Passion, or ..... Precision?


Hi Guys, 

In the last 2 years I have finally built what I consider to be a fairly decent System. Namely, DCS Bartok, BHK 300 mono's and KEF Ref 5 Speakers. With the introduction of Qobuz, which is all I listen to now, I find myself searching out artists or tracks that sound amazing on my rig. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and find something I really like that also sounds amazing. Streaming is brilliant for this. However, when I revert back to the music that evokes the passion in me I find that it tends to be of poorer recording quality. I'm 58 now and grew up with the 70's/80's Heavy Rock scene with bands like Sabbath, Ozzy, Rainbow, Lizzy and my beloved Status Quo etc. Their early material just doesn't 'cut it' on a high end system (IMO) and I find it more fatiguing to listen to. Modern technology and attention to detail in the recording studio has really dated some of my favourite bands to the point I find it harder to listen to them.

Does anybody else share this experience?

cheers, Mark

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Showing 1 response by tylermunns

Yeah, this has happened to me.  
I previewed a NM ‘13 “blood red” vinyl re-issue of Reign in Blood by Slayer (considered by many to be the next-best-thing, vinyl-wise, to an OG pressing) on the record store’s lo-mid fi TT-headphone listening station (can’t remember the headphones, but nothing fancy, pretty sure the TT was a Technics SL-1200).
It sounded warm, clear, dynamic, and powerful.  
I had $50 in store credit at the time. My sister’s boyfriend had just gifted me some great records for my b-day. I asked my sister, “I want to get him something. What does he like?” When she said, “Slayer,” I knew I had a winner. I had them x-out my store credit, handed the Slayer LP to him and said, “merry Christmas.”  

We both were excited to listen on my fancier system (at the time a Pioneer SX-3700 driving Usher CP-6311s, a Clearaudio Concept Wood with CA Concerto V2 Wood MC and Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+)  

When we listened to it on my system, I noticed immediately how it sounded less cohesive, less “warm,” more shrill, just not at all like it sounded on their record store listening station.

Obviously kind of a bummer.  
Hip-Hop, Metal, Punk, etc. does not shine in my system.  
Well-recorded, well-mastered stuff sounds fantastic (particularly jazz) but this is something I’ve experienced that aligns with the OP.