!
Post Subject: Old debate reduxPosted by Paul S on: 7/28/2007
Markus, you have hit on something that has been debated in hi-fi circles for several decades, namely the endless teeter-tottering between "accuracy" and "musicality". Of course it is not lost on many that The Goal is necessarily "Both", but the truth is, staying in a sweet spot is harder than getting into one. By "sweet spot", I mean that you are getting musical insight and aesthetic growth/satisfaction from your reproduced music, just as you would wish from your "real music", ie the goals for/from both "sources" are/should be "the same", as Romy has sagely observed. While it may be that a high percentage of Morons are perfectly happy with their single drivers, 2-ways, etc., it is quite likely that there are any number of perpetually-frustrated OCD types who stay forever on the hunt for something from which they can get any sort of satisfaction, so that The Quest itself becomes the actual object of their endeavors.
It is so basic, but still well to remember and keep in mind, that all topologies have their problems, and making the best of any topology will certainly be a LOT of work. But, just perhaps, the question becomes, how much work? I said a while back that the the better my system sounds at its best, the worse it sounds when it's off kilter. With a slight tweak of this observation, I can say/warn that the multi-horn speaker system is undoubtedly the most difficult and frustrating path a newby could take, not because of the ultimate possibility offered by this technically-best topology, but simply because getting it musically right in a very rote sense is such a world class PITA, which requires not only a great pair of ears but also enduring patience, along with almost limitless funds, to run through the almost endless permutations of the evolving system, each piece of which is co-dependent with all of the others. While this inter-systemic co-dependence is typical of building any system, the physical scale and elaborate, expensive parts count of the mega horn system is more than just daunting; it is staggering. I mean, how many mid-bass horns can the average guy afford to try, and how long would it take to get it just right? Yet, if one is to succeed in rote terms, the answer has to be, as many as necessary. Yes, personal eveolution eventually speeds up this process, but be ready for a near-vertical learning curve with a few twists and 180's along the way.
I suppose that most reading along here have experienced the old 1 step forward, 2 steps back quandry. For me, the question becomes: can I get a net, whole-system improvement by making a given change, or am I better off where I am? My own goals are heavily weighted to the enjoyment of music, which for me includes exploring music I either have not heard before or that I can hear and appreciate in new ways. This is what fuels my own drive for "a better" system", which is itself very much tempered by the time and money constants.
One eventually learns to +/- "project" what a proposed change will accomplish; but of course there is certainly no certainty even with this "evolved" approach. In the end, you still pays your money and you takes your chance.
Best regards,
Paul S
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