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Most educational audition you ever had?

What's your experience? Not what was the best preamp or amp or speaker you heard, but what audition changed your pre-conceived notions of audio in one audition, for better or worse? What was the most educational? Where, when, what, and why.
I've had the pleasure to audition various pieces of audio equipment for the last 25 years or so at dealer showrooms, audio shows, and fellow audiophiles' homes. But for me it was an audition of Revel Studio (the newer version) loudspeakers with all new at the time (500 series ?) Levinson equipment at a dealer's showroom in Northern Virginia, about 2 years ago. I went in only to look at CD/SACD players (from Marantz or Esoteric) but heard this system.
What was educational for me? I found a CD they had that I was familiar with (a Living Stereo or Presence SACD of Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue), and having listened to it in my own system over the years, with changes in homes, rooms, and equipment, what struck me was the soundstage -- something I had never heard before. This soundstage on this older recording, on this system, was confined to a box about 4' by 4' between the speakers, much like a TV. It was like it was cut out with a scapel. The speakers were probably 10' or more apart and I was at least that distance from them. The edges of the 'box' were very distinct - something I have never heard before or since, that is, there was sound from the box and not anywhere outside of it. Almost weird. The dealer did have a good system set up and room, something many of my auditions over the years have not had. So I'm sure that was a big contributor to what I heard. Anyway, for me it was a first, in terms of how distinct a soundstage could be compared to so many other systems and rooms.
So, as to the question of the post, I am not saying it was or wasn't the the 'best' system I ever heard, or the last word in any one category of bass/treble/realism, or musicality, (except soundstanging in my case), but in this way I described, it was very educational for me.
What was yours?
jimmy2615
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"03-03-14: Tostadosunidos
Regardless of format (TT vs. CD) I would expect the results to be very recording-dependent. I gather the CD and the LP were not recordings of the exact same material."

It was actually the same recording. They used a Jazz album. Honestly, I don't remember what it was because I'm not too into Jazz. Also, after reading my first post again, it kind of looks like I'm bashing digital. I'm not. Remember, this was 1990-91. CD playback has made some incredible progress since then. I still think vinyl is better, but gap is much closer.
goldeneraguy
442 posts
 
It was more than 20 years ago.I bought a VPI turntable and the dealer had just finished tweeking the set up of my arm and cartridge.He was playing Famous Blus Raincoat which he just happened to also have in CD format.He had been trying to get me to convert to digial because as he said back then "vinyl is done."
When I felt the table was correctly set we started the comparison.He put the CD on his Wadia and we listened.After about 30 seconds he stood,shut the Wadia and never mentioned digital to me again.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,436 posts
 
Les Paul and Mary Ford at the Penta Hi-Fi show in London in the 90s. Same song and recording. I think it was a Roksan versus a Krell CD player. The LP absolutely trounced the CD.
david12
1,454 posts
 
About 5 years ago, a demo by Roy Gregory at the UK National Audio show. It was of a good mid price system, from memory, Electrocompaniet integrated and CD player into Kef Ref standmounts. This started on a basic shelf, then progressively moved through a top flight shelf, better interconnects, speaker cables, then power cords, then a Nordost QX4 then Stillpoints under the speakers.

I would recommend just such a demo, for any tweak naysayers. It really was very emphatic, with each addition making an audible change, nowone in the packed room denied. The most impressive change was the Nordost QX4. I bought one and it is still there in my system, making a real, worthwhile difference.
tmcclintock
35 posts
 
The first time I heard electrostatics in the early 80s. Was shopping for speakers when I happened into a room with Acoustat 2+2s playing. I stood in the sweet spot soaking up the new-to-me sound until a salesperson noticed and proceeded to patiently educate me on the strong points and how to listen. Probably influenced every purchase since.
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