All of those upgrades are tangible and easy to demonstrate though, in the same way that it's easy to compare a UHD stream against a 4K Bluray and see a difference in quality.
Audio not so much, hence why so many random phrases like "bigger soundstage", "more dynamic", "richer sound" etc get through about - because they aren't quantifiable in any way.
You can differentiate between a smaller sound stage and a bigger wider soundstage though. A wider one will cover the width of your listening area and with a forward sounding pair of speakers it will envelope the listener much like a 5:1 system. I wouldn't call them random phrases in any way. they have been used as a term as to what is audibly perceived or actually heard.
Just like digital glare. A term often used for streaming because of its harsh sound on the ears. thin, tinny, nails down a blackboard. no meat on the bones.
A richer warmer sound is often associated with plain old copper wire and vacuum tubes as they do give a richer warmer sound.
Silver on the other hand adds more height to the treble and highs and can add to a harsher top end and more sibilance on the vocals. it's also more revealing.
just as you can differentiate between hd and 4k the same goes for sound. there's no voodoo involved or pseudo science.
Sonus faber speakers have a more laid back sound. it is an aquired taste. feels like it needs to speed up a tad and not sit in the speakers so much. Again the same goes for the cables. all you gotta do is sit and listen my friend. it's like knowing all the different bird songs, as you go along you get to know certain sounds and you can associate and portray that sound with phrases and words. We all know what treble and bass is as we do pitch and tone.
It is hard sometimes to portray verbally what kind of sound you are listening to and its even harder for someone to appreciate what you are trying to convey.
Position your speakers in a certain way and the treble and mids become a complete mess. you cant split them apart, they become muddy and indistinguishable from each other. Move the speakers in or out at an angle and that seperates the two. Same for bass bloat. too near the wall and its sounds bloomy and bloated, move the speakers just so and it stops. great words which are appropriate for the sound.
Snake oil peeps know all this and those are the pitfalls and landmines that you have to navigate. It's a shame that there is so much ill will aimed at this hobby. The number nerds want answers that I cant give, that should be taken up with the people who make this stuff. Maybe the number nerds should be explaning to me what their findings are, I don't know.
Seems answers are needed and I / we are the first port of call for the nay sayers and engineers who seem desperate to burn us down, why? is it because what cannot be written down or tested is therefore rubbish and doesn't fit into their logic or empirecal data?It mystifies me it really does . I doubt most have even done an A/B test with three sets of speakers, 3 speakers cables and interconnects and power cables and a couple of high end dacs.
The only answer is to go to a hi fi show and listen to every room and come out and say they all sound exactly the same. I can tell you that won't happen.
Until then
Happy listening
because that's what it's all about.
).
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