Is live reproduction the goal of audio?

To equate a virtual infinite reality with a know finite medium is interesting. It's not parallel. Good thoughts, but cinema relies on it's stengh of visual impact, not recreating reality. The sound is mediocre at best.

I've never heard anyone suggest that film is a live performance.

But, I've heard "live" music reproduced as live.

I do agree that the trappings of live music per se can't be done. We're not there, we don't see the performers sweat. We aren't privy to the outtakes...

But, as to reproducing music to the point that it's believable that the performers are in that room right now, I have heard it and so have others.

No, it's not live and I do accept that there are parts to life that surpass sound, but when you close your eyes, is Louis in the room in front of you?

Yup! at least in a very few rooms I've been in.

To depend on the opinion of professional musicians as to their interest in listening to music at home doesn't even seem related. I don't think I needed Einstein's view of nuclear weapons to have a personal view of their value.

I don't agree with your analogies, but I am interested in your ideas.

Clearly there are many different what's right? Budget, availability of live performance and taste probably are as important in those decisions.

If I lived in Manhattan, I wouldn't have much of a system. I'd spend the evenings listening to live music. I'm too old to travel to the city at night and get home at midnight. So, I'm sticking to reproducing live music. It doesn't do it everytime, but it does it part of the time.

I'm interested in what motivates others here, not just me.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Bill

The reason I brought up musicians, Bill, was solely to illustrate the point that
the "goal of audio" can have different meanings to different
people. Obtaining a "life-like" presentation may be one that is
quite exciting to many of us, but not necessarily to everyone. Folks get
enjoyment from this stuff at all different levels, and to elevate one above all
the rest seems a bit silly to me. I do like a life-like presentation as well. I've
heard it done on different levels, but have not had the experience you've
described where the whole thing comes together in all ways to yield a "
live" music experience. The conflicting factions I've experienced seem
to be that either the music has tremendous impact, dynamics, and detail, yet
lacks the delicacy, dimension and airiness that I somehow associate with
'presence'...or, it has the latter in spades, as in the case of the SET/horn
systems I've enjoyed the most, yet lacks the chest-pounding impact of more
powerful systems. That's perhaps a simplistic observation on my part, but it
may help to understand where I'm coming from. Yes, in both cases, I can
close my eyes and Louis would seem to be there in front of me, but in neither
case is the illusion complete. Ultimately, the more powerful solutions have
always occured to me as an amplified version (I am more conscious of the
intervening technology), while the solutions I prefer are more convincing to
me, yet still do not convey the 'impact' of live music somehow, yet render the
parts of the equation I am most fond of.

Marco

Hey guys .

I know it's hard to match realities and analogies with each other. If you really want the 100% truth to all this you will be very disappointed .

This is a web site and we are just discussing a subject. It is not the subject , but a wild discussion of it. This a hi-fi web site period . True.

>>I've no doubt produced greater wisdom out of the crack of my derriere<<

I thought you're faced looked familiar.

Charlie101, I've read all your Audiogon posts in attempt to find something positive and redeeming in your writings. None have offered anything positive or helpful. All are snide, sarcastic, and negative. Please offer something useful beyond your unwavering bullshit.