I’ve seen it said before in the forum that Audiophiles enjoy listening to the way their equipment sounds more than listening to music. . . Just look at all the discussions on synergizing equipment. I have been happy to see more threads pop up speaking to excellent recordings etc. I’ve worked 20 years now to get my system where it is but I’m not a trader like many. I research, listen, and save and buy my next piece. I know I’m close and would agree with the note above how important low level detail is. I have almost as much money in my subs as my 20.1 Magnepans. It is worth every penny when the tympani pounds and you can feel the reverberations perfectly accurate as if you were in the first few rows of the orchestra. While I can place all instruments in their locations on good recordings and the orchestra feels like it is there, big smiles from guests, it doesn’t make my hair stand up like I’ve heard on three occasions, all with different equipment. My father has heard it with me once at AXPONA, if you can believe it, and how the magic was broken moving just one seat over which still had great imaging and sound but it wasn’t magical. He’s visiting for the holidays and says that the system sounds better than anything he’s heard (very close to the AXPONA experience) and he’s correct . . . The difference in experience is almost life changing and my goal is to have it, all the time.
One moment for me was playing on humble Sansui speakers in my home under construction listening to a recording processed through the BACCH filters. After reading extensively on their research site with tests they made on various speaker brands I was happy to see that their tests aligned with the system I wanted to create and hoped that someday I could incorporate BACCH into my dream system and get that magic back at an even higher level with better equipment. We will see this spring when I get my bonus from work and I can add it.
Again what I speak to is not creepy or ethereal but transporting you to the event at such a level that all of your senses are overwhelmed. It may not be what others here want but it’s what I want and that’s all that’s important.
