How close is it to "perfection"? Or has it reached perfection? No precision read outs, strictly judging by your capable listening power. Lets say base it out of a 1 - 10 scale. A ten being perfect.
I'm going to rate mine 9, solid 9 I figure I could use something else. I am using large stand mounts that could easily use good sounding subwoofer help at times. It could just as easily bring sq on the down spiral. For now I give mine a solid 9 rating, hovering by 10 often.
I'm going to rate mine 9, solid 9 I figure I could use something else. I am using large stand mounts that could easily use good sounding subwoofer help at times. It could just as easily bring sq on the down spiral. For now I give mine a solid 9 rating, hovering by 10 often.
I am getting there! My hearing is really bad. Higher Hz from about 3k are almost gone. Tweeters need to be loud and clear, but not too much or they couse listening fatigue. Best solution so far are 1" compression drivers with a short hornloading, almost as seen in bullet tweeters. Found the grommet between circulation pump and sump in Miele dishwashers to do the trick🙂! Just cut off the straight bit. Flush mounted.
My system is not perfect and I stopped wanting it to be perfect so it will never be as perfection simply does not exist. I decided on this as I was, like many other audio persons, busy for decades with technical stuff and understanding stuff in depth. Now that I think a 7.5 to 8 is good enough I simply use my equipment and am more into material (new, not going back in time) to playback. More satisfying. After having seen middle aged men that have houses full of parts and smelly old stuff and a special "path" to navigate through all that sadness that maybe is better for peace of mind as well. Less is more indeed.
A second thing that I noticed is that some that have very good/excellent and also often non standardized (don't bring a normal DAC) systems only play back the same material over and over again which is somewhat odd. Why invest so much money and time to hear the same 5 records for 30 years?
A second thing that I noticed is that some that have very good/excellent and also often non standardized (don't bring a normal DAC) systems only play back the same material over and over again which is somewhat odd. Why invest so much money and time to hear the same 5 records for 30 years?
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I wanted to start a new thread where we could discuss listening Fatigue.
Being a good boy. I did my obligatory search on this forum and google to see if its been covered and I cam across this post.
I share what I learn about audio on my FB page. One of the first posts I made was about placement of speakers. And how even the cheapest amps and speakers like Intex IT2000 blew my mind with its sound. And how I realized one of the main reasons was placement of speakers. i.e. To the right and left of my laptop and at ear level.
The 2nd post I made was about my ears. As a kid I was involved in a lot of street fights. So both my ears are punctured. They did self heal but I imagine some damage is there.
The long and short of it is what sounds good to one ear does not sound good to another and one of the key reasons for this is what frequencies our ear can hear. And it changes with age and other factors.
The best work done here I feel is adapt sound esp on my Samsung Note 9. It plays a series of tones and asks you what you can hear or not hear. And then it creates a custom sound profile for your ear. If you do not want to do this it has pre-set options where you just pick your age and it uses a profile for your age.
Did I tell you I just love the dac on my Exynos Note 9.
One of the reasons I feel any amp sounds good in my home is because I power them all from my Phones Jack. Yes it had a jack.
It also has dolby which I don't much care for. And it also has simulate a tube amp. Which again I dont much care for.
But what an amazing bit of kit is the dacs and phones we get.
Only one problem you have to be careful what you plug into the jack. As one time at a friends house. there was something wrong with his amp. And plugging in my phone took out the audio I had to learn how to repair phones to fix it lol. Samsung wanted to replace the complete board.
So for those who have phones with this tech. Check it out and enjoy the music. I know it blew my mind the first time I tried it.
Now do I start a thread dedicated to discussing Listening Fatigue or keep searching lol.
Being a good boy. I did my obligatory search on this forum and google to see if its been covered and I cam across this post.
I share what I learn about audio on my FB page. One of the first posts I made was about placement of speakers. And how even the cheapest amps and speakers like Intex IT2000 blew my mind with its sound. And how I realized one of the main reasons was placement of speakers. i.e. To the right and left of my laptop and at ear level.
The 2nd post I made was about my ears. As a kid I was involved in a lot of street fights. So both my ears are punctured. They did self heal but I imagine some damage is there.
The long and short of it is what sounds good to one ear does not sound good to another and one of the key reasons for this is what frequencies our ear can hear. And it changes with age and other factors.
The best work done here I feel is adapt sound esp on my Samsung Note 9. It plays a series of tones and asks you what you can hear or not hear. And then it creates a custom sound profile for your ear. If you do not want to do this it has pre-set options where you just pick your age and it uses a profile for your age.
Did I tell you I just love the dac on my Exynos Note 9.
One of the reasons I feel any amp sounds good in my home is because I power them all from my Phones Jack. Yes it had a jack.
It also has dolby which I don't much care for. And it also has simulate a tube amp. Which again I dont much care for.
But what an amazing bit of kit is the dacs and phones we get.
Only one problem you have to be careful what you plug into the jack. As one time at a friends house. there was something wrong with his amp. And plugging in my phone took out the audio I had to learn how to repair phones to fix it lol. Samsung wanted to replace the complete board.
So for those who have phones with this tech. Check it out and enjoy the music. I know it blew my mind the first time I tried it.
Now do I start a thread dedicated to discussing Listening Fatigue or keep searching lol.
I have seen an heard about a few people gone down that path and it is quite scary... I strive for a minimal system build but are not giving up o reaching a 9,5 😉
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The technology is called Adapt Sound. It boosts frequencies that our ear cant pickup. Either due to age or damage. Its there is most smart phones. At least Samsung has it.
I got a listening session in on Sunday night and it occured to me that my system sounds perfect, just the way I want. Now I've got several friends who also have achieved perfection via a different route, but there are truly "many roads" which will get you there.
My system:
DL-103R
Cinemag step up
"Members only" preamp (I build them)
McIntosh Mc30 and some old altecs.
It is still pretty unbelievable every time I turn it on. I dont need any more sound equipment, fortunately I love to build it, and restore it and probably won't stop.
My system:
DL-103R
Cinemag step up
"Members only" preamp (I build them)
McIntosh Mc30 and some old altecs.
It is still pretty unbelievable every time I turn it on. I dont need any more sound equipment, fortunately I love to build it, and restore it and probably won't stop.
I am, and was for a while, perfectly happy with my main system. Sound as I want, liquid smooth, lush, yet clean. Crystal clean highs. My system often puts tears in my eyes, so it does what its supposed to.
That does not stop me from making new amps and preamps, or speakers.
That does not stop me from making new amps and preamps, or speakers.
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On a 1-10 scale, my system is an 8 which is good enough. Getting to 10 would entail objective astronomical cost but little subjective difference.
I think the future sound system will use AI and biofeedback to make micro adjustments to the timing and waveform. I’m convinced we are not meant to enjoy the exact same sound (recording) over and over without some variation, hence one of the major motivations to change sound systems, IMO.
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I think that this questions begs for a definition of perfection first. To say that is to your personal hearing (liking) doesn’t really tell us anything about the character of that linking. Or, perhaps, I’m looking for more illumination than the question is intended to provide?
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In relation to the amount of money spent (nearly nothing. Other peoples cables were more expensive than my whole system), and as it is my first diy audio project, I'm blown away. I am so happy with the result, even as it is still under construction, I'd give it an 8 out of 10. Still under construction, but project "evolution" is already in the drawer 😉 .
Some things change, some stay the same I suppose even in audio. I cant hear HFs any more, so super tweeters would be radiating nothing perceptible - unless they somehow enhance higher frequencies I still can hear, by radiating that which I cant. High SPLs have lost the appeal of how that was in my youth, so 100 WPC is no longer a necessity.
Spatial perception is still intact and dynamics between live sound and recorded is still very noticeable. I guess that's where I like to play these days, with OB and big drivers, or strange arrangements. Out of 10? I'd need to visit someone that really knows what they're doing, to get a reference!
Spatial perception is still intact and dynamics between live sound and recorded is still very noticeable. I guess that's where I like to play these days, with OB and big drivers, or strange arrangements. Out of 10? I'd need to visit someone that really knows what they're doing, to get a reference!
Forget definition. Problem is that we can not measure soundstage.
Edit: my reply is to ken newton, two posted while i typed
Edit: my reply is to ken newton, two posted while i typed
Depends which day of the week it is, or the time of day. Take yesterday morning. I put a valve pre into the system the day before and on listening again I wasn't happy. Took it out.....yes that's fine. Yesterday afternoon had a session and I was not happy and so faffed around for the whole time. Change one thing and mess about with everything else 😀 mind you that to me is DIY audio and attempting to get the sound you want. Would be sooo boring without OCD.
In general though I am happy with what I hear but I could not say what on a scale of 1-10 ...maybe a 7. All the amps I have are DIY so is the Preamp and my speakers have been re-engineered by me.
In general though I am happy with what I hear but I could not say what on a scale of 1-10 ...maybe a 7. All the amps I have are DIY so is the Preamp and my speakers have been re-engineered by me.
I'm uncertain what you mean here. Is this a serious suggesting that soundstage measurement is the key parameter, or does my sense of humor need refinement?
You suggested that we need definition of perfection.
Stereo system can be measured by quite a number of ways. But there is one thing we can not measure, soundstage.
One system may have better soundstage than another, but how do you quantitate it?
Stereo system can be measured by quite a number of ways. But there is one thing we can not measure, soundstage.
One system may have better soundstage than another, but how do you quantitate it?