Does good technology guarantees musicality?

The actual results depend more on component/cable matching, careful setup and the room acoustics of the particular room where the system is installed. Other than that, I do try to look for equipment that provides excellent technical performance per dollar spent.

In case you're wondering, yes, it is possible to put together a system where all the components technical performance and measurements are superb (and exceedingly expensive)... yet the system sounds completely awful, unbalanced, and amusical. And many audiophiles are apparently adept at doing exactly that. In point of fact, the more resolving the system's capability is, the easier it is to screw it up and the harder it is to get it to sound both detailed and musical. That's what makes this hobby so challenging and interesting.

To put it another way, buying the best, top-rated equipment will not, in itself, guarantee good sound. You not only need the best components, you need the experience and skill to get them to work to their best advantage. But the good news is that some of the best performing gear is not necessarily the highest priced gear. A lot of audiophiles actually believe they get what they pay for... Some do, and a lot don't. It's a rule that is bent and broken all the time.

I see so many audiophiles that are very trepidacious and paranoid about making any purchase without exploring tons of data and research and then reaching out for 2nd and 3rd-party opinions in these forums and elsewhere. Then, after they buy the product, they are paranoid that they could have bought a better performing product for the same price.

My feeling is that if you're that paranoid you should simply buy a Bose Wave Radio and leave it at that. Of course you'll want to shop around for the best price, but I digress.

Merry Christmas to all my fellow audio lunatics. Here's wishing you a more precise and expansive soundstage and a very unpredictable yet dynamic New Year!

Chris, While I sort of agree with your conclusions.........

What exactly does 'technically perfect' meant to you? Are you referring only to the DAC's translating the digital signal in the pits to some form of an analogue signal, or are you including the analogue out put stage.

If you are including the analogue output stage of the DAC, can you tell me where you will find a description of its 'technical perfection'. Perhaps the most important part of a DAC IS the analogue output. Perhaps that is what differentiates, or at least contributes the most to, what you refere to as 'musical' (what ever that is).

Then of course you have system synergy issues and your ability to make this happen (synergy) for you in carefully
matching components, including the DAC, and room set-up.

Ideally, we probably all strive for good technology and musicality with our own systems and particular tastes. Totally subjective. Every once in a while, we get lucky and they coincide.

This just happened to me with a recently-rebuilt 3910 Denon where 32-bit AKM DACs, a digital input and Class A tube output stage are yielding the most detailed, involving, transparent and musical presentation I have ever heard out of my system.

Newbee, that's an interesting point. Some manufacturers are trying to get the best out of their D/A converters by optimizing the digital circuitry, but they pay less attention to the... D/A converter's analog part. I think it has to do with costs. A good discrete analog section add a significant amount to the total costs of a unit. So these manufacturers use OPamps because they are cheaper. But I think these OPamps are still inferior to well executed discrete analog amplifiers. Why are many so called reference "oldskool" DAC's (Wadia 9, Goldmund 10C, Accuphase DC-91, Krell Ref 64) still sound so good after nearly 20 years? Well I think mainly because of the high quality design of their (discrete) analog sections.

Chris