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Striking a balance between musicality and resolution

As my years and experience in this hobby continue to grow I notice a divergence between those seeking extreme resolution and detail from their music reproduction systems and those in search of maximum musicality.

In theory, high-end audio systems should provide more than garden variety stereo systems. In my view that means more detail and information should be heard from a high-end music reproduction system than one hears from ordinary HiFi stereo systems set ups. BUT is there such thing as too much resolution and detail in a stereo system’s sound presentation?

Some people feel that a less detailed presentation that is easier for your brain to process has better flow and provides more enjoyable listening.

So there is the dichotomy. Should one pay more to hear less? Can a frequency response performance that is curtailed at both frequency extremes be desired and praised?

Those that seek a “more musical” presentation usually point to their belief that that is how they hear live un-amplified acoustic music in the real world. In nature, high frequencies attenuate and decay with distance from the source and sound waves get absorbed, diffracted, reflected, and diffused by the environmental factors and landscapes; so they are not wrong in stating that in the real world the sound of music is less detailed and extended. The issue is that when we listen to our music reproduction systems at home we are not listening to live un-amplified music in a concert venue, but rather professionally produced audio recordings typically recorded with close-microphones techniques.

So the question is, do we want our systems to reproduce the sound on the commercial audio recordings accurately or does one want hear the sound the way one thinks that it should sound?

Lucky for me, I have enough systems at home that I have been able to design, set up, and tune them for different targeted resultant sound, sound presentation, and sound qualities. For instance, my OKTAN6 ultimate horn system is a dissecting microscope, my Pinnacle horn system aims at extreme musicality, and my WAAR reference system is a chameleon, which can be adjusted to sound exactly how you want it to sound in real-time.

My “test-bed” system takes on the sound character and sound qualities of the components in use and it is excellent for evaluating what new components have to offer or bring to the table in terms of sound qualities. But with the Acapella TW-1S ION plasma super-tweeters extending the high frequencies, the TBI Emperor subwoofers extending the low frequencies, and the highly detailed & nuanced Digital Audio Denmark AX24 DSD dac streaming HQPLAYER as the source, the “Test Bed” system is a highly resolving system.

As with everything else in life, is there a happy medium or compromise that gives you the best of those worlds? I believe that there is and that great music reproduction systems can be tuned to strike a balance between musicality and resolution. If one listens to the evolution of my OKTAN6 ultimate horn system for instance you can hear that the fine tuning is driving the sound in that direction.

So during last night’s listening session I adjusted the sound of my “Test Bed” system to a more musical sound presentation. The “Test Bed” system is always in flux so it allows me to experiment, explore, tweak, tune, and have fun with it.

Here is an audio recording from last night’s listening session that captures the revised sound presentation and conveys the sound qualities that exemplify a more organic sound versus a more delineated & resolved sound presentation:
 

The Way It Goes

 

carlos269
ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,459 posts
 

I completely agree with your premise and analysis. I have had many iterations of my systems over the years and have inadvertently moved too detailed, too lean and analytical... too revealing. As I have said elsewhere I finally spent over a decade researching the real thing... 7th row center seats at the symphony for a decade... other venues. I realize there are different camps of components and gradually upgraded my systems to reproduce the "real thing" instead of what I call "sound spectacular".

I look at details versus musicality a little differently. A good "real thing" system does not have less details over a "highly detailed system", but it keeps them in appropriate proportion. My system has all the details... they are not "over amplified". So you can still hear the violinist move her foot... but now, you have to stain to hear it... just as you would have to if you were in the music hall. It is getting the proportions right. I remember listening to White Room at a friends house once and being blown away that the cymbals were a solo instrument! They are not. I listened to the same recording on my system (carefully constructed to accurately reproduce music) and they were in the background by the drums where they should be. 

So, it is a question of what are the manufactures trying to do. Companies like Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Sonus Faber, VAC and a few others are dedicated to the accurate whole reproduction of music (in 3D space)... with all instruments in proportion to what is on the recording... and would be in real life. Then there are companies that carefully reproduce each sound in 3d space emphasizing all the details and revealing all. These can be amazing to listen to... but do not sound like you are sitting where the microphones were placed... in my example, in the symphony. I sat about three rows back and 12' below the microphones used to record the symphony when it played and have those recordings... some of which I was at during recording. 

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,459 posts
 

@gdaddy1 

When I was young, I thought it was all about details and slam as well. 

 

..."Some people listen to the system more than they listen to the music. "

Absolutely I went through that stage for a long time! When I worked, I only had a maximum of 45 minutes per day to listen... I enjoyed listening to my system... the detail the images in space... the tube train in London passing under the London Symphony hall. But when I had more time, I would get bored after 45 minutes and go do something else. 

When I assembled the musical system I own today I can listen to the music for three hours and have to drag myself away. It has a deep emotional connection with me. I just can't tear myself away. Also, my minds eye isn't darting around from detail to detail in the sound stage... I am emotionally engaged with the music. 

 

I found the journey to get hear to have been incredibly satisfying, but have to just wonder... what was I thinking? What a waste of time. There are a few... only a few that go for music from the very beginning... typically going for tubes right out of the gate But I was first a scientist and so followed my analytical mind first... until I slowly figured it out. 

 

uncleang
151 posts
 

It’s a moving target based on an individual’s taste/hearing.  One person’s “musical” or “natural” could easily be another’s “harsh” or “veiled.”  I think you’ve hit on what is the “art” of becoming a happy audiophile, which is identifying and finding that optimal balance between detail and musicality.  

My sister in law has listened to AM radio her whole life so any frequency over 5K Hz is 'shrill' to her. The AM band is both musical and natural to her.

carlos269's avatar
carlos269 OP
467 posts
 

@ghdprentice Perhaps you can post an audio recording of your system so that we can all hear what “The Real Thing” sounds like. I’m curious to hear what you consider “The Real Thing” presentation. Looking forward to hearing an audio recording of your system.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,459 posts
 

OP,

Not sure how to do that. Recording my system sound like it would be brought with difficulties. But if you are in the Portland Oregon area sometime, look me up. You can see my system under my virtual system. If you know the components... you will have a very good idea of how it will sound. 

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