No sense in overthinking this subject. It has to sound good, and transport me to some other place. I have found just about any gear, at any price, can do this. However, I do prefer my current setup to anything I have had in the past.
How do you design and assess your system?
- Thread starter the sound of Tao
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Both I and the friend that Christoph referred to as golden ears who likes spectral (I forget his forum id) thought that the KR integrated was poor in driving christoph's acoustats. Clipping, stage reduction, struggling. The sphinx was so much better. Brad is overly partial to always stating that SETs can drive panels. They can't. They fail miserably. Apogees, acoustats, it doesn't matter.
Graham, the move from London is certainly part of the move to zen as well (although ironically I'm more angsty in some ways, however I'm not gonna risk the NO POLITICS! warning today lol).
However, as much as it might be mental, it's also highly physical as well. The room is just a total marvel. And what it's done is allowed me to love digital on day one, and push me to a 3 yr journey to whip my analog into shape. And then finally dial in the Zus, impossible in the old room.
Hence my 50/50 analysis on my aims and fortunes. I've realised I made great choices w going high efficiency and zero crossovers spkrs/triodes, and rim drive tt/LT arm/Straingauge cart.
The ingredients were there. I had an idea of the cake I wanted. Or a whole bunch of cakes. Finally I got the right cooker, and finalised the recipe.
Certain albums I have a love hate relationship with...
This is one. Cassandra Wilson is a musical songstress par excellence. This album is recorded within an inch of its life. Sonically quite brilliant. This is an album that any self respecting show exhibitor could always reach comfortably for to demo gear and know that it will always at least sound impressive... and there is the rub. This for me is a classic album that leads you easily to focus on the beauty of the sound. Yet underneath this is some fabulous music. Cassandra Wilson has such soul and the content within is meaningful and feelingful (uhmmm a new word)... yet some times over the years I am just listening to the fabulous recording of great technical playing and singing. None of these things of themselves are terrible yet a great system for me makes you enjoy the music over the armada of wonderous sounds and technical rightnesses and brilliances.
Music is a cultural construct and experience and the fantastic technique is part of it (and much to be admired) and the fabric of the sonic beauty is a value in itself but the magic in the end for me is wholly musical and is based in transmission of meaning.
Underneath all the skills and technical achievements of great musicians being recorded by great technicians there lays the simple experience of the music. The test of rightness for me is in the simple and lasting connection to the meaning in music. It is an ultimate abstract but when you get it coming through true the good things go from tantalising to intoxicating. Tantalising can be fab in the short and medium term and this for me translates as the somehow ultimately slightly empty sonic thrills, but meaningful music is intoxicating, and lasting and transformative. This is a summative reflection and can be felt when hearing it. It lights up the face and the spirit, it makes the body move and the soul resonates and is filled and informed.
I remember back when I used to do a bit of commercial work in sound studios (in corporate film and video in my early life) and when you got a take that was right it just was right and everybody in the crew knew it was right, no further analysis is needed for a keeper. That is what musical rightness is for me. The system is right when I’m not being caught up in any one value, not just the beauty of the sound, not just the quality of the playing, not even the awareness of the quality and control of Cassandra Wilson and her super songstress ways. It is for me right when it is an experience of the whole and an emotional ride that transcends any particular part and so when I play this album and every track is just truly a keeper. Nothing more needed to be said.
I am really aware when I am listening to sound over listening to music and after quite some years of searching I am purely content with the wholeness of experience of music in which nothing much more can be said... even if the former is an enmeshed quality of the latter.
Music is perhaps ultimately purely emotional... we ride the dragon and get to where we are taken. What we are shown along the way is not the journey itself. Conscious appreciation is perhaps an adjunct and all the real changes are underneath and are felt but remain unseen. This is the richness that we can share with the musician along the way as she weaves her truly fabulous tale.
This is one. Cassandra Wilson is a musical songstress par excellence. This album is recorded within an inch of its life. Sonically quite brilliant. This is an album that any self respecting show exhibitor could always reach comfortably for to demo gear and know that it will always at least sound impressive... and there is the rub. This for me is a classic album that leads you easily to focus on the beauty of the sound. Yet underneath this is some fabulous music. Cassandra Wilson has such soul and the content within is meaningful and feelingful (uhmmm a new word)... yet some times over the years I am just listening to the fabulous recording of great technical playing and singing. None of these things of themselves are terrible yet a great system for me makes you enjoy the music over the armada of wonderous sounds and technical rightnesses and brilliances.
Music is a cultural construct and experience and the fantastic technique is part of it (and much to be admired) and the fabric of the sonic beauty is a value in itself but the magic in the end for me is wholly musical and is based in transmission of meaning.
Underneath all the skills and technical achievements of great musicians being recorded by great technicians there lays the simple experience of the music. The test of rightness for me is in the simple and lasting connection to the meaning in music. It is an ultimate abstract but when you get it coming through true the good things go from tantalising to intoxicating. Tantalising can be fab in the short and medium term and this for me translates as the somehow ultimately slightly empty sonic thrills, but meaningful music is intoxicating, and lasting and transformative. This is a summative reflection and can be felt when hearing it. It lights up the face and the spirit, it makes the body move and the soul resonates and is filled and informed.
I remember back when I used to do a bit of commercial work in sound studios (in corporate film and video in my early life) and when you got a take that was right it just was right and everybody in the crew knew it was right, no further analysis is needed for a keeper. That is what musical rightness is for me. The system is right when I’m not being caught up in any one value, not just the beauty of the sound, not just the quality of the playing, not even the awareness of the quality and control of Cassandra Wilson and her super songstress ways. It is for me right when it is an experience of the whole and an emotional ride that transcends any particular part and so when I play this album and every track is just truly a keeper. Nothing more needed to be said.
I am really aware when I am listening to sound over listening to music and after quite some years of searching I am purely content with the wholeness of experience of music in which nothing much more can be said... even if the former is an enmeshed quality of the latter.
Music is perhaps ultimately purely emotional... we ride the dragon and get to where we are taken. What we are shown along the way is not the journey itself. Conscious appreciation is perhaps an adjunct and all the real changes are underneath and are felt but remain unseen. This is the richness that we can share with the musician along the way as she weaves her truly fabulous tale.
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Agree with you about Cassandra Wilson and the quality of that album. New Moon Daughter was the first CD of hers I bought. Saw her live in London many years ago..
I am often amazed at the high quality writing, and thinking on this forum.
You sir have just earned my personal gold star.
Many thanks Lagonda, I find the thoughts on this forum quite inspirational and I learn so much by listening and engaging with others here and in their thoughts. I genuinely believe we all lift each other. Besides I always love the comedy as well. It’s another thing we share. Great sense of comedy and lightness of spirit. It’s what keeps us sane.I am often amazed at the high quality writing, and thinking on this forum.
You sir have just earned my personal gold star.
Graham, but if you asked any non-audiophile if they are swept away/in the moment, listening on their IPod or ghetto blaster/soundbar at home, they would answer in the affirmative.
It's they who would be asking us why spending so much money and expending so much concious effort and winding up so much OCD and expressing so much pretentiousness on the hobby, ends up in so much navel gazing, overanalysis, and often as far away as possible from simple enjoyment.
Ra regularly asks me, have I got it right THIS time?
It's they who would be asking us why spending so much money and expending so much concious effort and winding up so much OCD and expressing so much pretentiousness on the hobby, ends up in so much navel gazing, overanalysis, and often as far away as possible from simple enjoyment.
Ra regularly asks me, have I got it right THIS time?
Ha, Ra Lol not... we all likely started this ride simply enjoying (or why would we do it) and the more we chase the dragon’s tail of resolution and extension the more easily it is to fall out of rightness. It is a freakin journey. But for me differentiating what we are listening to/for is the secret. If you want to listen to sounds that is easy, if you want to listen to music that sounds amazing that is harder. I believe that is what joins mostly us all. We need it to sound good as well as be connective and meaningful. Music starts with emotion and perhaps it can simply end that way.
Interestingly, if you can get past her howls of derision as you mention our fave lexicon of terms, she's not afraid of dropping a few herself, peppering the conversation w terms less like a semi-automatic, and more like a clay pigeon shooter Lol.
Yes, she has been caught being socially embarrasing, mentioning transparency on occasion.
When it comes down to it, she says Geddy Lee of Rush is as unacceptable as ever on any iteration of my stereo Lol.
Humour aside, I am for the first time ever, in the zone. I can wallow in the big picture, pick out elements if I want. Every disc sounds very different from the next. Not noticing any trade offs in the sound. Using the lexicon, minus the negatives I used often in the past.
Critically, getting massive pleasure from genres normally restricted to hit and miss in the past. Indeed, reaching for classical and jazz first every session.
Most importantly, totally insulated from the stress of the world, in the moment. So much so that there are no big upgrades planned, decisions pending or "what if...?" directions planned.
My magic formula (or is that fortunate outcome?) of 50% blind luck/50% blind optimism plus 100% bull headed illogicality, has paid off bigtime.
Yes, she has been caught being socially embarrasing, mentioning transparency on occasion.
When it comes down to it, she says Geddy Lee of Rush is as unacceptable as ever on any iteration of my stereo Lol.
Humour aside, I am for the first time ever, in the zone. I can wallow in the big picture, pick out elements if I want. Every disc sounds very different from the next. Not noticing any trade offs in the sound. Using the lexicon, minus the negatives I used often in the past.
Critically, getting massive pleasure from genres normally restricted to hit and miss in the past. Indeed, reaching for classical and jazz first every session.
Most importantly, totally insulated from the stress of the world, in the moment. So much so that there are no big upgrades planned, decisions pending or "what if...?" directions planned.
My magic formula (or is that fortunate outcome?) of 50% blind luck/50% blind optimism plus 100% bull headed illogicality, has paid off bigtime.
I used to listen to it a lot but got kind of bored with it. It does sound great!
I found the same when I was getting more focus on the sound and not quite getting through (or relaxing through) to the music. Not just this album, quite a few albums that have really standout production and technical performance can lead us to get caught up mainly with the sonic fabric. That is a fantastic quality as well but sometimes then we are not then hearing through to the underlying content or the meaning in music, and for me that is something that eventually can’t sustain lasting connection. That’s when the gloss wears off after some repeated hearing for me. The great albums in a system that also brings through the music don’t leave you unchanged.
It really depends because my music tastes have changed with time and I think it had more to do with getting into classical and more complex forms of jazz and world music.
On the Acoustats I prefer the Lamm hybrids as well, at least over the Baby Kronzilla.
I haven't schlepped the proper Kronzilla SX up the stairs, though
BUT on the Apogee Studio Grands (6 Ohm flat, 86dB sensitivity in 3 meters !! distance; by far the easiest to drive Apogee), I clearly prefer the KR Audio VA 350 (Baby Kronzilla) and the Kronzilla SX
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