Pryso, this is an interesting discussion...human ears differ, and so does our definition of what is real. On the other hand, do we have instruments that capture the true "physics" of a sound? To the extent that we have such instruments, and I am not sure we do, that is what I would consider the real thing. But you're absolutely right: our ears might differ, and very much so...and what each of us considers to be the real thing might differ big time. But if this is the case, all of our discussions should be pointless: what for me is "good" and "real" for you might be a big distortion of reality. From this standpoint, the quality of a system is a totally subjective notion. My belief is that there are ears that get closer than other do to the real thing as it can be objectively measured. These more educated ears are better equipped than others are in assessing the quality of a system. In other words, I wouldn't let the lack of education (in our ears) undermine the notion that there are better systems out there...but of course this is only my opinion, and I respect yours.
The closest approach...really
I recently purchased a pair of Gradient SW-63 woofers for my Quad ESL 57, and I this is so far the closest approach to the real thing that I've ever experienced. The midrange is probably the best possible, with Quads' holographic properties most audiophiles are familiar with. The micro-detail is also superb. The Gradient woofers add a very competent, tight, and fast bass. I believe this combination is hard to beat at any price. Does anyone think this combination can be beat?
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- 61 posts total
- 61 posts total