One ruling taste. When asked about what we like, it’s so easy to default to making an evaluation. “It’s the best” is not the same as “I like it”, but we all make the step by assuming that our tatse is supreme. Writer and music (and record) fan (and former music reviewer) Tom Cox just […]
To describe some claim or statement as nonsense intends to dismiss it as having no intelligible meaning, or because it is foolish or absurd, or extravagant frivolity. Then there’s the willfully misleading that is ‘nonsense’ of another kind, meaning I also want to stay away from that. There’s so much nonsense in hi-fi talk that […]
There are some fantastical claims made about the performance of some home audio equipment. Not surprisingly, this is accompanied by extravagant prices. By that I mean unreasonable, excessive, wasteful. How about US$220000 for a Wadax Atlantis streamer, and US$175000 for their Reference DAC? A check of reviews over at Audio Science Review reveals that price […]
That spontaneous music hasn’t been prepared and tested prior to playing isn’t an issue for me. It’s hearing it as rambling incoherent harsh discord that I can’t listen to comfortably or with extended interest. Perhaps such performance is best not recorded, and for the players only, not meant to be witnessed. Such multilogue is intended […]
High-end audio is about passion – passion for music, and for how well it is reproduced. High-end audio is the quest to re-create in the listener’s home the musical message of the composer or performer with the maximum realism, emotion, and intensity. Because music is important, re-creating it with the highest possible fidelity is important. […]
From David Chesky’s blog, written in 2007. His forthright critique of dumbed-down entertainment and music-making is worth a reflective read. Although the unattractive trend that is highlighted is continuing, there is a vast range of enjoyable music around, even for those who value authenticity and musicality. You won’t find it heavily marketed (hyped). Much is […]
A CD player that is claimed to render more detail. I’m astonished. By the price. US$26,500 for the disc player. US$4,200 for the stand.
The latest musing from Archimago is a review of some so-called scientific analysis of high-end hi-fi. He finds that it’s not high quality science. The researcher under scrutiny seems to have accepted the existence of high-end audio, and has set out to support his conclusion with experiments. It looks like he ‘knows’ the answer, and […]
All hi-fi gear is designed, right? It’s made intentionally – created, fashioned (in the older sense), constructed according to plan. Devised, contrived. That last term is interesting. Arranged by ‘clever’ planning. The Designer label is a contrivance. Expensive materials + a major emphasis on marketing (meaning persuasive promotional messaging) to create a prestigious marque that […]
I’ve been thinking about how I discern the variety of hi-fi ‘improvement’ tweaks. The effect of adding or substituting may be to extend function, refine performance, and/or fix shortcomings. Or decoration. Some are presented as designer brand – contrived to sell with a large profit margin, and the display of the name is part of […]
Some of us have a way with words. Some of us get away with words. Some words get away. I think that using such sexualising words as “eargasm” and “audio porn” is supposed to be witty and edgy. Isn’t it laddish, juvenile, and debasing? Perhaps it’s a way of being one of the boys. Men […]
Roger Skoff offers an explanation for waning interest in hi-fi listening. So, wanting it to sound like live is misguided. Is it even desirable? https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-problem
Michael Lavorgna doesn’t like the idea of reviews being equipment tests. He’s happier that they provide opinion. That didn’t seem right to me. I resorted to consulting my Oxford Dictionary. There are two most commonly used (assumed) meanings of “opinion”. An opinion is a judgement or belief based on grounds short of proof – views […]
Prolific and diverse drummer Andy Edwards came to prominence with Robert Plant, and as a drum clinician has played with Terry Bozzio, Kenny Aronoff, Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman, and Mike Portnoy, so I had to hear what he had to say about Jazz. So pleased that I listened to his explanation of how it’s all […]
In some ‘audiophile’ circles, PRaT refers to Pace, Rhythm, and Timing, although these are characteristics of the rendered recorded music, and not, as is often how it is applied, of the output or performance of the equipment used to reproduce the recordings. The English language is well-heeled, well-practiced, and almost endlessly nuanced in its many […]
This article, part of a series of “Philosophical Notes” by Tom Martin at The Absolute Sound, proposes to explain the relationship of equipment price to sound quality. It suggests that at the ‘high end’, gains may be exponentially related to price. Valuing things differently is not craziness. Since price is an objective measure, and sound […]
I care about music, and listening to recorded music, and I care about the aural pleasure of hearing musical sound, and I care about sound quality. I saw this clarifying article and video, and I reflected on what I see in the groups. Many have strayed from the core purpose. They’re not audiophiles in the […]
My many posts go back to 2012, and are a mix of sharing links to articles, comments on hi-fi and music, diary bits and pieces on what I’ve been doing, music recommendations, and my product reviews (user experience reports). By far, the most viewed posts are the system performance enhancement product reviews. Tweaks and accessories […]
These categories cover the many characteristics of enthusiasts, although my own list would categorise different combinations. I see myself under several of the names. Avidly a collector and tweaker, but not in the extremes. https://www.remusic.it/EN/What-kind-of-audiophile-are-you-0a888400
Not the high-end extreme version of audiophile based on excess and hype instead of dependable delivery of satisfying musical sound. Professional gear is mostly promoted with in-use profiles and user endorsements, rather than mediated reviews by advertisers. Discussion focuses on engineering, instead of fad and fantasy. Then there are the “no reviews” vendors who don’t […]
As I trawled through the 240+ photos in a guide to the recent Munich audio show, I realised that there’s no radical difference in function and technology among the many products. What they’re selling is cosmetic form. So much variety. Does an audio system do a productive and dependable job, or is it preening itself […]
Vast quantities of toxic plastic in collections, crates, and landfill, but there is a healthier alternative. https://thequietus.com/articles/31382-green-eco-vinyl
There are two recent videos on the Real World Audio YouTube channel in which the discussion is about choosing to get off the “hamster wheel” (treadmill) of seeking ever-better ‘hi-end’ sound from an audio system that leads to succumbing to seductive marketing claims and never-ending extra-expensive commercial brand upgrades. I was thinking about how several […]
A very apt way of thinking about music appreciation when scientists want to exlain its purpose and function. https://nautil.us/neuroscience-gets-in-the-way-of-appreciating-art-15863/
Archimago’s Musings demonstrates Tears For Fears – “No Small Thing” – Low-DR CD vs. Higher-DR Steven Wilson 5.1 Downmix to 2.0, and the obvious importance of audio production quality. I was excited by the prospect of the new album – and disappointed by the sound quality of the CD version. Archimago points out that the […]
I get to try out a few add-on products for hi-fi, usually because they offer enhanced listening pleasure. I’ve just experienced a stark distinction between two audio products. Soft implies intangible. Software describes a collection of programs and procedures that perform tasks on a computer, an ordered sequence of instructions that change the operation. It’s […]
Take my advice, take Roger Skoff’s advice, and don’t pay for audio advice. I read carefully selected carefully-written intelligent commentary by trusted experienced and inspired experts: Roger Skoff, Mark Waldrep, Archimago (who is that?), Ethan Winer, Jules Coleman, Steve Guttenberg, Steve Hoffman. Art Dudley was another (RIP, sadly missed). I look at what’s said, and […]
I never have. Even before the recent outcry, I’ve felt uneasy about streaming. I’m a disc collector. I enjoy owning a library. https://www.makeuseof.com/why-you-shouldnt-use-spotify/
To consider the aesthetic is to pay particular attention to the (possibility of) beauty in something. This article by Dr. Jules L. Coleman (audiophile, reviewer, and Yale law professor) examines the nature and value of the (hi-fi) music listening pursuit. What is the basis for our response to our listening experience. He points out the […]
The recent furore over Spotify ethics highlighted for me that Bandcamp is a ‘friendlier’ haven for music lovers, and I’ve been looking at the story behind the online musician-led distributor and community. Music makers who don’t want to contract with corporates can go it alone, organising the whole process of getting music recordings to fans […]
Music & Hi-fi Appreciations 