Oh, and also I should be able to play most anything from old 78s transferred to digital, to 33 1/3 records or decently recorded old cassette tapes, to the latest and greatest digital recordings and be entertained by whatever that recording has to deliver, and not be offended as I outlined above.
What floats your boat, sound wise that it?
A recent thread explores the significance that 'neutrality' (aka accuracy) plays in creating a home audio system. Many folks feel that accuracy cannot, as a practical matter, ever be established because of the divergence created by rooms, speakers, amp's interface or design, pre-amps, and probably as important as speakers/room, the sources used.
I took a shot at the 'accuracy' goal and found it, after many years, frustrating and unrewarding. I veered off that path and started a pursuit of establishing those things that had real meaning for me.
It seems we all talk the same talk but we walk different paths. It might be fun to talk about what things we find important in our systems - what keeps us engaged and coming back for more.
For example I love to hear the lower octaves of a solo piano resonating cleanly and having a physical sense of presence. I like the highs to be equally clean and clear and standing out against a black background. Think about being able to hear brush strokes on cymbals without hearing a peakedness in other high frequencies. And most importantly I want the upper bass thru the mid-range to have the 'warmth' that I would associate with an old fashion symphony hall when sitting in the front/mid section of the main floor. And, to the extent that I can obtain it, I want a system that can recreate the information on the disc which allows me to appreciate the spatial effects put there by the recording engineers. For me a system's 'resolution' is paramount, a distant second to other system characteristics. That is my goal and I measure my success by it.
Anyone care to share their goals?
I took a shot at the 'accuracy' goal and found it, after many years, frustrating and unrewarding. I veered off that path and started a pursuit of establishing those things that had real meaning for me.
It seems we all talk the same talk but we walk different paths. It might be fun to talk about what things we find important in our systems - what keeps us engaged and coming back for more.
For example I love to hear the lower octaves of a solo piano resonating cleanly and having a physical sense of presence. I like the highs to be equally clean and clear and standing out against a black background. Think about being able to hear brush strokes on cymbals without hearing a peakedness in other high frequencies. And most importantly I want the upper bass thru the mid-range to have the 'warmth' that I would associate with an old fashion symphony hall when sitting in the front/mid section of the main floor. And, to the extent that I can obtain it, I want a system that can recreate the information on the disc which allows me to appreciate the spatial effects put there by the recording engineers. For me a system's 'resolution' is paramount, a distant second to other system characteristics. That is my goal and I measure my success by it.
Anyone care to share their goals?