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#1
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Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm
considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com |
#2
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"Ken Bouchard" wrote in message
... Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. While I have no personal experience with them apart from hearing a few things played back on them (which sounded plenty fine to me) A cousin of mine, who is a pretty level-headed audiophile (IOW, he doesn't spend $450 for an A/C power cable, thinking it will improve his sound) has raved about them. I don't know which model he's got, though, but I'm pretty sure he's used at least a couple of theirs over the years and really seems to like them. FWIW, YMV, ETC. -- Neil Henderson Progressive Rock http://www.saqqararecords.com |
#3
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#4
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In my experience, they have been smooth, clean, and very listenable.
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#5
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Ken Bouchard wrote:
Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. They require radically different arm configurations, but the DJ-100 is more apt to track properly on a heavy arm than most of the other Grados. They have a very lush lower midrange. They actually have separation and top end, unlike the Stanton stuff. 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com Are you talking about working with 78s? Who has 78 styli for the Grados, other than the normal 2.7 mil one? The Stanton 681 really is a better choice for 78s, because the lack of top end detail and separation are a non-issue, and the extreme ruggedness of the 681 is a big deal. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#6
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I just remembered something "bad."
They tend to have low damping. This can cause problems in some arms -- especially high-mass designs -- with wobbling and other LF effects. |
#7
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William Sommerwerck wrote:
I just remembered something "bad." They tend to have low damping. This can cause problems in some arms -- especially high-mass designs -- with wobbling and other LF effects. Agreed, they are not as well-damped as Shures. People also sometimes complain about hum pickup from turntables with poorly-shielded motors. |
#8
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"Ken Bouchard" wrote in message ...
Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com I'd agree with Mr. Kruegers comments, and would add that over the decades Ortofon has marketed solid, budget range cartridges like the old FF15E Mk II which sold for $40 and (if remember the designation right) the VMS models which went bewteen $65-120. The competitiveness of these, and the good customer response, was repeated in fairly regular fashion as the models changed over time. Maybe someone here has some experience with Ortofon's current afforable products and can offer input. |
#9
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I have used Grado's over several years (from the Sig 8). Right now,
using the Platinum wood body. They sound very good. I know that with direct drive tables, they 'might' hum, but that had to do with the shielding of the tt motor. Medium mass arms are good for them. Ken Bouchard wrote: Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com |
#10
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I've used Grados a lot, and the more expensive ones, particularly, sound
very nice. They have a slightly warm coloration which tends to offset the too-bright coloration of far too many records, especially from the later LP eras. Down sides: There can be a tendency to wobble on warped records, particularly "dish" warps, which have a higher frequency. This gets worse as the cartridge gets older, and can be alleviated by replacing the stylus. The ideal arm for a Grado is a medium mass one which isn't super-low-friction; a tiny bit of frictional damping isn't a bad thing in a Grado's case. Also, as mentioned, they do pick up hum from synchronous motors, such as those found in the AR turntables and some Linns. They have no problems with direct-drive tables, in my experience. Up sides: They are quite uncritical about capacitative loading. And they can be *very* nice for playing 78s, again as long as the 78 isn't warped. Keep a Stanton 500 around for those discs. The "DJ" Grado is, I think, a version of the least expensive one. You'd probably get better results from one of the more expensive units; they're still pretty reasonable for the first few steps. And the "selection of 5 styli" -- are you sure that's not just a 5-pack of the same stylus? That would seem like a reasonable package for DJing. Peace, Paul |
#12
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Dansteel said:
I'd agree with Mr. Kruegers comments, and would add that over the decades Ortofon has marketed solid, budget range cartridges like the old FF15E Mk II which sold for $40 and (if remember the designation right) the VMS models which went bewteen $65-120. The competitiveness of these, and the good customer response, was repeated in fairly regular fashion as the models changed over time. Maybe someone here has some experience with Ortofon's current afforable products and can offer input. The OM-20 retails for $195, but it can be found new for as low as $109.95. It has a real smooth, non-fatiguing sound that many people like a lot. It seems to be the opposite of the Audio-Technica AT-440ML, which is a good $100 cartridge, but not to everyone's liking. Boon |
#13
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Mr. Phillips said wrote:
Dansteel said: I'd agree with Mr. Kruegers comments, and would add that over the decades Ortofon has marketed solid, budget range cartridges like the old FF15E Mk II which sold for $40 and (if remember the designation right) the VMS models which went bewteen $65-120. The competitiveness of these, and the good customer response, was repeated in fairly regular fashion as the models changed over time. Maybe someone here has some experience with Ortofon's current afforable products and can offer input. The OM-20 retails for $195, but it can be found new for as low as $109.95. It has a real smooth, non-fatiguing sound that many people like a lot. It seems to be the opposite of the Audio-Technica AT-440ML, which is a good $100 cartridge, but not to everyone's liking. Boon Just to add my ..02 worth, I've had no experience with Orotofon or Audio Technica cartridges, but have had a favorable experience with the classic Shure multi-radial in the past - it seems to track anything. I've also had very good luck with a wide range of different Grado models, using either Eminent Technology, Audioquest, or VPI arms. They tend to have relatively high outputs, which may be an advantage, depending on your system requirements. Also, they tend to have a relatively lush, musical midrange, with no loss of detail (especially when price is taken into consideration). Bruce J. Richman |
#14
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![]() "Arny Krueger" wrote I think that Grado has done a good job of competing with Shure, who I perceive to be the 500 pound gorilla in this market segment. 500 pound gorilla ... quack, quack, quack. I don't have a lot of respect for the Stanton line of cartridges. How would you know? I’ve had 2 - Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and they are a good performers. But with an output of 0.7mV they will tax the lesser phono pre-amps, compared to the 5.0 mV outputs of AT440, Grado Red and Blue, for example. The Stanton 881 Mk II S cartridge is a fine performer, too. There have been occasions where I preferred this cartridge for transcription work over a MC. The output voltage is also low at 0.9mV. These are all good entry level phono cartridges (Shure, Stanton, Grado and AT. The manufacturing cost to employ efficient mechanical to electrical voltage (transducer) has trade-offs at this price point. It would be pointless to stereotype an entire product line without taking into consideration several other issues. Each has a slightly different voice and variations from table to table they are installed on can exist. Never have, and what I see of their current cartridge line doesn't excite me. Really, what empirical experiences are you bring to the table? Please state make and model of Stanton and technical and subjective deficiencies? I pray this isn’t another *you just know* maundering ![]() |
#15
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Powell wrote:
"Arny Krueger" wrote I think that Grado has done a good job of competing with Shure, who I perceive to be the 500 pound gorilla in this market segment. 500 pound gorilla ... quack, quack, quack. If it quacks like a duck.... I don't have a lot of respect for the Stanton line of cartridges. How would you know? From time to time I've had at least 5. I have 3 right now. I've had 2 - Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and they are a good performers. If they are good enough for you, enjoy! But with an output of 0.7mV they will tax the lesser phono pre-amps, compared to the 5.0 mV outputs of AT440, Grado Red and Blue, for example. The Stanton 881 Mk II S cartridge is a fine performer, too. There have been occasions where I preferred this cartridge for transcription work over a MC. The output voltage is also low at 0.9mV. I've always had premps with more than enough gain. Cartridge output within a broad range means very little to me. These are all good entry level phono cartridges (Shure, Stanton, Grado and AT. IME Grado and Shure have an performance advantage. The manufacturing cost to employ efficient mechanical to electrical voltage (transducer) has trade-offs at this price point. In the days when vinyl was all we had, there were patents issues. It would be pointless to stereotype an entire product line without taking into consideration several other issues. Each has a slightly different voice and variations from table to table they are installed on can exist. I've owned maybe 5-7 turntables. Never have, and what I see of their current cartridge line doesn't excite me. Really, what empirical experiences are you bring to the table? The Stantons that I have in my possession and have used in the past year. Please state make and model of Stanton and technical and subjective deficiencies? You're not worth the trouble, Mr. quack, quack, ...quack. |
#16
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(Thomas A) wrote in message . com...
(dansteel) wrote in message . com... "Ken Bouchard" wrote in message ... Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com I'd agree with Mr. Kruegers comments, and would add that over the decades Ortofon has marketed solid, budget range cartridges like the old FF15E Mk II which sold for $40 and (if remember the designation right) the VMS models which went bewteen $65-120. The competitiveness of these, and the good customer response, was repeated in fairly regular fashion as the models changed over time. Maybe someone here has some experience with Ortofon's current afforable products and can offer input. I'm using the Shure V15VxMR myself but the Ortofon OM40 is a high class cartridge. The OM20 cart + OM40 replacement stylus can be bought today. The OM40 is the recommended choice after tests made by Swedish Audio-Technical Society. I've been using the FF15 MkII, VMS30, OM30 in the past, and been happy with these. T Thanks for adding the OM series to the topic. I was impressed with many of the attribute of the OM 20's & 30's on our excellent (for the money ) Harman-Kardon T-60,65, series turntables. I also remember them doing well on Black Widow, Grace 707, and Formula IV tonearms, as well as on the budget Connisseur turntables. I haven't metnioned the Ortofon MC's as I didn't think they apllied to the original poster's situation, but I really liked my first MC-20. |
#17
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Powell wrote:
How would you know? I’ve had 2 - Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and they are a good performers. But with an output of 0.7mV they will tax the lesser phono pre-amps, compared to the 5.0 mV outputs of AT440, Grado Red and Blue, for example. The Stanton 881 Mk II S cartridge is a fine performer, too. There have been occasions where I preferred this cartridge for transcription work over a MC. The output voltage is also low at 0.9mV. I'd tend to agree with Arny on this one... the top end detail and sense of air on the 681 and 881 cartridges are lacking, probably due to poor transient response. And the separation, especially at higher frequencies, is much poorer than on something like the AT440. Not to mention the ability to track wide excursions is not so hot. But, they are just wonderful cartridges for 78 work, where the huge variety of styli is a big deal, and where the lack of top end detail isn't an issue at all. These are all good entry level phono cartridges (Shure, Stanton, Grado and AT. The manufacturing cost to employ efficient mechanical to electrical voltage (transducer) has trade-offs at this price point. It would be pointless to stereotype an entire product line without taking into consideration several other issues. Each has a slightly different voice and variations from table to table they are installed on can exist. Absolutely, and that's why it's important to select the cartridge for the arm and table, and for the coloration that you personally can live with. The AT440 will outtrack anything else in that price range, for instance, but the top end is a little harsh and it requires adjustable VTA to get the separation optimized. The Grados have a wonderfully lush lower midrange and good top end detail, but they will oscillate out of control on many arms because the resonant frequency winds up too high and gets excited by even minor warpage. Never have, and what I see of their current cartridge line doesn't excite me. Really, what empirical experiences are you bring to the table? Please state make and model of Stanton and technical and subjective deficiencies? I pray this isn’t another *you just know* maundering ![]() Somewhere around here I have square wave plots of the 681EEE vs. the low end Adcom MC cartridges, and the difference is pretty amazing. On the other hand, the 681 is a great cartridge for evaluating test pressings... if it will track on a 681, it's ready to ship, but if it can't be tracked with a 681, customers will complain. Lots of stuff out there will track wonderfully on an AT440 or the V-15, which will just plain make a 681 skip. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#18
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![]() "Arny Krueger" wrote I've had 2 - Stanton 681EEE Mk IIs and they are a good performers. If they are good enough for you, enjoy! Sorry, wish I could. I’ve damaged almost every cartridge I’ve ever purchased... from $40 to $650. Recently took out the 881, too. I have a new rule, don’t let people at parties play with the stereo equipment. Down to a AT OC9... ticktock, ticktock, ticktock ![]() But with an output of 0.7mV they will tax the lesser phono pre-amps, compared to the 5.0 mV outputs of AT440, Grado Red and Blue, for example. The Stanton 881 Mk II S cartridge is a fine performer, too. There have been occasions where I preferred this cartridge for transcription work over a MC. The output voltage is also low at 0.9mV. I've always had premps with more than enough gain. Cartridge output within a broad range means very little to me. "means very little to me"... I guess we can forgo any meaningful discussion regarding cartridge load settings, too. Please state make and model of Stanton and technical and subjective deficiencies? You're not worth the trouble, Mr. quack, quack, ...quack. Hehehe... like water off a duck's back, Arny . |
#19
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Powell wrote:
"Arny Krueger" wrote I've always had premps with more than enough gain. Cartridge output within a broad range means very little to me. "means very little to me"... I guess we can forgo any meaningful discussion regarding cartridge load settings, too. That's a completely different issue, particularly with Shure cartridges. A wide variety of timbres are available, if you vary thecapacitive loading. My Holman preamp has a built-in switch for that purpose. Once upon a time I built some preamps with a similar feature. That's one of the compare-and-contrasts between Grado and Shure cartridges. The Shure cartridges are less sensitive to tone arm mass, and the Grado cartridges are less sensitive to cartridge capacitive loading. Stantons are also less sensitive to cartrdige capacitive loading. |
#20
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Powell said:
Sorry, wish I could. Ive damaged almost every cartridge Ive ever purchased... from $40 to $650. Recently took out the 881, too. I have a new rule, dont let people at parties play with the stereo equipment. Down to a AT OC9... ticktock, ticktock, ticktock ![]() It's gotten to the point where I'm thinking about getting a cheap cartridge so I can use it whenever I break my expensive one. Boon |
#21
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I have an Ortofon DN 165E cartridge in my old Sony PS-X5 turntable.
Does anyone know anything about either of these units? I haven't used the table in 4-5 years, becuse it's anti-skate control is messed up. In fact I am really wanting to get an new phono preamp (my preamps do not have one) so I can listen to the old vinyl, but finding someone to work on the thing is becoming a problem. I did find some very interesting info on some affordable phono pres that are out there ($250-400 range) that are supposed to sound very good. Tim T |
#22
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Hello Ken
I cannot comment on the Grado DJ-100 but to say that ime the grado's give excellent performance at very low prices compared to the competition. So I would imagine they are good. But the Stanton DJ cartridges are designed to with stand the riggers of back que-ing that will destroy a normal cart in no time at all. If the Grado are also designed for back que-ing ? then they are likely to be a good buy. Chris. "Ken Bouchard" wrote in message ... Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com |
#23
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yes, the DJ100 is built "heavy duty" to withstand the rigors of dj use and
the harsh treatment of old 78's. No, the styli available with a "Grado" are not simply a 5 pack of the same stylus but rather a full range of different sizes much like those available for the Stanton 500 but don't cost as much, I got a DJ100 with a 3.5 mil stylus mounted in a "universal" head-shell for $40 less than the Stanton (and that was with the Grado cart. costing more than twice the Stanton 500!) and from what I'm reading here, the Grado is at least as good as the Stanton. (also, KAB was out of stock and since custom styli come from the UK, estimate was 10 weeks for a 500 stylus) thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com "chris" wrote in message ... Hello Ken I cannot comment on the Grado DJ-100 but to say that ime the grado's give excellent performance at very low prices compared to the competition. So I would imagine they are good. But the Stanton DJ cartridges are designed to with stand the riggers of back que-ing that will destroy a normal cart in no time at all. If the Grado are also designed for back que-ing ? then they are likely to be a good buy. Chris. "Ken Bouchard" wrote in message ... Anybody got anything good or bad to say about Grado cartridges? I'm considering their DJ-100 because it has five various sized styli that will fit it and these cost less than the Stanton ones. thanks, -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com -- 1st Class Restoration "Put your old music on CD" www.dvbaudiorestoration.com |
#24
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![]() "Arny Krueger" wrote in message ... That's one of the compare-and-contrasts between Grado and Shure cartridges. The Shure cartridges are less sensitive to tone arm mass, and the Grado cartridges are less sensitive to cartridge capacitive loading. Yes, but it's *SO* much easier to try a few 10 cent capacitors across the pre-amp input, than to change tone arms :-) TonyP. |
#25
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TonyP wrote:
"Arny Krueger" wrote in message ... That's one of the compare-and-contrasts between Grado and Shure cartridges. The Shure cartridges are less sensitive to tone arm mass, and the Grado cartridges are less sensitive to cartridge capacitive loading. Yes, but it's *SO* much easier to try a few 10 cent capacitors across the pre-amp input, than to change tone arms :-) I agree and I've definately done so myself on numerous occasions. Surprisingly, there seem to be a lot of audiophiles who feel differently. Probably, a big part of the problem is that the right way to do this involves also having a test record and doing some frequency response measurements. |
#26
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![]() "Arny Krueger" wrote in message ... TonyP wrote: Yes, but it's *SO* much easier to try a few 10 cent capacitors across the pre-amp input, than to change tone arms :-) I agree and I've definately done so myself on numerous occasions. Surprisingly, there seem to be a lot of audiophiles who feel differently. Probably, a big part of the problem is that the right way to do this involves also having a test record and doing some frequency response measurements. I do of course, but if someone can't tell what sounds right to them, then they probably don't need to worry anyway. However many audiophiles like to adjust frequency response by changing the most expensive components instead. And would NEVER use a tone control :-) TonyP. |
#27
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TonyP wrote:
"Arny Krueger" wrote in message ... TonyP wrote: Yes, but it's *SO* much easier to try a few 10 cent capacitors across the pre-amp input, than to change tone arms :-) I agree and I've definitely done so myself on numerous occasions. Surprisingly, there seem to be a lot of audiophiles who feel differently. Probably, a big part of the problem is that the right way to do this involves also having a test record and doing some frequency response measurements. I do of course, but if someone can't tell what sounds right to them, then they probably don't need to worry anyway. We seem to see a number of people who only know what sounds wrong to them. However many audiophiles like to adjust frequency response by changing the most expensive components instead. And would NEVER use a tone control :-) All too true. I've seen a ton of bitching about the sound quality of Shure cartridges from people who have no concept of adjusting capacitive loading. |
#28
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I do of course, but if someone can't tell what sounds right to them,
then they probably don't need to worry anyway. We seem to see a number of people who only know what sounds wrong to them. A good point. If you're picking equipment on the basis of euphony or "musicality," why do you need a reviewer to tell you what you like? |
#29
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William Sommerwerck wrote:
I do of course, but if someone can't tell what sounds right to them, then they probably don't need to worry anyway. We seem to see a number of people who only know what sounds wrong to them. A good point. If you're picking equipment on the basis of euphony or "musicality," why do you need a reviewer to tell you what you like? Because a good reviewer will tell you that. A good reviewer will say, "This measured this way, but it sounded this other way to me. It sounds brighter than the model X and less bright than the model Y, and it has a particular thing going on in the upper midrange like model Z." This lets you get some vague sort of sense about how it sounds, or at least how it doesn't sound. It's nowhere near enough information to pick equipment, but it should be enough to specifically rule out some gear, and give you a short list of equipment to audition. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#30
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Ken Bouchard wrote:
yes, the DJ100 is built "heavy duty" to withstand the rigors of dj use and the harsh treatment of old 78's. It also has very different compliance than the regular Grado line, and so it is less likely to go into bizarre dance movements if you put it on a heavy arm. No, the styli available with a "Grado" are not simply a 5 pack of the same stylus but rather a full range of different sizes much like those available for the Stanton 500 but don't cost as much, I got a DJ100 with a 3.5 mil stylus mounted in a "universal" head-shell for $40 less than the Stanton (and that was with the Grado cart. costing more than twice the Stanton 500!) and from what I'm reading here, the Grado is at least as good as the Stanton. (also, KAB was out of stock and since custom styli come from the UK, estimate was 10 weeks for a 500 stylus) It'll check out the KAB set! --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#31
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A good point. If you're picking equipment on the basis of euphony or
"musicality," why do you need a reviewer to tell you what you like? Because a good reviewer will tell you that. A good reviewer will say, "This measured this way, but it sounded this other way to me. It sounds brighter than the model X and less bright than the model Y, and it has a particular thing going on in the upper midrange like model Z." This lets you get some vague sort of sense about how it sounds, or at least how it doesn't sound. It's nowhere near enough information to pick equipment, but it should be enough to specifically rule out some gear, and give you a short list of equipment to audition. You're right, but I'm thinking in broader terms -- "euphony versus accuracy." Telling the reader what something really (???) sounds like is certainly useful, but I was much more interested in determining whether it was literally accurate, something that wasn't of much interest to the editor, publisher, or readers of Stereophile. This wasn't the main reason, but it was _one_ reason I stopped reviewing. |
#32
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William Sommerwerck wrote:
I do of course, but if someone can't tell what sounds right to them, then they probably don't need to worry anyway. We seem to see a number of people who only know what sounds wrong to them. A good point. If you're picking equipment on the basis of euphony or "musicality," why do you need a reviewer to tell you what you like? Because so many aspects of euphony are generalized. Example: absence of high-order nonlinear distortion. This would be a classic parameter for people who like to (correctly) claim that THD measurements are a lot less meaningful than we might like them to be. |
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