Would you sacrifice high end audio resolution for more "naturalness" and "humanness"?

Are you willing to sacrifice detail and resolution for "naturalness" and "humanness&q

  • Yes

    Votes: 11 55.0%
  • No

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • May be

    Votes: 2 10.0%

  • Total voters
    20

caesar

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2010
4,290
767
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Maybe it's just my perception, but it seems that in the last 25 years we have been hearing a lot about greater detail retrieval of gear but less about how humans can come alive in our rooms.

In my opinion, this could be one of the main reasons people are not upgrading. Yes, this is a solitary hobby in a socially connected, mobile world, but IMHO, most people's "older" gear sounds very natural to them.

Are you willing to sacrifice a bit of detail resolution for more naturalness and humanness?
 

docvale

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
542
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940
Briarcliff Manor, NY
I am not replying to the poll, since my system is anyway light-years far from the gold-standard quality out of which you would ask if we were willing to sacrifice something.

Anyway, as much as I love the look of some fantastic rooms you can see on the web (this website included), I would rather have an audio system in the main-room, to be enjoyed with my family and visiting friends. Music is better if enjoyed with the loved ones, IMHO :)
 

bryede

New Member
May 29, 2014
8
0
0
I'm not convinced the two are mutually exclusive. I believe real detail preservation is more difficult than top-end effects which cause the perception of detail. From an engineering standpoint, I think it's too easy to take the mid-range for granted in a world where the specs emphasize the extremes (after all, we say things like 20Hz-20KHz). Also, people tend to be impressed with an exaggerated sound during short auditions and don't notice the effects of fatigue until they've lived with the equipment for a while. This is why I think in-home auditions are so important.

With all that said, I would sacrifice mid-range performance last so I think I'd have to answer YES.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Another bogus poll.
 

RogerD

VIP/Donor
May 23, 2010
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565
BiggestLittleCity
No sacrifice needed.
 

dallasjustice

Member Sponsor
Apr 12, 2011
2,067
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Dallas, Texas
False choice poll. More detail and resolution = Greater naturalness and humanness. Of course, all of my polls are easy to understand. ;) I voted anyway.
 

GaryProtein

VIP/Donor
Jul 25, 2012
2,542
31
385
NY
. . . .Are you willing to sacrifice a bit of detail resolution for more naturalness and humanness?

I don't think you can define these terms sufficiently to have meaningful results.

You would have to use a dictionary definition for the terms and then you would have other responders who would say they don't care how the dictionary defines the terms and would use their own definitions. A person's personal definition of a term is worthless. You have to use the dictionary definition. If you don't like the dictionary's definition, you chose the wrong term for a poll.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
23
0
Maybe it's just my perception, but it seems that in the last 25 years we have been hearing a lot about greater detail retrieval of gear but less about how humans can come alive in our rooms.

In my opinion, this could be one of the main reasons people are not upgrading. Yes, this is a solitary hobby in a socially connected, mobile world, but IMHO, most people's "older" gear sounds very natural to them.

Are you willing to sacrifice a bit of detail resolution for more naturalness and humanness?

Are audiophiles bringing a lot of dead humans into their listening rooms? :)

Some people talk about the retrieval of detail from the recording as if more detail will get you more naturalness (I agree). Some talk about detail as if it is somehow a bad thing (I disagree). Personally, I don't see how real detail can be at odds with naturalness. The impression of detail through exaggerated highs, sure.

Tim
 

docvale

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
542
53
940
Briarcliff Manor, NY
Ok, so it seems I totally misunderstood the OP...

I do agree with the ones that said that the higher is the fidelity, the higher is the naturalness.
My initial interpretation of the poll was to sacrifice something in performance to gain something in humanness, such as not being solitary listeners...
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
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Calgary, AB
I find recordings have more of an impact as to how a system sounds than the gear actually does. Put a crappy recording on a SOTA system and it'll still sound like crap. Put an excellent recording on a lesser system and it'll blow the SOTA system away. I'm not saying that's true in every circumstance, but in general terms I do believe that to be the case.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
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I find recordings have more of an impact as to how a system sounds than the gear actually does. Put a crappy recording on a SOTA system and it'll still sound like crap. Put an excellent recording on a lesser system and it'll blow the SOTA system away. I'm not saying that's true in every circumstance, but in general terms I do believe that to be the case.

Agreed. Sometimes the detail just isn't there to be retrieved. Sometimes it's buried. When it's there, and your system reproduces it with low noise and distortion, that's natural.

Tim
 

bryede

New Member
May 29, 2014
8
0
0
Also, the equipment may be less to blame than people think. Ever listen to the same pair of speakers in several different settings? Bass in one room, not in another, dull in one place, bright in another. The room is the part of the speaker enclosure the manufacturer can't control. No system sounds perfect everywhere you put it.
 

Ronm1

Member Sponsor
Feb 21, 2011
1,745
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wtOMitMutb NH
Certainly low noise and detail are a good thing, especially when the room & power are close to right. Sadly 40+yrs in this hobby has placed a lot of hi-end gear in the ear bleeding category. IMHO of course.
No doubt the source media is extremely important. GIGO in practice, usually!
 

caesar

Well-Known Member
May 30, 2010
4,290
767
1,698
Gentlemen, I appreciate the participation.

As one example: put a vintage tube system with an old pair Quads, and put on a regular CD, which is not necessarily a great recording. Then play the same recording on a modern speaker driven by an SS amp and a modern high resolving speaker. The latter could sound quite harsh.

What improvements have we really gotten in the last 25 years?
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Gentlemen, I appreciate the participation.

As one example: put a vintage tube system with an old pair Quads, and put on a regular CD, which is not necessarily a great recording. Then play the same recording on a modern speaker driven by an SS amp and a modern high resolving speaker. The latter could sound quite harsh.

What improvements have we really gotten in the last 25 years?

If it sounds harsher perhaps we've gone backward?
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
Gentlemen, I appreciate the participation.

As one example: put a vintage tube system with an old pair Quads, and put on a regular CD, which is not necessarily a great recording. Then play the same recording on a modern speaker driven by an SS amp and a modern high resolving speaker. The latter could sound quite harsh.

What improvements have we really gotten in the last 25 years?

That question is another entirely different thread than the one you started here.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB

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