Visit to Marc C.'s (SpiritOfMusic's) House in England

[the sound of Tao]

Literally perceiving one sense as another is uncommon but the idea of synthesis itself between the various senses is a relatively broadly understood concept. ie people tend to experience yellow as warm and uplifting, blue as cool and calming etc... and positive experiences with certain major and minor chords and ofcourse the infamous relentless burden of UK class d syndrome is also well recorded.

In a moment of complete not at all funniness though I spoke to one of my design students the other day who hails from Beijing on the consequence of living in cities where the sky is just never blue. A horrifying discussion on the nature of surviving with an ingrained lasting sense of hopelessness. Resilience relies on accessing the brighter colours both in the music and in the skies.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Graham, on that basis I'm interpreting colors more than I consider I am/give the impression I am.

Timbral accuracy, primarily thru a room which doesn't homogenise everything, and a tt which is way less euphonically coloured than my previous one (and now correctly set up), is the key to really identifying tonal and timbral cues in music, picking up on instrumental and vocal character, and seperating the different musicians in the room.

I'm not overtly hearing this as blue, orange etc.

But the spectrum via better tone and timbre is more apparent, and more varied.

Esp disc to disc, and esp w twin horns in jazz. It's been a real joy to finally fully differentiate eg WShorter and Miles in those 60s classic quintet lps. Of course they were always seperate, but the contrast is way more realistic now. Which adds immeasurably to the suspension of disbelief thing.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Colour graphemes and chromesthesia are just some of the fascinating conditions where people associate colours and forms with sound and seem rather trippy perceptual puzzles...but the whole notion that perception is even constant and linear or even temporally locked is a mind trap, jitter is everywhere as a wise man once said to me we are just one cap short of a crossover lol.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Hey Graham, nothing linear or predictable in any of this. The pieces of gear that seem to provide most color I've experienced, would soon seem a tad wearing to me.

I really like the Koda K10, the Cessaro Liszt, the Lyra Parnassus, but feel long term their character might be overbearing, despite a tonal spread that is so wide it sells itself.

For me, I've been on the hunt for gear that does the tonal saturation thing w less overt character than other fuller but overly warm gear.

So, Nat tubes in but BAT tubes out. Lyra Parnassus (too warm) and Transfiguration Orpheus (too neutral) both out, but Straingauge (warm and neutral in perfect balance) in.

My Zus, yes I cannot deny, not linear or self effacing in any way. But a real truth on tonal saturation/heft combination that I personally have not heard from any other spkr. I can't settle for less here, and so I've worked hard to open them up in other areas to make them much more balanced and even across other parameters.

The right tubes, sympathetic room, careful balance of ancilliaries/tweaks and attention to setup (esp of tt), now has got me the things Mani highlighted, and which mean most to me personally.

Those after quicksilver dynamics and sledgehammer punch in the chest a la Maxell Tape Man, or forensic unravelling of micro detail, won't find it here.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Target - Emotional saturation with warmth, light, air and shade. Expressive nuance with stretch and temporal plasticity. Dynamic with a deep and rich and full and vital range. Musically adept and captivating. Alive, poetic, meaningful, natural and authentic. My aim for both the music and the system... these are interconnected things.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Bloody Hell, Graham!

That's the pitch for a top audio company.

I'd deffo consider Sound Of Tao gear on the basis of yr words (you wouldn't be lying, and trying to reel me in, would you?).

 

[the sound of Tao]

I gave up an unrewarding career in film and television and advertising ages ago Marc. I’m now a humble landscape design teacher with a strong compass and a will to tell no more advertising lies. My special discipline is in developing sustainable landscape design and not so much in telling porkies and yes, that is my system design statement strangely enough.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mani made one more important point. That I didn't bludgeon him w high volume levels.

For me it's critical that music can stay full bodied and vital at reasonable volumes.

101dB Zus on 70W SETs w 300W Class D subs, tonally rich presentation, has resulted in me not having to turn the wick up, even in a larger than average 800 sq ft room. Bach, Miles, Hendrix, all fully saturate my space at reasonable levels.

Indeed it's been the second biggest reason I've declined the option to go to Apogees.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Graham, I ditched a corporate job where all I did was clock watch, for life as a patient centered therapist, and never looked back (other than w sheer relief).

I switched a Class D job, grey and samey, for a Class A one.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm not joking Graham, your mission statement is amazing, and right on the money re my wants from audio.

I very nearly went down the ML Prodigy panels/Musical Fidelity megaWatts path in 2005, before I auditioned the Hovland HP200 tube pre, and saw/heard The Light/Sound.

A real sliding doors moment.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I do believe it’s important to write down what you want your system (and musical appreciation) to do for you. It gives you a benchmark to aim for and then review against. The clues to get you in the right direction and back on a path are in the words. How can you achieve a target if you haven’t yet named it.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well, that's why I'm skeptical about many who claim they tick every box, or who feel every box should/can be ticked.

I kinda know that a top class ribbons system like restored Apogee FRs or Alsyvox', or top horns w the best SETs like The General's Pnoes w TMayers, or an uber SOTA rig/room like MikeL's is gonna tick close to every box.

But in the real world, yes it makes sense to work out priorities, and then work twds the best system that reflects these (mainly spkrs/amps choice).

For me, these priorities came when I was finally exposed to tubes I liked, and then the spkrs that synergised best w tubes in my large space (horns weren't really visible to me 14 years ago).

 

[Blue58]

Target - Emotional saturation with warmth, light, air and shade. Expressive nuance with stretch and temporal plasticity. Dynamic with a deep and rich and full and vital range. Musically adept and captivating. Alive, poetic, meaningful, natural and authentic. My aim for both the music and the system... these are interconnected things.

Marc, still has a long way to go then

 

[spiritofmusic]

So do you Barry.
Like, get a tt.

 

[Blue58]

So do you Barry.
Like, get a tt.

I’m thinking of starting small.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well, if you want your sound to bloom, you gotta go vinyl.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I’m thinking of starting small.
View attachment 54381

I think that could just be a technics direct drive in a new plinth... AKA the suitcase that can also be SAT upon.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm serious. Barry needs a good tt. The best demos are always vinyl thru horns.

Well, he's got the horns...

 

[the sound of Tao]

I could live happily with great analogue or great digital but ultimately I love the capacity to stream. I love streaming music.

I could live with great horns, great ribbons or great boxes and indeed I am lucky as I have lived with all three. Mostly however I love horns.

But after a huge amount of consideration I can say at this point however I can only live with SET amps. There’s much to admire in other amps but admiration isn’t really a good basis for a lasting relationship. I do completely love SET.

I could well understand if Barry doesn’t really need anything else to be completely happy.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Oh Graham, he's totally resistant to the "charms" of vinyl. One click, one pop, and he's out of the moment.

For me, the moment I start to perceive digital archetypes, the spell is also broken.

But I'm more and more accepting and impressed w the best digital, incl Barry's SGM/Aqua.

Capitalism has served audio well. Ten hifi nuts can have ten superbly optimised systems w ten hugely different outcomes.

Agree 100% w you re SETS. This pretty much precludes everything except Zus and horns in my personal circumstances, incl 800 sq ft space.