Is High End Audio Gear Worth the Money?

[Holmz]

Seems we’re assuming we all process 3D cues alike, maybe some have a lower 3D believability thresholds than others. And what about different ear shapes?

I suspect that it is largely true that we all process the 3D largely the same.
It might have been more universally standard in the days of old, when people spent more time in cathedrals, synagogues, etc.

It also might be less universal with the young crowd spending more time with earbuds stuffed in these days, than with them getting more natural sounds.

 

[Atmasphere]

I thought that they were Shieldmaidens Ralph.

If we're talking about Das Reingold, you can hear the Rhinemaidens lamenting the petty qualities of the gods just prior to when the gods cross the rainbow bridge (side 6 if playing the Decca Solti LP).

Ralph, are you saying you cannot get to "the flutes are in front of the French horns" with width and depth alone ÷ timbre?

No. Width and depth allows you to hear where the instruments are in the recording.

to the point where you feel you can reach out your arm and touch the musicians.

I recently heard a setup at Misco that used a special DSP processing system. The recording was that of someone cutting your hair. It was a bit eerie; the snip of the scissors being right by your ear and moving about your head while the voice of the barber talking to you behind you perceptually. The eerie bit was the speakers were sitting on a table in front of me; nothing to the side or the like at all.

 

[PYP]

I recently heard a setup at Misco that used a special DSP processing system. The recording was that of someone cutting your hair. It was a bit eerie; the snip of the scissors being right by your ear and moving about your head while the voice of the barber talking to you behind you perceptually. The eerie bit was the speakers were sitting on a table in front of me; nothing to the side or the like at all.

Talk about weird audiophile test records. I have a very fond memory of my Dad's test record of a huffing steam engine. VERY realistic according to a neighbor who got up from his throne suddenly when he thought a train was coming through his house. Yes, my Dad could get quite the volume from a few watts of power driving his mono speakers with a one-component crossover.

 

[Holmz]

If we're talking about Das Reingold, you can hear the Rhinemaidens lamenting the petty qualities of the gods just prior to when the gods cross the rainbow bridge (side 6 if playing the Decca Solti LP).

Damn… I’ll need to get more height out of the system.
I am totally missing the rainbow bridge as well as the unicorns.

 

[Atmasphere]

Damn… I’ll need to get more height out of the system.
I am totally missing the rainbow bridge as well as the unicorns.

The rainbow bridge appears when Thor invokes the thunder on side 6 as well. The Solti recordings of the Ring Cycle feature sound effects that Wagner scored (or suggested) that usually are not heard in other recordings of these operas. Yeah, I'm a bit nerdy on this stuff...