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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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.

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.

Get yourself a pair of 70s speakers for a couple hundred dollars and listen to Ozzy and his brethren through those speakers. They should be sufficiently non-audiophile for you to enjoy your music. If that doesn’t do it, try buying a 70s receiver next.

I am 59 and grew up on the same music the OP did. My solution was to build an "out of the box system" that can still play my old favorites to a higher standard than most, but also can send shivers down the spine with the newer recordings. There is plenty of newer rock being recorded today that most rock lovers can really get behind. Nothing but Thieves / Broken Machine is one example.

I agree that much old rock, particularly hard rock/metal isn't recorded well and often sounds thin and compressed. The way you have your gear set upight be making it worse though. Even though you're running all very high end stuff, running your DAC directly into your amps might not be aggravating your experience. Yes, you'll get incredible details but very often , despite having a monster DAC, that approach can produce fatiguing sound. I've read that many people elect to put a preamp in their system for just that reason, to bring some warmth and soul to the sound. Might be something worth considering.