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It's All in Your Head

I commented in an earlier thread that the emphasis on components, cables and room treatments obscures the fact that the music all happens in your head.

This is from John Atkinson at RMAF 2012 reported on Stereophile:

"Stereophile editor John Atkinson used everything from a drumstick to a cowbell, both sounded “live” and played back on the seminar room’s stereo system, to convey the message: “Nothing is real. How the recording art affects what you think you hear!” As John proceeded to point out that the brain combines information from separate left and right loudspeakers into a single stereo image..."

"I showed that it is a fallacy to assume that “the absolute sound of live music in a real acoustic space” resides in the bits, pits, or grooves, even when such a live event existed. Making recordings is an art, not a science and there may only be a coincidental resemblance between what is presented to the listener and the sound of musicians playing live, even when all concerned with making the recording were trying to be as honest as possible. Even the fundamental decision of what microphone to use moves the recorded sound a long way from reality..."

What we aim for when we put an audio system together is a pleasing facsimile of the original musical performance that happened in a studio or at a live venue. But, ultimately, the music's all in your head. It sounds like it's in the room because that's the way our brain makes it seem. Music is essentially a spiritual experience mediated by the brain.
Systems that are not in the "best" category may reproduce music in a way that moves us but the "best" systems have the ability to involve us on even deeper emotional and spiritual levels.

Getting really close to the essence of the performance means we need "special" gear. That's what "gear chasing" is all about -- trying to get closer to the essence of the performance on deeper and more satisfying levels. "Gear chasing" that involves trying to reproduce the actual performance is an illusory pursuit. Many audiophiles have observed that the "best" systems are not necessarily the most expensive ones. This has also been my experience. But it will still take quite a bit of cash to put together a system that enters the realm of the "best".

All of the above is IMO, of course.
sabai
mapman's avatar
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mapman
15,679 posts
 
"I have not been myself but I've talked with musicians who are typically amazed at how much is "lost" in the final product."

Few recordings are designed to capture what the musicians hear at ground zero when playing. Part of this is the intent of the producers and part of this is technical limitations in many cases.

Its not nearly as hard to produce a reasonable reproduction of what a listener might have heard were they present say in the audience during a similar live performance.

Whether one hears exactly what one would hear if live or not is a moot point for most, save perhaps professional musicians who are regularly immersed in what is happening at ground zero when playing live. Dynamics will be the greatest there and hardest to reproduce. Other aspects of the sound will vary as well due to the unique sonic perspective of an artist playing at ground zero compared to that of most any actual listener.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Bryoncunningham,
This is indeed a very interesting question. And, yes, I am a philosopher at heart and I am aware if this age-old debate. Of course, the room also mediates what happens in the brain. If you are using headphones, for example, you take the room out of the equation and your room -- or your listening space, if you will -- is the room that your brain creates. Which is exactly what happens with the room in the equation. The brain is recreating everything from the "outer" reality. If you are truly one with the music you will note that there is no room at all. It disappears completely. Something like the proverbial "disappearing" speakers -- but not quite the same thing.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
I think it's safe to say (for me) that yes, this is a spiritual experience, at least in the level and measure of satisfaction we derive. The hardware aspect is what we fiddle with in order to activate/stimulate the process. We become connoisseurs as we refine the process.

The origin of the recording is merely the starting point, though the better, the better. Once we have it, we use our systems, carefully assembled, refined, and tuned, to start the process.

Occasionally, we become aware of inconsistencies or aspects that are lacking, that need to be addressed. Such is the nature and joy of this hobby. This continuing refinement is part and parcel of the spiritual nature of all of this and cannot be separated. At least, not for me. I actually feel some kind of reward, satisfaction, attainment as I hone my system's ability to take me to that level which gives me my daily dose of audio nirvana.

All the best,
Nonoise
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
Is it possible that rather than becoming connoisseurs that audiophile behavior is more like a drug addict who needs more and more drugs in order to feel high? You make an upgrade/tweak to your system and when it works everything sounds so much better and it's exciting. Your system has been transformed! A few weeks/months later the excitement wears off and you start the equipment upgrade/tweak process again. Chasing the excitement of transformation is classic junkie behavior.
sabai OP
2,027 posts
 
Onhwy61,
That may be true in some cases.
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