On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 06:20:08 -0800, Bryan wrote:

OK, I'll bite. What's a valve amp? Sounds like some kind of water-cooled
equipment. :-) I wasn't considering components, if that's what that is,
nor tube equipment. I don't think I really want to sink a lot of time,

grin Ahh... you arn't in the UK are you? lol!
Sorry, Bryan, its a "tube" amp. They don't *have* to be super-expensive
and esoteric you know! Some of them are actually cheaper than many
transistorised (or IC'd...) amps. They are not "clean" amps. They
introduce distortion. However, they tend to do this in a manner that
sometimes makes the music sound "smooth" and as if it has real dynamics.
Some say that this isn't "hi-fi", but it certainly makes for comfortable
listening.

energy and capital into finding the perfect sound system. So I gather
from this thread that we really can't reproduce "realism" consistently, so
just find something that you're satisfied with. Maybe in 100 more years
or so, technology will have advanced far enough to be able to consistently
do what I'm asking for. Just tell your holodeck "I want Diana Krall to
sing to me" and it happens. I think I'm living in the wrong century. ;-)


erm... maybe... :-)
With a suitable system it is *easier* to fool your ears - making it easier
to convince yourself that you are listening to reality. You don't really
need to obtain realism in order to believe that you are hearing it. The
brain is quite willing to fill in the missing info and "correct" what it
gets from the ears with enough lies to make it believable... At least for
some of the time!

Anyhow, since this is an opinion group, I'll give my opinion about music
reproduction. I think we are so used to heavily processed, and/or badly
recorded or played-back music, that we as a culture have almost forgotten
what live music sounds like. Live music was the *only* music until about
100 years ago. But we've become so removed from the performance that
we're satisfied with the electronic version. Geez, even live concerts are
heavily processed though electronics. That's OK I guess... until holodecks
are invented anyway. :-)

All of this stems just from my own preference to acoustic instruments and
vocals. I understand that people like synthesized music -- and after all,
music is music no matter what the medium. I suppose I'm just complaining
that those who like synthesized music have an easier time than I finding a
satisfying sound system. ;-)


It isn't easy finding music with *no* electronics added nowadays, is it?
There is usually a PA at least.

Don't listen to the stereo system - listen to the music.

--
Mick
(no M$ software on here... :-) )
Web: http://www.nascom.info
Web: http://projectedsound.tk