I hear you Peter. If I didn't have the Aesthetix Io phono the Lamm LP2.1 would be near or at the top of my list. Everyone seems to love the LP 2.1. The LP1 is a much bigger jump financially. I'm sure it sounds great. I'm a one tonearm, one cartridge kind of guy.
Natural Sound
- Thread starter PeterA
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Hi Frank,
Nobody does at the end. But sometimes people are allured to excessive sensory parameters because they excite them. This is well known and exploited. In the AV world, in the show rooms they deliberately turn the TV contrast and colour to max etc merely to grab attention.
Why so cynical, Lampi? That is an excellent question. I think it depends on whose opinion it is and how "hifi" sound is being defined or described. I had what I now consider to be a "hifi" sound for years and loved it. Friends claimed to enjoy it too. I know many people and dealerships who prefer that type of sound. For me, it is a sound that has highlights and emphasizes one or more sonic attributes, like very deep thunderous bass, or very extended, snappy, crisp highs. Black backgrounds and pinpoint imaging are also characteristics. It can be very exciting and it draws attention to the sound and system. The sound I now have may well be considered boring and too relaxing by many audiophiles, lacking extension and "detail".
Once I get out more and hear other systems again, I will be curious to see what I think about different systems.
I do like a Pamela Anderson night once in a while, does that make me a bad audiophile ?
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I do like am Pamela Anderson night once in a while, does that make me a bad audiophile ?
I know this thread is about vintage equipment, but you are thinking too far back here
People often complain that threads lack substance or discussions are only superficial. I think the distinction between "natural" sound and "hifi" sound is extremely important in this hobby. Definitions are not always agreed upon, and some reject the term "natural" outright as having no meaning or being whatever one claims it is, but I have tried, at least in the context of my own two system threads, to make this distinction very clear. That is, from my point of view. This distinction represents well my evolving thoughts about sound in general, and reproduced sound by high end audio systems in particular.
I am pleased that people can hear the differences in those videos to form and then often share their own opinions.
I do like a Pamela Anderson night once in a while, does that make me a bad audiophile ?
If you like big hooters once in a while, get a VdH for your Io and enjoy
Where on this "cartridges for dummies " scale would you place the Dava ? East European parallel import ?If you like big hooters once in a while, get a VdH for your Io and enjoy
Asking for a friend !
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Where on this "cartridges for dummies " scale would you place the Dava ? East European parallel import ?
I’ll pm you cos I know Peter doesn’t like too much pollution on his threads
it's no surprise folks will prefer one system to another in any setting. as long as Peter is happy with his decision, all good.
i don't value videos much at all, so prefer not to comment. Peter, i am looking forward to hearing the new system at some point - you weren't getting me to boston for Magicos I think what's more telling is that you moved to a different amplifier manufacturer - after over 20 years!
i don't value videos much at all, so prefer not to comment. Peter, i am looking forward to hearing the new system at some point - you weren't getting me to boston for Magicos
I think what's more telling is that you moved to a different amplifier manufacturer - after over 20 years!The decision was based on the advice from a dealer I trust and respect. I wanted to stay with five boxes and he told me this was the higher value combination. I suppose we could’ve moved around a lot of boxes in Utah, but we we were busy doing other things.
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Peter can I just say I love the new sound and I own Magico speakers . For me Micro Seiki SX 8000 from the SME was the biggest change , love it .
I think this is a very pertinent discussion and something that has been on my mind for quite a while as I've been tweaking and dialing in my big horns for the last few years. I've been aiming toward a mostly natural sound myself, trying to understand what that is exactly. What I'm finding is that getting the smoothest and most extended response I can both on and off axis seems to be a big part of the equation, perhaps the biggest part for me. Another part is the getting the right amount of dispersion for the room. Narrowing the dispersion adds clarity, but widening it adds ambience and I think more naturalness. The narrow dispersion is what I think of as the hifi sound. The lack of early reflections allows almost super human hearing into the recording, but it's kind of weird at times. I'm pretty happy with the balance I have now, although I'm not as happy with the physical appearance of my speaker due to the large plastic waveguide that's become part of the sonic recipe.
Although perhaps making sense in the context of this topic thread, I have to say that except for the last 2 sentences in paragraph one this post is just bizarre; I can think of no better adjective to describe it
Although perhaps making sense in the context of this topic thread, I have to say that except for the last 2 sentences in paragraph one this post is just bizarre; I can think of no better adjective to describe it
that’s because you have not been following the discussion over the history of my former system thread. It seems out of leftfield to you.
there have been quite a few comments about the term “natural“. One person said it means whatever you want it to mean. Another comment was, “who doesn’t describe the sound of his system as “natural” - to which I responded that I did not. Prior to the thread about visiting Utah and this system thread, there was a lot of resistance to the use of the term “natural“ and confusion.
I suspect there is still some of both, but there may be a little bit more discussion and understanding.
Bizarre is fine.
Part of it is (of course) the use of videos with at most 256k AAC audio to convey the "natural sound" of an all analog system. But beyond that is the idea that members and posters here would still be attracted to the sound you call "hifi". Yes, we all "know" or have heard about so-called audiophiles who like that, but it's safe to say that members here are all pursuing what they consider to be "natural sound", even if you yourself have only recently discovered that goal (or at least the pathway to it).
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