Is the source the most important aspect of a sound system?

[Jon_Logan]

I followed the link to the amplifier challenge. I had to smile because I came to the same conclusions years ago and I even knew which amp I was listening to and still said "oh $h*t, I'm not hearing a difference!". I would not win the $10,000.

What's the most important link in the chain? It's relatively easy to get electronics to measure and behave similarly. I say relatively not because it's easy but relative to speakers. Speakers suffer gross distortions compared to source and drive components.

I think that speakers and room are responsible for this synergy that people are talking about.

The system is just a reproducer of the source material. An amplified reproduction of the source material is what I'm after.

1. Source material
2. Speakers
3. Room acoustics
4. Electronics

 

[marc mc]

Because no matter how good your source is, an inadequate pair of speakers isn't going to reveal it.

See, it's merely a circular argument that goes 'round and 'round. :yes:

I don't see it as an argument at all.

I asked some guys on here a while back why they post or even read the audio forums. The reason I asked was these guys as far as I was concerned did not even have an audio hobby! they had a music listening hobby, and there is a difference. You see these guys owned gear from the "Golden Age" of audio, and had not changed any gear for 20+ years. I really can't understand why a guy who has had the same gear for years and years would bother to spend a chunk of their free time on audio forums. So I asked them, and they said it's to help new audiophiles. That made sense to me.

The point is this thread is not an aurgument to me. I have never seen an audiophile change his opinion on anything. But what this thread affords is options for new people. I have seen people that follow the source first path as well as the speakers first path. They do not IMO arrive at the same place 10 years later. And this thread maps the thinking of those 2 paths for new audiophiles to consider with an open mind.

BTW whoaru99 , at the end of the day what could I have in common with a guy that has a foot of dust on his TT :lmao:

marc mc

 

[TejasRichard]

1. Source material
2. Speakers
3. Room acoustics
4. Electronics

And according to Zilch, designers are working on ways to minimize the effects of the room. If they succeed, won't THAT be a great day (especially if the technology is applied to more pedestrian products, and not just the uber-highend)! Think of the implications!

 

[dogscanskate]

And according to Zilch, designers are working on ways to minimize the effects of the room. If they succeed, won't THAT be a great day (especially if the technology is applied to more pedestrian products, and not just the uber-highend)! Think of the implications!

If they are speaker designers that Zilch is talking about, I would rather have them concentrate on ways to minimize the effects of their cabinets in the lower range, approximately below 200 Hz. They still can't figure it out so how are they going to achieve this with room effects? Attack the problem at its source, once they can filter out the low frequency problems in cabinets, they can then become room acousticians. In the meantime, they shouldn't point the finger elsewhere.

 

[whoaru99]

And according to Zilch, designers are working on ways to minimize the effects of the room. If they succeed, won't THAT be a great day (especially if the technology is applied to more pedestrian products, and not just the uber-highend)! Think of the implications!

Audyssey is perhaps the best known at the consumer level, and systems from them have been available in mid range and up home theater receivers for some time now.

Pioneer has/had MCACC, Yamaha has/had YPAO, and various integrated or standalone systems for subs like Infinity RABOS and Velodyne's SMS-1 are there now. These things will only continue to improve.

 

[blackfly]

How about this gentlemen:

Consider a audio system like food. If you have excellent ingredients but a poor (or mediocre) chef the results are likely to be okay at best. You might be able to tell the vegetables are fresh or the meat tender.. but that is about it.

IF the ingredients are marginal, or okay and the chef okay, the meal AT BEST is going to be okay. Neither is going to rise above the other.

Poor ingredients and and a poor chef..... lots of leftovers.

Poor ingredients and an excellent chef: might get excellent results but certainly the sum will be greater than the parts. But the chef can only go so far before being limited out. An excellent steak cannot come from a piece of meat tough as shoe leather if it is full of sinew.

Excellent ingredients and and excellent chef will give you world class cuisine. No equal.

Time to go, dinner is ready.

 

[niklasthedol]

How about this gentlemen:

Consider a audio system like food. If you have excellent ingredients but a poor (or mediocre) chef the results are likely to be okay at best. You might be able to tell the vegetables are fresh or the meat tender.. but that is about it.

IF the ingredients are marginal, or okay and the chef okay, the meal AT BEST is going to be okay. Neither is going to rise above the other.

Poor ingredients and and a poor chef..... lots of leftovers.

Poor ingredients and an excellent chef: might get excellent results but certainly the sum will be greater than the parts. But the chef can only go so far before being limited out. An excellent steak cannot come from a piece of meat tough as shoe leather if it is full of sinew.

Excellent ingredients and and excellent chef will give you world class cuisine. No equal.

Time to go, dinner is ready.

To ad up on this, we should not forget to mention the importance of matching ingredients.
Black pudding, mayonnaise, lobster and chicken skin in tomato sauce is a no go.
As is (Technics TT's) fast food french fries in any serious combination.

"dolph"

 

[whoaru99]

As is (Technics TT's) fast food french fries in any serious combination.

"dolph"

I rather like fresh, hot McDonalds french fries.

 

[BrocLuno]

I think it's source then speakers. Anyway, that's how it always works for me. Good LP (or tape) and decent cans Good LP and synergistic speakers Bad LP, don't care how good the stuff is downstream

Smallest system test, my Denon DRM 44 with a good tape and the Alessandro MS1's plugged directly in

 

[tubed]

Regardless which preamplifier/amplifier I'm using, there is a difference in what I hear whether listening to an album, CD, cassette, tuner etc. All those categories of source carry qualities of sound peculiar to their abilities to reproduce the music.......that being said the biggest, largest and hugest sound factor is the room, in particular, my magic living room where all systems excel....for some reason.

 

[Snow]

As I said before - speakers that you think are amazing will sound bad in a cummy room.

I make every attempt not to inhabit cummy rooms. :lmao:

Regardless which preamplifier/amplifier I'm using, there is a difference in what I hear whether listening to an album, CD, cassette, tuner etc. All those categories of source carry qualities of sound peculiar to their abilities to reproduce the music.......that being said the biggest, largest and hugest sound factor is the room, in particular, my magic living room where all systems excel....for some reason.

Does your Magic living room also hold the magic smoke?



REGARDS JIM

 

[niklasthedol]

Really - it is the room acoustics - the MCACC stuff only works OK - you really have to adjust manually. It is room, speakers, then everything else.

As I said before - speakers that you think are amazing will sound bad in a cummy room.

I take it as a matter of course that the room is acousticly in order before you even think about having a stereo.

When moving to another residence with the stereo, choise of listening room is first, then comes choise of workshop for motorcycles.

"dolph"