Any audiophiles in here?

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Chimp Paradox said:
audio world is terrible for it, though, particualrly with cables, and power conditioning rubbish
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How do you tell snake oil from a real improvement ?

Some 40 years ago the idea that the source was important was seen as snake oil and foo.... but after a while it was recognised it does have a major part to play.

An open mind and a demo is often a good starting point ;)
 
9designs2 said:
How do you tell snake oil from a real improvement ?

Some 40 years ago the idea that the source was important was seen as snake oil and foo.... but after a while it was recognised it does have a major part to play.

An open mind and a demo is often a good starting point ;)
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Yeah agreed - but I fall back on science and measurements as the best defence against the placebo. I think ultimately, as with all pleasures in life, we are always chasing the first "high".

If recording studios dont have it, dont buy it is another of my mottos :)
 
As a matter of interest, what components do you guys think have improved the most over the past decade or so?

Do modern amps and speakers outperform older gear, I'm curious as my amp was 'new' in the late 80's and my speakers new in 2001!
 
id say in earphones. granted its what i know best but there seems to have been an explosive pace of advancement in the last few years in the quality to cost relationship.

absolute quality though has barely budged. for earphones the baseline there must be the now ancient Etymotic ER4 which has been a reference quality level when it was launched and it still is today. the difference is in how much money it costs to equal its quality level.
 
1) DSP correction and adjustment
2) Passive Room treatment
3) Turntables

Everything else has been quite static, only becoming more affordable, but the "best" has got more expensive.... widening the gap to get the last few % of performance.
 
It's a complex question because one needs to factor in the effects of inflation. Budget amps and speakers in the 80's started in the £100~£150 price range. In today's money that's the equivalent of £400+, so in that respect what's available today for £100~£150 is quite remarkable. However, I doubt that today's £400 amps are significantly better than an 80's £150 job.

Speakers should have changed the most in the quarter century. Advanced materials, smarter modelling, and easier access to anechoic chambers should have produced some big improvements. What I see and hear though is more a case of evolution rather than revolution.
 
I didn't put speakers, as my 20 year old DIY Dynaudio still sound as good as most stuff I've heard up to several grand..... What has happen is mass production in place like China has reduced the cost of speakers a lot.
 
9designs2 said:
What music do you listen to that is so badly mastered etc?
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I think some of this stuff comes from recording techniques as well. Stuff created straight into a computer, pasted together and panned about v.s. mics, people in a room being recorded together, spatial cues v.s. synthesised ones etc.
 
Somnambulist said:
I think some of this stuff comes from recording techniques as well. Stuff created straight into a computer, pasted together and panned about v.s. mics, people in a room being recorded together, spatial cues v.s. synthesised ones etc.
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I don't think that makes it a bad recording or mastering, it is one of my pet hates though, as it creates artificial sounding music, sterile and not musical... When a live mic'd recording in a room is more natural and real.
People complain a HiFi will never sound as good as live event etc, which is not really comparing apples with apples if the recording was done straight to mixing desk !!!
Making music with faults included is better than a polished perfect capture that is soul-less and dead. The industry doesn't get it in my view.
 
Unison Research Unico CD
Unison Research P70 Valve Amp
Diapason Adamantes III Speakers
Nordost Flat Line Gold Speaker Cable
 
It's more to do with what else is going on in the building or where you are. In my case it's a building where there's lots of air conditioning, dimmers for performance spaces and the like. All of these units going on and off can create audible issues and so the Furman units help us out no end. It's not something that's going to make a huge difference in the UK home unless you have a really bad fridge freezer or similar - but don't write off the importance of good power in general. :)
 
Lowe said:
It's more to do with what else is going on in the building or where you are. In my case it's a building where there's lots of air conditioning, dimmers for performance spaces and the like. All of these units going on and off can create audible issues and so the Furman units help us out no end. It's not something that's going to make a huge difference in the UK home unless you have a really bad fridge freezer or similar - but don't write off the importance of good power in general. :)
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cool thanks mate
 
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