Most Important When Setting Up A World Class System— Prioritizing Subjective or Objective Criteria?

[TonyW]

casual comparisons are instructive. At an outing to a restaurant that was new to us, I immediately heard a piano when we entered. That was unexpected (piano in local restaurant), but it was clearly not a sound system playing. Can one achieve that with one's system? That is, hearing it from afar and mistaking it for the real thing? To me, that would be world class - even if it could only fool you for, say, a solo acoustic guitar.

The pianist was good, nothing special. But it was very enjoyable to hear a real instrument in all its complexity when it wasn't expected (and the food was great, a perfect complement). Just one person, one piano and the creative spirit. Oh, and of course, the company.

Years ago when our son was in college singing in the Chorale, we would go to his recitals. Typically, it was a piano or a stringed instrument and a singer. I would sit 2nd row center and close my eyes to imagine the music playing on my stereo system. My stereo was not as “world class” then as it is today but listening to a soloist and one or two instruments live vs my stereo was very close. It’s when the music gets very busy, like an orchestra or big band or even a Chorale piece that more advanced systems really stand out to me. It can be a combination of the room and the system that just becomes a jumble when the music gets busy. The soundstage may breakdown or clarity suffers. To me that’s the difference with a better system- it can keep up with everything going on and maintain that clarity and resolution just like a simpler, one or two instrument piece. On the other hand, my cousin says Rock and Roll on my system is too clear- it’s not natural. Rock and Roll should sound fuzzy and jumbled and just loud with the thump thump rhythm pulsing above the din. That’s how it sounded in the 60s and 70s and we accept that. Feedback to the tonearm is expected. Oh well, can’t have everything.

A defining hifi moment for me was the 1989 CES. In a large ballroom 4 large electrostatic panels were set up with 4 large ARC Amplifiers, the top ARC preamp and a top turntable. I stood there front and center and it sounded like I was the conductor standing in front of the orchestra. I could hear each and every musician in their respective positions as clear is if they were actually there. It was 1:1 life size.

Today my system is not quite there but close. I would need a larger room and perhaps electrostatic speakers are the best to realize that completely life size resolution. But when I play a Chorale piece I can hear each and every voice separated like real life. In some pieces the Chorale goes to the ceiling and beyond the walls.

“World Class” is when your brain is saying its not possible and at the same time overwhelmed by the music.

 

[PYP]

“World Class” is when your brain is saying its not possible and at the same time overwhelmed by the music.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic when I say that there is so much discussion about gear that we seem to forget the role of the brain, which fills in what is missing (or ignores the sound bouncing around the room) and makes the leap to "being there."