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Cannot find perfect sound

I've been listening to supposedly some of the finest speakers that currently exist. These include b&w 800 Series, revel high end, vivid audio, Psi audio and kef blades.

None except the kef blades satisfied my high level standards.

When I play my reference tracks on cheap earbuds I hear timing accuracy that is missing on all the above speakers. Only the kef blades came closest to what I hear from cheap earbuds. 

Explanations please?

I really suspect that none of these high end speakers are accurately reproducing the sound on my CDs despite all the marketing claims about accuracy and high quality sound.

What could there possibly be that my cheap earbuds can do that eludes these super high end speakers?  

I'm not so eager anymore to spend any money until I have a good explanation.

kenjit
Post removed 
enliten
38 posts
 
Hmmm,

Don't know where you live, if you go to RMAF I'll be there Friday for sure. I'll leave a card at Paul's room (PS audio). I gotta meet ya, let's hang out. I'm really curious what you're trying to get to - bring your buds! We can go listen to live stuff around Denver and at the show. Paul REALLY has a lot of insite too for sure - he's a fantastic guy. Maybe Dave Slagle will be there - shows up once in a while - or not. He's got an interesting insite for sure.

I'm considered a 'Subject Matter Expert' for Navy sonar - been at it for years. Know my way around the physics of sound and minored in psychoacoustics @ .Purdue. Perhaps I can take a whack at this...

Those buds may have come from ancient astronauts....
mirolab
59 posts
 

This thread is maddening!! I been yelling at the screen, reading everybody WAY overthinking and over engineering this guy’s dilemma. It seems that he simply hears an "immediacy" from earbuds that he’s not getting from loudspeakers in a room.

While I do not like earbuds... one can become accustomed to that sound. I fear we have an entire generation of young people that have grown up with earbuds, and they think earbuds sound "normal". Earbuds have become the reference of a generation.

That, said, I also agree that many audiophile speakers lack immediacy and dynamic excitement. (is that what OP means by timing?). For that you need to go with high efficiency speakers.... HORNS... Tannoys, or maybe Zu Audio speakers? Are resonances more the problem?.... then maybe try electrostatics or big ribbons like Martin Logans or Magnepans. Of course the ROOM plays a large role, but clearly, the typical little round cones in a wooden box aren’t doing it for the OP, so time to try different types of designs.

pinthrift
19 posts
 
Hi..ol' fart chipping-in (digital front end.)  :)  So many variables at play to simplify much advice.  I like full body contact in music.  My line is..headphones, ear-buds etc are akin to.."solo sex or making a meal of appetizers..pretty good at the time, but not very satisfying in the end."  I've elected near-field with sealed Salk monitors atop of good subs in a smaller space.  My friend has large corner Tannoys placed away from corners in a large space that also gives "point source" benefits to a large space.  I recently heard the self-powered KEF LS50s that are gratifyingly good given a good source for reasonable money.  For MUSIC...lovely mid-range without the great chase for top/bottom extremes, an appropriate to the room sized pair of Harbeths driven by, say, the post anniversary McIntosh MC275 might be a "sail into the sunset" pairing.  Even order harmonics to all!  Pinthrift (Norm)
jschwenker
3 posts
 
I think I know exactly what you mean, kenjit.

I think there are certain things or sets of things, within the range of audio characteristics that some of us listen for more intently than others, and vice versa for other fans of audio of a different stripe. So within that overall range of performance characteristics there can be some disagreement as to what trades one may be willing to make to achieve greater perfection in one’s strongest areas of desire.

In my particular case, I have always been thrilled with the palpability of sound, particularly quite transient sounds, when reproduced by devices capable of maintaining above average temporal alignment of information. Earbuds, while they might be found deficient in other areas, can do this time alignment business with ease.

As to speakers, long ago I was relatively pleased with panel types. Magnepan and then Martin Logan electrostats. Ended up moving on for other reasons. Moved on more than 20 years ago to Thiel, 3.6s and then 3.7s. So I do agree with any number of above commenters suggesting you concentrate on these types of speakers.

An interesting story of the type arose out of my last visit to an audio show. Through my long career I have moved in fits and starts. Going through a year or so frenzy of a few upgrades then to sit back for a LONG period of just enjoying the listening. In one of those long periods I attended a show. My attitude was one of relaxed interest where I was inviting myself to explore things outside my normal envelope of interest and see what I heard w/o paying much attention to the particular products, many of which I was not too familiar with, having been “out of it” for a while.

I was also at the time paying a lot of attention to a family semi-crisis unfolding by texts and emails. I wandered into one room and took a good listening seat in front of some speakers I recognized in appearance but honestly and distractedly did not right away place to any one manufacturer. My attention was momentarily drawn back to my phone for some of those texts/emails. As I listened with only part of my mind, I rather rapidly came to realize I was hearing things that, to me, were sounding exceptionally good. After I brought more of my focus back—well of course… I was sitting in front of some of Richard Vandersteen’s best units—with good time coherence being one of his areas of devotion. Good luck!!

Cheers, John
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