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How important is +- 0.1 db from RIAA curve?

For example here is an excerpt from an interview with Conrad Mas of Avid.

Conversations with Conrad Mas of Avid HiFi:
7. Could you talk about the RIAA curve you chose and how designing a RIAA section is not such a trivial matter?

... When we looked into this matter further, however, we realized that most recording studios whilst sticking very closely to the standard curve, used treble emphasis limitation in recording for decades (there is a quasi-standard defined by the leading record-cutting-machine manufacturer Neumann). Applying a correction according to Neumann standard makes a small but very audible difference. Whilst it's important to follow the RIAA curve, not doing so only alters the tonal balance of the sound; there are actually other items and components within a phono-stage that alter or make a bigger sonic difference than slight deviations off the correct curve. For instance if you played a record that was not cut with a perfect RIAA setting, say 1 dB difference between 1 K and 5 K, you'd be hard pressed to even notice. If we, however, changed the type of capacitors used in the phono stage, there would be a much bigger and totally noticeable difference.

Note: Avid phono stages are Neuman HF corrected, it is stated in their specifications.
captain_winters
peterayer
1,373 posts
 
Stringreen, That's an excellent point and one that supports what a good friend involved with the Vienna Opera told me: He said "there is no absolute sound" precisely because of your observation. And then there is position in the audience, humidity, is the hall crowded etc. It never sounds the same. All we can hope for is get closer and closer to what is on the recording. Even that seems fruitless on some level.

However, to Raul's point, there is an argument for trying to maintain a standard in the playback equipment in order to decrease the variables which take us away from what is encoded in the recording.
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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear Stringreen: I don't know which is your main target you have with your home audio system when you started to build your system and when you make some changes of audio items trying to improve its quality performance level.

Mine is to enjoy the Music that comes in the LP recordings adding the less and losing the less of the recording signal. One factors/parameter/characteristic that always helps to achieve my main home system target is: accuracy at each single audio link in the audio chain.

+++++ " I therefore wonder how important a minor electronic deviation is. " +++++

maybe if that was the only system deviation could not matters at all but audio life is not so easy: we have a lot of different kind of deviations/distortions at each single system audio link. Got it?

Tha's all. Of course for what you posted your main target is different and nothing wrong with that. The audio worls can be boring if all of us thinked the same.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
captain_winters OP
120 posts
 
Well if it is agreed that Neumann HF correction is a good thing, and that is debatable, then the +-0.1 db standard on RIAA cannot be achieved, since Neumann correction deviates from RIAA by -0.64 db, (referencing the work done in the Stereophile article).
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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear Captain_winters: You are right. You can't have everything, trade-offs is the name of the game on audio alternatives.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.
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rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Btw, do you already heard a phono stage with that Neuman HF correction?

R.
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