Hi-Fi or Music?

meninblack

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Following on from a thread over in Sleepy Hollow, if your system was so very, very "detailed" and "revealing" that many of your favourite discs sounded dreadful, would you:

a) Change the system, even if it meant downgrading to something less "perfect"; or

b) Just buy more "audiophile" recordings, and listen to the old favourites in the car?

What's your priority?

 

darrenm

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Interesting...

With my crappy HipHop and Dance music I have to make a compromise between outright fun and detail.

Before my speaker change some discs were almost unlistenable, but they are fine now, and I can still enjoy more audiophile recordings also.

 

darrenm

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Ant wrote:

Upgrade to a system that does both
...but MIB's point is that upgrading can be more revealing, thus making some discs worse...

...although my upgrade didn't bring this issue
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G

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buy a system I liked in the first place, buy by listening, not buying brands or flavours of the month, or what others say is good, one mans meat and all that

 

Anthony

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ermm, i wouldn't think they sounded dreadful - just raw and poorly produced/recorded. would accept them they way they were.

i have a cd of old billie holiday tracks. recording is pants but i still enjoy it. i;ve also now realised that some older dance music i have is not well produced or recorded now that my system is better, but i still enjoy it.

 

Testure

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No question enjoying the music, soif the system made all my cd's sound like you want to turn it off within 60 secs* Iwould happily chose option a). But hopefully I've still got a brain not to end up with a system like that
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* N.B. this relates to the system and not my lovely music (which surprisingly is generally very well recorded)
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Testy

 

meninblack

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Ant wrote:

Upgrade to a system that does both
That's kind of my view, Ant. There are a couple of guys over on HFC who have systems based on a CD player (Resolution Audio opus 21) which is "better than a Wadia" but makes all their favourite music sound shite.
shock.gif.7732780fe7e208b945ce79ca96402fca.gif


They argue that it is so rewarding with "audiophile" discs that the rest don't matter.

Can't say I agree, personally.

 

Papa Lazarou

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meninblack wrote:

Ant wrote:
Upgrade to a system that does both
That's kind of my view, Ant. There are a couple of guys over on HFC who have systems based on a CD player (Resolution Audio opus 21) which is "better than a Wadia" but makes all their favourite music sound shite.
shock.gif.7732780fe7e208b945ce79ca96402fca.gif


They argue that it is so rewarding with "audiophile" discs that the rest don't matter.

Can't say I agree, personally.
Yeah but which Wadia? Likely a 301 or 302 IMO. If the Opus 21 is THAT revealing of recordings then they can bloody keep it IMO.

Anyway back to your point John, there will always be recordings thatsound less than favourable even in a modest system. Enjoying your favourite tunes is far more important.

Otherwise try a green pen!

 

Testure

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meninblack wrote:

Ant wrote:
Upgrade to a system that does both
That's kind of my view, Ant. There are a couple of guys over on HFC who have systems based on a CD player (Resolution Audio opus 21) which is "better than a Wadia" but makes all their favourite music sound shite.
shock.gif.7732780fe7e208b945ce79ca96402fca.gif


They argue that it is so rewarding with "audiophile" discs that the rest don't matter.

Can't say I agree, personally.
Argh but the crucial thing is that mostaudiophile discs I've heardlack any musical soul, as re-inforced at the last Hifi show. Great you have the most accurate reproduction of elevator music, I'd rather enjoy my music than be "forced" to buy only a select number of discs which fit with the system:nup:

Testy

 
G

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meninblack wrote:

Ant wrote:
Upgrade to a system that does both
That's kind of my view, Ant. There are a couple of guys over on HFC who have systems based on a CD player (Resolution Audio opus 21) which is "better than a Wadia" but makes all their favourite music sound shite.
shock.gif.7732780fe7e208b945ce79ca96402fca.gif


They argue that it is so rewarding with "audiophile" discs that the rest don't matter.

Can't say I agree, personally.
Mmmmm i know the protaganists:D

 

notaclue

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I do wonder if a great system making many recordingssound dreadful is a real phenomenom or simply an excuse for a bad hi-fi.

 
G

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If a system makes your discs sound worse apart from audiophile discs then to some degree you chose the wrong system. Hyper detailed source ergo smooth solid state or valves ampswith a neutral or slightly warm speaker. Different recipes for a good taste. To surmise when seasoning don't overdo it on the salt.

 

meninblack

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Testure wrote:

So hows Vicky sounding?
wink.png
Fantastic.
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The smooth, sweet and musical presentation of the Victor seems to flatter both good and bad recordings - maybe not equally, but it's a great compromise. Stuff that was unlistenable on the dry and analytical Cyrus has had a new lease of life.

(The "audiophile" elevator stuff still sounds like meaningless plinky-plonk nonsense though. :Not Sure:)

 

Ant

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meninblack wrote:

Ant wrote:
Upgrade to a system that does both
That's kind of my view, Ant. There are a couple of guys over on HFC who have systems based on a CD player (Resolution Audio opus 21) which is "better than a Wadia" but makes all their favourite music sound shite.
shock.gif.7732780fe7e208b945ce79ca96402fca.gif


They argue that it is so rewarding with "audiophile" discs that the rest don't matter.

Can't say I agree, personally.
Yes one of the opus chaps was a little rude to me.I have records that sound crap, I don't listen to them, most sound great and every upgrade has improved the good ones and brought the bad ones somewhere closer.

For example Kate Bush hounds of love on CD was unlistenable, now I'll play it all the way through.

 

jon

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i have a cd of old billie holiday tracks. recording is pants but i still enjoy it.
Have you heard her new Easy to Love CD compilation? Sound quality on that doesn't sound bad to me, and better than on some old compilations I've heard -- maybe they remastered it better?

At any rate, would much rather hear Billy Holiday singing over two tin cans and a piece of string than lots of 'audiophile' recordings
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