On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 02:32:47 GMT, Jenn
wrote:


Yes, of course. I'm the one who listens to my system. If the
colorations sound more like live music, why shouldn't I?

There's an interesting point here. The objectivists assume that the
goal of hi-fi is the reproduction of what's on the CD with minimum
added distortion. Yet we all know that even with the best
equipment--and of course only George has that--CDs do NOT sound like
live music---let's admit that straight up. So if reproduction with
minimum distortion does not produce the desired effect, what is wrong
with accepting distortion that gives a better ILLUSION of the real
event? For instance, someone elsewhere (Howard?) cites the high
distortion of tube amps, but does not mention that much of that
distortion is the "sweet" sounding second harmonic, rather than
typical 3rd harmonic of SS amps. Since so many audiophiles prefer tube
amps, it stands to reason something is being added to the sound that
provides a better illusion of the live performance (since we know tube
amps are not REMOVING something that is present in SS amps). Perhaps a
similar analogy exists with LPs v. CDs. So is the goal of hi-fi the
mathematically correct reproduction of the CD, or a reproduction,
albeit with distortion added, that somehow better renders the illusion
of a live performance? (And let's face it, the whole reproductive
process is ILLUSORY).

Incidentally, lest anyone think we're discussing biology, that should
probably be "process of sound reproduction".

And that's exactly my point. My system's job (and the job of the
software) is to please me, and me alone.

Very narcissistically put, Jenn.

How my system can please me is
to give the best representation of acoustic music possible. If a
recording is bad, what good does it do me if that bad sound is
reproduced with "accuracy" in my hope?

Not sure what the last three words mean.

I want that recording to sound as good as it can.

The problem is. so many CDs are the result of what some hack engineer
thinks a symphony orchestra sounds like. Many add reverb to make the
recording venue sound larger, which muddies and harshens the sound.
But what does a symphony orchestra sound like anyway? I've heard many,
and they all sound different even in the same hall. And of course all
halls sound different. So you're not after "the sound of a symphony
orchestra" as a fixed parameter, you're after the ILLUSION of a
symphony orchestra, and anything that aids in the creation of that
illusion, that increases the "musicality" of the sound, will increase
your success in getting pleasure from your hobby. And of course if you
don't get pleasure from it, what's the point? You may as well be like
Arnie and sit watching a multimeter all day (Hi, Arnie!).

If it turns other people on to have the highest degree of accuracy to
the original recording possible, that's good for those people, and I can
understand that aspect of the hobby; I just don't happen to share that
goal if it's to the detriment of the music. Also, I want to point out
that all of this is a matter of degree and of compromises. Let's use a
metaphor of our sense of sight as an example. I recently saw a photo of
my elderly aunt Rose Marie. The photo was nice, and I was present when
it was taken a month or so ago. But the color of her hair was off. I
could tell that it was supposed to be her hair, but the color was
obviously different from her hair color, and everyone seeing the picture
agrees with that. Similarly, in the case of the clarinets, I've never
heard a recording where the clarinets sound so atypical that I thought
they were trumpets. But I often hear recorded clarinet sounds that are
so off in fundamental ways that it's jarring when I hear them. THAT'S
what bothers me. I'm jarred in that way with the vast majority of CDs
of violins playing above about C6, for example.

Answers on the back of a crumpled envelope and addressed to "Paul in
OZ.", with as much money enclosed as you can afford. :-)

I see you haven't addressed yourself to the mercenary coda of my post.
Does this mean I shouldn't expect a contribution from you any time
soon?