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AKUS - So Long So Wrong- Time to Stop Upgrading?

Just purchased this LP based on the fabulous reviews.

I would have to say that the song: It Doesn't Matter Anymore is the best sound I have ever heard on my system. Her voice and the instrumentation sounds perfect to me. Maybe the slight reverbation helps. Worth buying just for this song.

My point is that everyone worries about the equipment when in my opinion the engineering of the record itself is a major limiting factor in sound quality. In other words until I heard this song I didn't realize how good my system was. If this song sounds great to me then why spend thousands more upgrading?

Unfortunately it is records themselves and CDs that need to be substantially improved. I am sure it would sound better on other systems but at how much expense? I probably will upgrade my cartidge (the Lyra Lydian) which is probably the weakest link in the system but again I am 100% satisfied with the sound of this song.
slingshot
mikelavigne
1,274 posts
 
Slingshot; well said.

i too have always loved 'It doesn't Matter' from 'So Long So Wrong' as well as track 10 'Looking in the Eyes of Love' and my fav on the album, track 14, 'There is a Reason'.

in 1997 when i first got the CD i could not play it enough; Allison's voice was just this heavenly sound.

i've been a huge fan ever since and the Lps have been wonderful.

interestingly; i was listening to the SACD of Allison Krause,"Now That I Found You", when i saw your post.

if your system takes you 'there' then just enjoy the music.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
you have to enjoy pre-recorded music, warts and all, or you'll just wind up listening to 6 records or cd's. most people who are passionate about music are not audiophiles. i can hear patsy cline sing 'crazy' or the beatles 'i saw her standing there' on an AM radio and get goose bumps. get beyond the 'pluck' of a string, and you'll enjoy your stereo again, as well as getting rid of a mental block thats going to keep you from enjoying about 99.5% of all recorded music.
porters
5 posts
 
you are exactly right! that song is KILLER! Also willie nelson STARDUST sounds very good.
porter
ojgalli
165 posts
 
You've just discovered THE weakest link the in the audio chain, the recording.

We fuss over equipment because that's our end of the chain that we can, to a degree, control.

But, time to stop upgrading!?
foster_9
1,610 posts
 
I 100% agree with you. I don't spin vinyl, but the CD software makes a major difference in the end result of a system's sonics. I now look for certain labels and remaster processes as part of my search for jazz which is the main thing I listen to. It's impossible to know what kind of sound you're getting when you buy a CD. JVC XRCD is very good on jazz but for instance the Bluenote RVG (Rudy Van Gelder) and other label remasters are generally inferior, thin sounding and lacking weight in the bass and mids. Some of the RVG remasters are must-have music for any jazz fan however so I have several in my collection. The Sony/ Columbia CD remasters are also excellent in quality. But the software can take away dramatically or add significantly to your system's performance.
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