Details don't mean a thing

C'mon over for a beer Andy, and we'll listen to some "non detailed" music. Many of us began our audio journey well before CD and on equipment that struggled to produce much coherent sound outside of "midrange and boomy bass". However, the music mattered, small album clicks and pops were part of life no matter how delicately we treated our albums and many rebelled at the new "Digital sound" of CD. All of this started many of us on our quest for better "sound". However, somewhere along the way greed, audio eletism and other ugly warts formed in place of enjoyment. These days, I find "detailed" and "musically natural" to be mutually eclusive. What I want is for a piano to sound like a piano and not have cymbals provide so much shimmering "detail" that the sound shimmers into the next song. Andy, continue on your "musical" quest and enjoy that which you hear.

IMHO you can't get too much real detail HOWEVER, what is peddled as "more detail and more highly resolving" which is usually said in conjunction with "expanded stage and depth of image" is, more often than not,nothing more that either a slight recess in the mid-range/and or a slight elevation in the uppermid/highs, either of which will make the equipment "sound" to the inexperienced as if there is more detail present. While this engineering practice is nominal on any specific piece of equipement so many manufacturers are doing it that, cumulatively, it become very unmusical. It ain't just CDP's and DAC's - cartridges, amps, pre amps, speakers, and wires, all participate. That is why folks talk about synergy. I've been in analog a long time and while it CAN sound better I've been able to tune in a CD system that also lets me enjoy well recorded CD's without drawing any attention to the medium. None of it is perfect by a long shot.

Often detail (and high-frequency extension) comes at the expense of sibilance. I have had a number of customers that extended the frequency response of their systems, only to find that some other component or cable was causeing sibilance that was previously masked by the system roll-off. Also, improving HF dynamics can aggravate sibilance in components that are prone to sibilance because of thier poor design. The way to achieve detail without sibilance is to mod practically everything in your system. Even my speakers are modded - they caused sibilance as well.

Well said Newbee, I agree. Your posts always get to the crab-legs!!!

Dave

I guess I was a bit frustrated when I made my comment.
I don't mean to take on the extreme stand on the matter.
I agree with all your responses.
Detail is good if handled correctly but that is a HUGH "if".
I really don't have unlimitted amount of resources and time to try out all possible combination before I get it right.
If handled correctly then music will flow out from your system as if there is nothing but you and the music. If not done right then you already know how messy it can get.

As mention from other post, synergy is everything. But the problem is that not all manufactures made the entire range of equipment from Cdp to speakers. There are a few out there but they may not be what you want. So it's still very diffifcult mix and match ...

The next best thing is to chose an Amp/cdp combo that has the sound you like. Then find a pair of speakers that will complement your amp/cdp.
Cables should come last. But this is just my opinion.