In the thread about judging sound quality and room/setup contributions, Tima posted:
At the risk of turning enjoyment of music into an intellectual distraction, I for one would love to hear what many of those on this forum use for their criteria in listening, what they listen for, and how they judge.
In the world of wine, there is a grid — you evaluate appearance (clarity, brightness, color, intensity, secondary colors, miniscus, viscosity), nose and palate (condition, intensity, aroma/bouquet, fruit/flower/herb/other, earth, oak), and structure (sweetness, body, acidity, alcohol, tannin, complexity, length, balance). From these initial and final conclusions are drawn. These are the basics of evaluating wine, skills which a sommelier will hone over time. There are organizations that test these skills and one can become a level 1 sommelier up through a master sommelier.
As a geeky engineer who actually tries to avoid getting highly analytical when it comes to enjoying music, I have imagined what might go into a similar “listening grid.” Sonics like bass depth, intensity, impact, tone, detail (same for mids and highs), soundstage width, depth, height, forward or recessed; transient response, decay, etc. Of course, there is the reference of live music.
To my knowledge, the audio world is made up of a lot of self proclaimed experts, with wildly different opinions. In the world of wine there differing opinions too, but there is also general consensus which allows for judging a persons skill level. A Master Sommelier is a person in high demand, commands a significant salary, the opinion and scores of a Master Sommelier can make or break a wine or winery. An audio reviewer's opinions also can have a significant impact on the success of a product. But the audio world is absent organizations which judge the judges.
As a reviewer, perhaps you can share what are your criteria and how you go about reviewing. And if there are experts who can teach/train someone how to listen, I'd love to have recommendations. I'm sure my own critical listening skills can improve greatly.
I'd love to read comments from Ked, Tang, David, Ron, MikeL and others.
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To me, for those uncertain about their room and setup, more important than hiring an expert to setup your room, would be hiring an expert to teach/train you how to listen, and listen so that you trust your own ears. Start with live music then move to the audio room.
At the risk of turning enjoyment of music into an intellectual distraction, I for one would love to hear what many of those on this forum use for their criteria in listening, what they listen for, and how they judge.
In the world of wine, there is a grid — you evaluate appearance (clarity, brightness, color, intensity, secondary colors, miniscus, viscosity), nose and palate (condition, intensity, aroma/bouquet, fruit/flower/herb/other, earth, oak), and structure (sweetness, body, acidity, alcohol, tannin, complexity, length, balance). From these initial and final conclusions are drawn. These are the basics of evaluating wine, skills which a sommelier will hone over time. There are organizations that test these skills and one can become a level 1 sommelier up through a master sommelier.
As a geeky engineer who actually tries to avoid getting highly analytical when it comes to enjoying music, I have imagined what might go into a similar “listening grid.” Sonics like bass depth, intensity, impact, tone, detail (same for mids and highs), soundstage width, depth, height, forward or recessed; transient response, decay, etc. Of course, there is the reference of live music.
To my knowledge, the audio world is made up of a lot of self proclaimed experts, with wildly different opinions. In the world of wine there differing opinions too, but there is also general consensus which allows for judging a persons skill level. A Master Sommelier is a person in high demand, commands a significant salary, the opinion and scores of a Master Sommelier can make or break a wine or winery. An audio reviewer's opinions also can have a significant impact on the success of a product. But the audio world is absent organizations which judge the judges.
As a reviewer, perhaps you can share what are your criteria and how you go about reviewing. And if there are experts who can teach/train someone how to listen, I'd love to have recommendations. I'm sure my own critical listening skills can improve greatly.
I'd love to read comments from Ked, Tang, David, Ron, MikeL and others.