Audio System and genres of Music

highend64

Super Member
Sorry if this has been asked before so here it goes. Does you system is built around the the genres of music you listen to? I have a Nikko Alpha III amp with a Nikko Beta II pre powering my DIY Dayton Audio speakers.
I feel(to me and my system) sound best with music I listen to alot. Most of with is Country, Rock, and Latin music. :)
 
Only adjustment I make is to put the tube amp in "triode" mode for jazz for a more laid back sound. Let it cook in "pentode" for rockin' it ... changes the whole attitude of the amp it does.

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No, both of my active systems do a fine job of playing whatever genre of music I feel like listening at any given moment.:)
Mine too but the strongest I feel is what I mentioned
Only adjustment I make is to put the tube amp in "triode" mode for jazz for a more laid back sound. Let it cook in "pentode" for rockin' it ... changes the whole attitude of the amp it does.

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Nice
 
I feel(to me and my system) sound best with music I listen to alot.
I can select between three different amp/speaker setups in my system, While they all can play the music I'm listening to at the time I do pick a match up to the music I feel sounds best. The fact is that's why I have more options like that in one system.
 
I think to some extent I would say certain setups are suited better to different genres. For example, some systems definitely do not handle modern rap with its punchy sharp base as well others. Smaller subs seem to handle the sharper mid bass that often present in rap better than larger subs, they just don't seem to produce that sharp punch as well. But my opinion could very well be a product of never having a hear a truly first class system before.
 
I think to some extent I would say certain setups are suited better to different genres. For example, some systems definitely do not handle modern rap with its punchy sharp base as well others. Smaller subs seem to handle the sharper mid bass that often present in rap better than larger subs, they just don't seem to produce that sharp punch as well. But my opinion could very well be a product of never having a hear a truly first class system before.

I agree that certain setups are suited better to different genres. For example, I have used modern components (e.g., Lepai LP-2020A+ with Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers) that sounded outstanding with EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Not that I'm a fan of the genre...only played while flipping through the cable TV audio channels. On the other hand, I have been awestruck using vintage components such as the Adcom GFA-535 and Pioneer SX-780 receiver with vintage JBL and ADS Speakers that will stop you in your tracks when listening to such genres as rock or smooth jazz.
 
I chose my components to play all genres well, rather than try to specialize for a specific type, because I listen to so many diverse genres. If I majored in only one type of music, I may have chosen a different speaker, for instance. My amp works well for anything. IMO, the speaker impacts genre much more than other components, where differences are more subtle, but not absent. Unlike sKiZo, I have neither tubes to roll, nor switches to change amp topology, which do allow the user a chance to optimize the sonic character of an amp. So, for me, it's pretty much the choice of speaker alone for any genre-matching. I drafted a utility player.
 
I have not only multiple pairs of speakers, but multiple entire systems for playback of different genres of music. My main systems are far too resolving to listen to poorly recorded/engineered music from the late 60's and 70s--all you hear are the "flaws". And I am not going to play thrift store/yard sale albums on a $5K TT. Good stuff gets played on a good system, lesser stuff gets played on a lesser system, and different speakers definitely handle different types of music better than others.
 
Yes .. but not by intent. I build my system (inadvertently) around the music genre(s) I listen too the most.
 
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Audio equipment receives, treats, amplifies and transforms sound frequency range SIGNALS, not “genres”!

Excellent quality audio equipment, having excellent quality parameters and sufficient for the required purposes, does it at an excellent level, rather good quality audio equipment does it at a rather good level, mediocre quality audio equipment does it at a mediocre level, crappy quality audio equipment does it at a crappy level.

Proved by years of choice, within the bounds of reasonable personal possibilities, and use of equipment of possibly maximum objective qualities.

And not building a system for listening to flute, another one for listening to vocals, another one for listening to concertos for piano and orchestra, another one for listening to birds singing etc. etc. etc. …
 
A major generalization but as far as I'm concerned, speakers most definately can do justice to some genres but not others. Amps not so much and signal sources to a varying degree.

A good example for me are Quad electrostatics. Absolutely wonderful for opera and classical or so I'm told. I listen to none of that and Quad speakers are sadly lacking when reproducing what I would play.

Assuming amplifiers of similar ability, substituting one for another does not much change character of sound. One may be better suited to particular speakers over othes electrically speaking but that's about it.

If one is talking phono cartridge for signal source, since it is converting one type of energy to another, it's importance is second to that of speakers. Attributes of one can definaty enhance or detract from characteristics of the other.

That word synergy would apply more to transducers than amplification in my opinion.
 
If one is talking phono cartridge for signal source, since it is converting one type of energy to another, it's importance is second to that of speakers

Are you stating that speakers don't convert one type of energy to another? That's exactly what they do.
 
A good example for me are Quad electrostatics. Absolutely wonderful for opera and classical or so I'm told. I listen to none of that and Quad speakers are sadly lacking when reproducing what I would play.
With planars, bass extension and dynamics are related to panel area. You might be surprised at the difference when you triple or quadruple the panel area and drive them with a kilowatt.

Peter Walker with his ESL 57 and Dr. Roger West (and wife Connie) with his 945PX (they are nine feet tall). :)

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Speaking of specialized audio equipment ... best bet for listening to the baseball games ...

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... and here's my go to equipment for spinning shellac when I'm feeling nostalgic ...

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Granted, neither qualifies as an audio system in itself, but when considered as part of my audio "system" ... works for me.
 
Speaking of specialized audio equipment ... best bet for listening to the baseball games ...

rca-55x-working.jpg


... and here's my go to equipment for spinning shellac when I'm feeling nostalgic ...

califone-1430b.jpg


Granted, neither qualifies as an audio system in itself, but when considered as part of my audio "system" ... works for me.

I know several 78 collectors who use Califones.
I like the sound myself, although I don't own one .
 
Brings out the geek in me ... those were once the rage in audio visual departments - I got mine when the local high school was cleaning out the closets. And yes - excellent sound!

Also love the radio - reminds me of sitting back on the front porch when I was growing up, listening to the game with the neighborhood's Tiger die hards. I went so far as to set up a low watt AM broadcast station here to play back old games. Anyone want to listen in on the 1945 World Series? ;-}

 
Brings out the geek in me ... those were once the rage in audio visual departments - I got mine when the local high school was cleaning out the closets. And yes - excellent sound!

Also love the radio - reminds me of sitting back on the front porch when I was growing up, listening to the game with the neighborhood's Tiger die hards. I went so far as to set up a low watt AM broadcast station here to play back old games. Anyone want to listen in on the 1945 World Series? ;-}


Not a huge point, but this is exactly why I tend to think in terms of "honest sounds" [plural] rather than "perfect sound".
 
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Not to derail the thread completely ... ooPs ... to late! <G>

I've got an extensive collection of big band, old radio commercials, and radio theater. It's fun firing up the system at parties. Fire up a playlist on the computer, and I've got my very own "wayback machine" ...

 
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