Boconnor, if you believe all that, you really need better speakers.
Yes indeed. Working on that right now.
Also digital room correction, multi-channel concert hall impulse reverbs and all manner of juicy speaker/room stuff. Keeps the DIYer in me happy.
Again it implies - save for the speaker - a $50 CD player and chipamp operating within limits are at the theoretical necessary limits of perfect audio accuracy. Curiously few are fooled by the 'reproduction' of any but the simplest sounds. For those who live for recordings of cheap electronic telephones, the quest is ended.
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Its because nonlinearitioes in transducers basically don't matter and attempts to "improve" things along this line haven't worked. There is no point in researching and developing things that don't matter and that is reflected in the fact that nothing is done.
It would be easy to "crack" if that would make any difference. The harder thing to "crack" is if its not nonlinearity then what is it?
The only reason why I'm asking for brand and model names is to try and understand what you regard as perfect.
As far as electronics goes - Ah - virtually all of it!
That would better suit those who speak of "accurate and real" sound in their rooms playing recorded music.Problem with them is that they are not disappointed comparing an audio system with real live music.There is no more unrealistic view of perfection than this.
Perhaps I expect to much, to me almost perfect is very hard to find.
If its inaudible then its perfect enough. Anything more than that is a waste.
Don't let the quest for an unobtainable and unnecessary degree of perfection be the reason for discontent.
How amusing. I view almost all electronic equipment (like most loudspeakers) as rubbish.
But then, I do listen to them
do any of you guys actually GET to a stage of being able to listen to your system with pleasure??
I mean how can you
Or are you always evaluating your system and moaning about how poor it is.
I think you might need a different hobby.
I didn't say ALL equipment, and I am actually happy with the sound from my system.
Infact, apart from the speakers that I am currently building, I have not bought a new piece of equipment in the last 5 years.
However, when I listen to most of the electronics that are comercially available, I think it is rubbish.
Do you guys ever base a statement on evidence? I think you need some basic courses in logic.
When you asked that question: did you happen to look in the mirror?
What does a statement of emotional involvement no matter what reproduction have to do with evidence?
After years of hunting after "sound" I based my system on a put together computer: all hard drive, build in multi-format player, sound card, and smpa build into my speakers.
Threw out oodles of unnecessary cables and run spdif to the smpa direct.
Everything else - except the phono preamp - is internal to the media computer. And if find a decent card that includes phono preamp and a not too expensive riaa equalizer and denoiser program that phono preamp will be on its way out too - one less set of cables as well.
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It's true, we only disagree on what is "inaudible", obviously that will not be the same for everybody.
to be honest not too sure where you're coming from.
It was a serious question.
I thank my lucky stars that I have gotten my system to a point where I cannot imagine getting onto the merry-go-round of worrying about cables, isolation cones, this dac vs that dac yada yada.
''you guys''? that must come straight out of a logic course, but then again I wouldn't know as I have not done one.
In any case I have said it before, to be chasing improvements by cable swapping is only snipping at the edges.
and modern electronics.
whenever I mention that andre agrees with me (esp regarding room treatments) and I have been rude in not acknowledging him previously. IF you have your speakers sorted, and IF you have your room sorted, then yeah if you wish go for the cable gig.
However, you will find (general comment of course) that the overwhelming majority of pro cable comments never mention the vastly more important things like speakers and room.
I for one would be far happier if cables were relegated to their true position on the relative importance scale...meh.
Andre, can you give us a rundown on your room treatments?? Perhaps before and after measurements??
Being a diy guy, I can assume the cables you prefer do not necessarily fall into the ripoff category that the typical audiophile falls for, but even so can you articulate the relative improvements brought between cables changes and proper and comprehensive room treatment?
dcathro, thanks for your response. when you mention modern electronics (vs your own-I presume-diy stuff) what are we talking here...did you build your own cdp for example, a dac (own design?), amps and preamps, what??
Terry,
Semi DIY - I worked in London on the pro audio side for many years (mastering) and made friends with a designer who's equipment I found to be good. I use his circuits and work on areas which I have found to be of benefit such as removing un-necessary (for me) sections, beefing up the power supplies, etc.
I find component choice - especially caps - makes a small audible difference that adds up in a complete circuit - I have heard the same circuits sound both good and really bad.
The CD player is a prototype player that has never been commercially released, and is based on a straight 16 bit technology - tda1541.
The pre is a class A, single stage, phase inverting unit based around a pair of $2 transistors - the rest is all power supply and a pot.
The power amp is a 120 watt class A/B amp, again with an overrated psu.
I haven't changed any equipment for quite a number of years, but I guess every 6 months I will have some hair brained idea to try some change in one of the circuits. Currently I am in the middle of building my last (I hope) set of speakers.
I have been using the same cables for the past 12 years.
Cheers
David
thanks dcathro.
we all have our own views on this crazy thing called audio..or is that love??..but I do admire those that actually find out for themselves.
sounds like you have done that.
on an aside, I am very much of the opinion (as you may have guessed) that once the speakers and room are sorted, we can pretty well forget the rest. others will disagree.
BUT, I do feel the greatest current barrier to good sound is actually the recording, there can be shocking ones but then again some magnificent ones can pop up from the most unexpected places (I have in mind royksopp if you can believe it...for lack of a better term disco pop...but my god the soundstage and quality is breathtaking)
to that end your comment about mastering and your participation in that, would you at least agree that a well recorded album puts any hardware changes in the shade???
there was a puff piece on six moons once, from vague memory something like 'fragile souls'?? brett will prob have the link..anyway a very interesting read of the differing philosophies at play here.
forget electronics etc, give me a good recording any day.
we all have our own views on this crazy thing called audio..or is that love??..but I do admire those that actually find out for themselves.
sounds like you have done that.
on an aside, I am very much of the opinion (as you may have guessed) that once the speakers and room are sorted, we can pretty well forget the rest. others will disagree.
BUT, I do feel the greatest current barrier to good sound is actually the recording, there can be shocking ones but then again some magnificent ones can pop up from the most unexpected places (I have in mind royksopp if you can believe it...for lack of a better term disco pop...but my god the soundstage and quality is breathtaking)
to that end your comment about mastering and your participation in that, would you at least agree that a well recorded album puts any hardware changes in the shade???
there was a puff piece on six moons once, from vague memory something like 'fragile souls'?? brett will prob have the link..anyway a very interesting read of the differing philosophies at play here.
forget electronics etc, give me a good recording any day.
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