Since all audio systems are colored (cost no object), I personally prefer coloration that is closest-to-real. :-)
Heard that one before. It looks like the way to go on the surface. Trouble is exactly what coloration is closer to real is a rather slippery beast. For example its well known by speaker designers that a transient perfect .5 alignment is the most accurate. Yet it sounds overly taught and anemic and a slightly less accurate .6 or .65 alignment sounds better subjectively. It just seems to be the way we are.
Then we have exactly what parameter makes the biggest subjective difference. One of the DAC's at the shootout will be a Killer. It has an obviously colored valve output stage - not dripping in honey etc etc but there is obviously a trace of coloration that makes it sound lovely. But it goes to enormous lengths that really lower jitter. What's better subjectively - lower jitter or a less colored output stage. Who knows.
Thanks
Bill
Heard that one before. It looks like the way to go on the surface. Trouble is exactly what coloration is closer to real is a rather slippery beast. For example its well known by speaker designers that a transient perfect .5 alignment is the most accurate. Yet it sounds overly taught and anemic and a slightly less accurate .6 or .65 alignment sounds better subjectively. It just seems to be the way we are.
Then we have exactly what parameter makes the biggest subjective difference. One of the DAC's at the shootout will be a Killer. It has an obviously colored valve output stage - not dripping in honey etc etc but there is obviously a trace of coloration that makes it sound lovely. But it goes to enormous lengths that really lower jitter. What's better subjectively - lower jitter or a less colored output stage. Who knows.
Thanks
Bill