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Diversity of opinion over what

I find it remarkable that what I percieve as cold and analytical others will call warm. Has this ever happened to you?
My particular situation I'm thinking of was that I sold Musical Fidelity A308 integrated amp, some years ago.I thought was just too SS, hard, cold, etc , sounding for my JM Lab speakers.
The guy I sold it to was very happy (I priced it waay low) and said it was very warm as he had expected it to be.
I didn't argue of course, but was really baffled. Even if he used soft toned speakers, by comparison with other amps it really should have been on the cool to neutral side, or am I way off? Beats me!! So I am asking if you have noticed this too? Either way your Warm is another guys cool etc..
I have learned never to argue about this, one guys "ruler flat" is anothers 'really rolled off top end' and dark. I am not equiped like John Atkinson to argue the point empirically.
My assessment of other sonic charateristic has been endorsed by some friends, in particular with tubes which I love experimenting with. I rarely get into a disagreement on tube qualities.
mechans
mike60
275 posts
 
I also remember the prior JM labs as being analytical and fairly bright, even for my taste. I think that is possibly the cause of the disparity of opinions in this case. I could not live with those speakers easily without a front end to tame them. The latest series of Focal Utopia speakers are a whole different story. Superb speakers .... amongst the very best of all the ones I have heard in recent years.
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
How we hear if different for everybody, especially related to culture and language. Many years ago an article appeared in FI magazine that explored how people in the UK and the USA had different 'hearing'. Part of that exploration was aimed at the often used term 'british sound'. Still true, so it is no wonder that we have a diversity of opinion on what speaker sounds 'better'. Recently this difference of hearing is being explored with Asian people.
wideload's avatar
wideload
146 posts
 
Years ago, I asked the reviewers from a couple of the mags to publish full audiological reports. I swear a couple of those guys had high frequency loss. I used to have one done every few years. Now I'm old and don't need a test to know I can't hear. That and mi esposa and grown kids tell me so, loudly.
jimmy2615
410 posts
 
I think people have preconceived ideas about products based on other non-truth (other than aural) sensory cues, such as visual, or third party affirmations (reviews). To illustrate my point, these example would possibly spark the ire of those affected by such pre-conceived notions:
1) McIntosh components are cold and analytical sounding.
2) Audio Research components are warm and euphonic.
3) Solid state components are overly warm and tube components are etched and hard to listen to.
Silly? Well, for number three, how many times do reviews of very expensive tube equipment state it has the best traits of solid state amps, and comments on good solid state equipment describe a sound that is not "etched" or in other ways having those negative traits associated with solid state (or, sounds like tubes)?
I think the bottom line is unless you listen to a given piece of equipment with a given loudspeaker, you really don't know how they will react together. All of these biases and preconceived notions really just lend themselves to salesmanship. Sell a product. Hype.
vinw
67 posts
 
Excellent posts with all of the above comments, and not to forget "speaker-room interactions" too.

Off topic: I noticed it takes a day or longer before a reply is being posted???
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