Which attributes do you value most?


Here is a list of attributes commonly valued by audiophiles, in no particular order:

1. Resolution
2. Soundstaging
3. PRaT
4. Dynamics
5. Tonal balance
6. Harmonic content
7. Accuracy
8. Coherence
9. Frequency extension
10. Scale

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. I’m interested to hear which attributes people prioritize above others. I don’t really have an agenda, except to learn more about how people’s values influence their approach to system building. With that in mind, it would be helpful if you listed a few of your components (assuming your system isn’t linked). So...

Which attributes do you value most?
bryoncunningham

I've always understood "timbre" to refer to a realistic portrayal of that particular combination/permutation of tones and overtones that makes one instrument sound different from another, so that we can distinguish between a Gibson and a Fender or a violin and a viola.  Tone can refer to a fundamental, and also to shadings of the sound: dull, bright, etc.

Timbre is also crucial to me.  Though I'm also a sucker for soundstage.  Width seems fairly easily achievable, but depth really adds something for me.  And then that ineffable something that makes it come together and move you.


Timbre/Tone is the very first thing I notice that grabs me.   It's what got me into high end audio (and I guess imaging/soundstaging did too).

If a soundsystem doesn't have an attractive tone, I have no reason to sit down in front of it and listen.  (Whereas I can listen to any other systems doing other things, e.g. background music, driving in the car, whatever).

Ideally what I hear are voices and instruments sounding similar to real life timbre.  The problem is most reproduced sound is homogenized in timbre.  Once I hear a pair of speakers play a few tracks, especially ones I'm familiar with, I know how drums, cymbals, trumpet, sax etc are going to sound through those. 

Given very few if any systems can truly reproduce the complexity and range of instrumental timbre, what I ask for as compensation in a speaker/system, is a beautiful tone that is at least complimentary.  If I'm choosing between a silvery electronic timbre imposed on the sound, or a warm woody organic tone, I'll take the latter.   Especially when I hear an acoustic guitar (metal string) I like to hear that woody, sparkling golden harmonics that I associate with most acoustic guitars (including when I play my own).  If a speaker can get that right, I know it's going to generally grab me.

Though beautiful tone isn't enough.  In order to hold my attention I want a very good "disappearing act" with excellent imaging/soundstaging.  That is after all what stereo is all about and why it makes sense to sit between two stereo speakers in the first place.  Otherwise I could listen to the music in the back ground from anywhere else.

But tone/soundstaging also go only so far.   I need some excitement, so I need some dynamics and physical presence.   I started off with Quad ESL 63s and they did beautiful tone, a wonderful disappearing act and soundstaging, but after a while I missed the physical connection to the sound that I got from dynamic speakers.

Though of course it turned out not all dynamic speakers give enough of that.  I went through some that had richness, fullness and wide frequency response....but still a bit too "airy" and polite.   I wanted more solidity to the sound.  Horn speakers tend to do that well, though I never went that way for various reasons.

Now I have speakers that come as close to doing it all, hitting all my buttons, as I've ever had.  The imaging is dense and convincing, with a particular sollidity and "thereness" to objects in the soundscape.   Instruments just feel like they are there, not see-through.  In electronic music, which I love, when a new synth sound appears it just ripples the air, appearing almost like a new physical presence in the air like I could reach out and grab it. 

But I also know that no matter what system I have, in time I will be aware of it's imposed voice and I'll start sniffing around elsewhere.  That's one reason why these days I tend to keep more than one pairs of speakers around (actually, I have at the moment about 5 types....I need to cut back).

Anyway...sorry for the dissertation.   As an audio-geek this kind of stuff gets me going.



Nothing worse than a dull, warm sound, lacking in detail and bogged down by bloated bass. It has to be light, airy, fast, transparent, seamless, rich in timbre and color but not have a color of its own.