Does Everything Make a Difference?

[morricab]

Until you have been to the clubs in St. Louis, Chicago, New Orleans or Austin…..

I promise you the venues in Europe are just as good.

 

[morricab]

While acoustic instruments sound better unamplified, I don't see why someone who mainly listened to electric guitar (yes inc amp/effects) couldn't use a live performance of that as their reference at home.

This is interesting, speaking of amplified instruments:

Paul Gilbert OneMic (test session) 05-08-18 (youtube.com)

 

[Analog Scott]

Frankly I give words more credence from people who list their systems. Makes them seem less anonymous, less virtual.

Not something I’m worried about. Not looking for audiophile status.

 

[Analog Scott]

To what?

Why do you ask?

 

[morricab]

Why do you ask?

ummm...curiosity...

 

[Argonaut]

Not something I’m worried about. Not looking for audiophile status.

There is more Irony in your response that perhaps you are aware of, some are here purely for that self gratification.

 

[Geoffkait]

Reproduction at home doesn't have to sound exactly the same as what we hear live but as long as it's realistic it can feel like we're at a live performance. Some audiophiles regard listening at home a poor second choice compared to live, not sure why

I have some live “audience” Grateful Dead tapes, the ones recorded up front, in front of the soundboard, by fans with those weird looking binaural mics on tall stalks on Nakamichi cassette decks, that are VERY convincing. It’s enough to make the hair on the back of your head stand up.

On headphones the soundstage is ten to twenty feet, sometimes 30 feet, out in front of me. I’m not hot dogging you. And it’s very realistic, palpable and present. Same goes for Dead Can Dance CDs, Within the Realm of the Dying Sun and Serpent and Egg, for example. They don’t call it ambient music for nothing. Getting the soundstage outside the headphones - But don’t try this at home, kids, stay in school.

it’s the same signal that goes to speakers, so why wouldn’t headphones be *capable* of out of the head soundstage, especially without room interference? I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s not. If it was easy everyone could do it.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I promise you the venues in Europe are just as good.

Sure I have been. They are okay.

 

[Lagonda]

Exactly , but that also excludes phrases in so called member " signature systems " like...
one day to own / hope to own, ...
These don t count as well , first put your money where your mouth is and we go from there .

PS. If people post anonymous their whole stereo system might not exist at all

Ok, Ok Dutchy, you got me ! I made it all up ! I have a good imagination though , you have to give me that !

 

[Lagonda]

To what?

He uses a Oticon in ear microphone with built in streaming and DSP !

 

[PeterA]

They are totally different experiences and can’t be reasonably compared.

I think it’s kind of a shame that so many audiophiles that on the rare occasions they do go to a live acoustic concert go there with the futile objective of forming a mythical objective aural memory of sound rather than just taking the concert in for the wonderful and unique experience that it is.

So many? Who are these many? How do you know this is what people are doing?

Everyone I know goes to listen to live music to have a good time and experience live music. They happen to leave with a better understanding of what live music sounds like, but that doesn’t detract from their enjoyment of the actual experience. Have you read Al M‘s account in the live concert thread of his recent trip to the Boston symphony orchestra?

 

[morricab]

Ok, Ok Dutchy, you got me ! I made it all up ! I have a good imagination though , you have to give me that !

So, whose pictures did you steal and claim for your own?

 

[Lagonda]

So, whose pictures did you steal and claim for your own?

That's me with a early model Oticon, i think Ortofon makes parts for them !

 

[PYP]

Frankly I give words more credence from people who list their systems. Makes them seem less anonymous, less virtual.

And when a person has some of the same equipment I use, it puts their further experiments (new gear, tweaks, etc.) into context for me. If I'm really interested in the new stuff, I PM the person for further information. That has proved very helpful because there are some very experienced audiophiles here. And it is always nice to chat with a fellow weirdo.

 

[Analog Scott]

So many?

Yeah

Who are these many? How do you know this is what people are doing?

Other audiophiles I have met and talked to over the years. I know from our conversations.

Everyone I know goes to listen to live music to have a good time and experience live music.

You can speak for everyone you know?

They happen to leave with a better understanding of what live music sounds like, but that doesn’t detract from their enjoyment of the actual experience. Have you read Al M‘s account in the live concert thread of his recent trip to the Boston symphony orchestra?

I don’t recall reading it.

 

[Geoffkait]

I happen to be in the camp that believes you cannot tell very much from lists of system components, not even from photos of the system, even if it looks fabulous. The Emperor’s New Clothes sort of thing.

A rich man has about as much chance of getting into audio heaven as a camel has of passing through the eye of a needle. - audiophile axiom

 

[PeterA]

I don’t recall reading it.

Here is Al's post from yesterday. It is well written. He went to the BSO last Friday with fellow memeber MadFloyd. They clearly enjoyed the afternoon at the symphony and experiencing the live music.

Recent Concerts You've Enjoyed

Thought this might be a fun thread and a way to find out about acts on tour. My wife and I saw the Smoke Fairies at the Tractor Tavern last evening as the opening act for Rasputina. The Smoke Fairies are a 'folk blues' duo from Wales and have been described as "Bob Dylan's dream." I thought...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[Lagonda]

I happen to be in the camp that believes you cannot tell very much from lists of system components, not even from photos of the system, even if it looks fabulous. The Emperor’s New Clothes sort of thing.

A rich man has about as much chance of getting into audio heaven as a camel has of passing through the eye of a needle. - audiophile axiom

But sometimes you can look at someones system and know he is so full of it, obviously overestimating what it can do, or his own hearing capabilities ! Without a system list i give very little credit to a posters assessments. I am not saying everyone has to submit a perfect hearing test and own equipment in the hundreds of thousand range, but some gear just don't cut it in my personal opinion !

 

[PYP]

I happen to be in the camp that believes you cannot tell very much from lists of system components,

Well, you can tell if they use digital or vinyl or both. Within the digital realm, there are those who are "closed system" folks who use either a transport and/or streamer with server (meaning, not streaming from the internet). Then there are strange folks like me who stream from the internet for 95% of their listening. Does that mean I'm not an audiophile? I don't know. I know I love music and the rest is the means to the end.

You can see the choice of speakers, which is always interesting (at least to me). And if they have found a particularly good match (for them) between amp and speaker, that can be informative.

And when folks consider other gear, or test other gear, the context of their test is clear. If you like following these journeys, knowing the equipment is useful.

 

[Another Johnson]

A. I happen to be in the camp that believes you cannot tell very much from lists of system components, not even from photos of the system, even if it looks fabulous. The Emperor’s New Clothes sort of thing.

B. A rich man has about as much chance of getting into audio heaven as a camel has of passing through the eye of a needle. - audiophile axiom

Regarding what I’ve marked above as point A, I agree that listing and seeing do not lead logically to believing. Hearing is the narrow gate. I think the analogy with the emperor’s new clothes fails though … the emperor thought he had things of beauty, but he had nothing. In the audio visual porn world, there is real beauty.

Regarding what I’ve marked above as point B, I disagree. A rich audiophile with good ears has a far greater chance of finding Nirvana than an audiophile on a short budget (with or without good ears). But finding Nirvana and being satisfied with your system are different things. A rich audiophile with deep pockets may not be as satisfied as his shallow pocketed counterpart. If all you can afford is enough, enough may be as good as you need.