Audio Diversity - What is it?


I've noticed that there are always alot of threads put up about "this vs that", tubes vs transistors, analog vs digital, cone vs electrostat, high price vs high value, cables make no difference, etc, etc. It seems that there is a wide variety of opinions as to what actually sounds good or better than the rest. Sometimes this elicits very strong opinions.

My question is why is it, that there is so much difference of opinion on this subject? Doesn't everyone hear the same music? Is it something to do with some other factor like, whether they never really heard many other things, or this was all their dealer had so they think it's best, is it listening skills, or what? Or is it ego, pride of ownership, and protecting resale value of their equipment, that is coming into question here? If that is the case, then are people lying about it to support their self-esteem or bank account, by exaggerating the quality of their systems to others? Do people who can only afford low-fi state that there is no difference in gear, only to make themselves feel better that they have just as good gear as the guy who paid $50k? Or are we all just imagining differences? Or perhaps, some of us don't want to get "closer to the music", but would rather have certain "airbrushed" qualities to it that they like, but take it further away from truth? Personal preferences? I don't know.

It seems to me that if 2 people listen to the same system in the same room at the same time, there should be some consensus about whether it is better or worse than some other system they compare it to. But yet, we seem to not be able to agree on this. There is always this and that getting in the way. But I say it's either closer to the music or further away. It should be easily determined. When 2 people look at a red car, they both know it's red. Nobody has to measure the reflected wavelengths to know that. One may like red better than the other, but there is no doubt that the car is red. Can't do that with audio systems. When 2 people listen, one says better, another says worse. Why?

What I would like to know is, what you think is the reason for such large differences in opinion about what sounds right and what doesn't. I don't want to start an issue about one particular type of equipment vs another, but I want to focus on why we don't seem to hear things the same.

I think this is at the root of alot of our discussions here on this forum, and I'd like to hear some opinions on it, which will likely be just as diverse.
twl

Showing 1 response by slappy

I dont believe one person knows "How to listen" more than somebody else. Everybody listens. Its weather or not you can break down what you heard into a verbal form that can be relayed and understood by others.

I dont believe that I can "Listen better" than one of my buddys who is not into audio. I dont believe that the more seasoned people here can "listen better" than me. If anything the ability you gain is the terminology and wording to present the differences you feel into a sentence.

Its like when a skilled guitar player listens to somebody else play, he can recognize the chords and strings, the non-guitar playing guy cannot. It does not mean that they hear differently, it does not mean the guitar player hears better, and it certainly does not mean that the guitar players hearing gives him better judgement as to weather or not it sounds good.

i mean no offence, but if somebody told me they can listen to music better than me, i would reccommend that they talk to a therapist.

my other half is by no means an audiophile. She can tell that my new speakers sound different than my old speakers, she fully believes they sound better than my old speakers. She lacks the vocabulary list to reffer to alot of the changes.
She says they dont sound as big. "soundstage"
she says they seem to connect better in the center. "imaging"
She says they sound more realistic. Etc Etc.

Shelby, with no real understanding of hardware, software, accoustics, or the principle of sound can tell all the changes i can, she just uses different terminology.

So, i must respectfully disagree that people can ever "Hear better" through experience. They might know what specifically what to pay attention to, so they can put a review into it, or inform somebody else about it, that does not mean they can hear what others cannot though...

as for something sounding better after you got it... that probably has something to do with break in period...

just my opinion, diddnt intend to offend anyone...