kota1

The two channel format sucks. Go immersive like I did, problem solved.

Good luck with your new problem, haha.

Can you explain more? Agreed, I have been coming to the same conclusion and decided stereo is inherently unnatural.

I'm don't walk around all day complaining about sounds I hear but I often dislike the way my stereo sounds. I'm not talking about the "audiophile" stuff we talk about here. I'm saying when I turn on the stereo, my brain has to adjust from natural sounds of real life to this odd noise coming from boxes. Maybe people who listen to orchestra music do not have this adjustment problem..

@johnk

I have no such issues I DIY most all my gear or I buy from very well-respected knowledgeable builders. But I do see you types living what I posted constant gear changes many complaints of not using systems or of listening fatigue. .... Why I posted what I did. 

I think we've all been set up😉

Are audiophile products designed to initially impress then fatigue to make you upgrade?

@nonoise

No. Every manufacturer makes what they think you'll like based on their observations of you (the public).

+1

So who is really to blame? I would suggest the consumer is just as guilty as the mfg'r. We go into an audition listening in critical mode and that's what we get.

To make a gross generalization, delta sigma dac to impress for critical / short term listening and NOS dac for musical enjoyment / long term listening.

To put things in perspective, McIntosh 275 amp got an "A" in Stereophile some 40+ years later. So how far have we really come?

@ghdprentice

Inexpensive audio equipment can be fatiguing… those built to minimize cost of parts.. . . .Systems designed to reproduce music tend to be pretty expensive.

Some good points made in your posts. But I would like to suggest it IS possible to get musical, non fatiguing sound for a low price if you know what to look for and can accept some compromises.

@mihorn

most people (non-audiophiles) ears are almost in natural sound mode.

Interesting observation. maybe that is why people think audiophiles are nuts. They’ve never entered the world of "unnatural sounds".

The right speaker is converted to a natural sound speaker by me

I can hear the improvement.How do you do this?

Lately, I have been wondering if a single omni-directional point source is the best method for sound reproduction of certain genres of music. Not for orchestra where soundstaging is vital. But for rock music / wall of sound.

Also trying to figure out why some musics sounds better on my 2" single driver computer speakers than my hi-fi system.Volume and full-range sound notwithstanding.

I switch back and forth with the same song. Sure, this is personal taste, but seems the "harsh" metal driver actually sounds better when it is coming from a small point source. Due to its small size, as it expands, the harshness is dissipated and what fills the larger space is a more clear, coherent sound.

If there is one best choice for each of us:

then the more choices there are

the more wrong choices we have to sort through.