Is live reproduction the goal of audio?

"The goal of audio electronics and transducers is to sound as life-like as possible but this is not at all the same as "live"."

What music isn't recorded live? How else can you record an instrument if it isn't a live person recording it?

C5150 - that's deep.

To answer your question, Lakefrontroad, I will refer to Jaybo's response: the ultimate direction of electronics is to sell more electronics. And the only goal by which the carrot is guaranteed NEVER to disappear is the pursuit of accuracy. Any other stated goal would send a company down the financial tubes.

For our part, we are more like those people who buy self-help books in order to find happiness, live in the present moment, be satisfied with our system, defend our way of doing the hobby, etc... The impossible aspect of this pursuit is that unlike a 315lb. person who sets their target weight at 175, we are operating in a realm of vague parameters. Sure, manufacturers can give us stats for their products, but how they stand up synergistically with their neighbors is strictly a judgment call on our part. Trust your ears, right? What I would contend--just my opinion, naturally--is that the way that many choose to combat the unsettling, ambiguous nature of this hobby is to search for an end goal of specificity. And the only one that fits the bill is accuracy. To say, "I've found it, the truth in audio." In fact, accuracy is the messiah of audio. And we all orbit that savior in much the same way we do religion itself. Agnostics say its all about the music, right? The devout are quick to "nuff said" others who don't agree with them. And the atheists? Well, they buy Bose. :-)

What music isn't recorded live? How else can you record an instrument if it isn't a live person recording it?

True. Yet, recording techniques vary, and some engineers/labels (think Chesky among others) endeavor to capture the live event more honestly than, say bands like Pink Floyd or Porcupine Tree, which utilize gobs of processing in the studio. Even the latest White Stripes CD was recorded down and dirty in a garage to avoid slick over processing.

"Live" recordings, like those by Chesky, can be better reference recordings by which to judge one's system's capabilities, since the instruments are often acoustic, and the recordings utilize little added processing.

Also, it's possible to record some instruments directly into a computer drive, using a midi keyboard and computer with Pro Tools software, for example. I would suggest that although this is a real person playing a real instrument, it's not what most would accept as live.

As in most things, a "live" recording can be many shades of grey.

Boa2, if I understand you correctly, you are proposing that our audio systems are God Portals? Whoa! I need to eat one more mushroom before I begin to listen tonight.

Mekka-lekka-hi-mekka-hiney-ho, Brother. :)

I think this thread is constipated, as are all such ideas of some idyllic, better-than-the-other, absolutism perpetuated to glorify this or that other of Man's wonderous, precious things he's brought to show'n'tell. And if it ever makes its way to the bowl, it'll be an explosion of rancid, worthless, rehashed, toxic waste that holds little value to anyone unless you plan to use it for fertilizer. I sincerely doubt anything would grow in it though.

If it's important to you, throw some money and time at it and get it to bring some of that wonderful music into your home. Find the stuff that sounds good to you and consider yourself fortunate that it's all there for you, and that others share your enthusiasm. Otherwise pop in a suppository and make sure to flush when you leave. Oh, and light a friggen match for god's sake.

Marco

Jax2,

I'm glad to see that your anger management program is working. So nice of you to move from personal opinion to personal attack of others. Especially in a forum where people spend waaaay to much on their hobby/passion/pursuit/livelyhood.

Thanks for reminding me how I was before the therapy.