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Bass and Treble Dials

It seems every high end audiophile quality preamp/amp comes with no bass/treble dials. There is no way to adjust the sound coming out of the system other than by adding, removing or replace the audio equipment components... such as the needles, tubes, cables and etc etc. I wonder what would be a real reason behind of not having the treble/bass dials? While it might be a simple question but I really don't know the exact answer. I only guess that it is because the adding the treble/bass dials will unavoidably make an electronic circuit more "complex" which would go against a whole concept: "the simpler the better" or "the less is more". Am I correct in my assumptions?
sputniks
niacin
70 posts
 
It took me a good many years until I found out why "higher end" gear didn't have tone controls. I always assumed that many factors denoted a need to adjust the sound. I then discovered that having built a system with care and a great deal of synergy, I now hear far more of the music. There are underlying passages I had never even noticed and instrumental lines that had hitherto eluded my ears. Ergo, there was no longer any need for adjustment and certainly zero need for things like balance and tone controls.
But that's just me.
niacin
70 posts
 
I forgot to add to my above post - the music opened up and became spacious, the bass was deep and concise and the treble clear and distinct. I also discovered mid-range as well. Where the music was pretty much a wall of sound and tone controls only muddied that overall impression, with quality came clarity.
timlub
1,649 posts
 
I have read from a few sources that Jim Bonjourno's
Ambrosia Preamp has tone controls the work very well. I've never heard it, but I've never read that about ANYTHING else. Maybe someone can confirm.
russ69's avatar
russ69
179 posts
 
The most simple answer is that a good system really doesn't need tone controls.

Thanx, Russ
timlub
1,649 posts
 
Rooms need tone controls
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