Tone controls- to use or not?

The term 'audiophile' means 'audio lover'. So goof off with it to your heart's desire :)

A good number of tone controls, when set to flat, are not in fact flat at all- there is usually some perturbation on account of the controls. In addition, an additional stage of gain is required to drive the tone control circuit. Unless switched out (and even the switching circuit can have an audible artifact) these things will contribute to a loss of bandwidth, detail and increased distortion.

Hence, many 'purist' 'audio lovers' do without, in the quest for greater transparency/immediacy to the music. So, to refine the definition, there is a difference between an audiophile and a purist (purist being a subset of audiophile).

But I have to ask- because I don't know- if you have hearing loss (like many of us over 40/45 years) how is it that tone controls will help? Won't that make the experience of the recorded music that less real (because you could never hear it that way live)? Or is that not important?

Mr M- If you'll re-read my post, you'll note I said the definition has(since coined in the 80's) been watered down to nothingness. Your points prove mine precisely(Thank you!). Further: I offered no "hypothesis" at all about anyone's system. I only suggested he make himself happy in his listening room, and the hell with anyone else's opinions.

Shazam "and what things will agitate you or cause more damage. ".
Interesting question.
If someone has a 3dB loss at 5-7,000hz will boosting that range cause additional damage OR annoyance?
I would think that would be a matter of absolute volume level. If he listens at 75db, I can't see a boost of a few more dB causing any problem, IMHO.

Cdc - correct. The thing I find disturbing about the notion that someone with high frequency hearing loss should not use tone controls to boost the high frequencies is that it is insulting to people with a hearing handicap.

I have always thought that a good equalizer should be part of every system.The supporting reasoning is that every different artist has a different recording engineer in the studio. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't every recording studio have a means of altering the sound to suit that particular engineer's ears? EVERYONE'S EARS ARE DIFFERENT!!!The person or persons that say that the "best system" needs no further equalization to compensate for the absences or excesses of certain frequencies in recorded material are wrong. Plain and simple, while some material may sound better without altering the recording engineer's original settings, there are many that will sound better with some slight adjustments. If it has them, tweaking the tone controls on a particular receiver or preamp will only cut or add at certain frequencies. Don't take this the wrong way, but if I had the system that you have, I really wouldn't be all that concerned about being a "purist" and going without equalization. Buy a good equalizer!