"It doesn't impress you at first..."


Hey everyone,

Have you noticed how the above analysis has been a staple in professional audio reviews? I've read so many times that item x won't impress me instantly, but that as I live with it, I'll begin to appreciate "the little things" it does that make it amazing.

Personally, my goal is to get as close to the sound of live music as I can. When I get close, I know it. Instantly. "Living" with a component has never changed my gut instinct about it. If I have to sit there and analyze the sound, thinking about the mid-bass and the PRaT and the soundstage, to me that means something's wrong. If I love a component, I generally know within the first 10 seconds.

I'm sure many people do things totally differently and are very happy with their own methods. What do you think?
lousyreeds1

Showing 1 response by nutella

Often times a component, be it speaker, amp, pre, cables, etc. have a quality that is quite apparent immediately. Sometimes you notice the bass or midrange, etc or a combination of things that jump out at you and scream "hey look at me". But over time you realize that these things don't necessarily serve the music. They are sometimes exaggerations and can become quite annoying. An artificial detail or something else that while grabs your attention initially just isn't real.
We don't simply listen to bass or treble or midrange or dynamic impact (well maybe some do). It is how the whole is presented. Are you listening to your "system" or are you listening to music. Therein lies the answer.