What is your reference?

Live music is clearly the reference. I play one of these on a daily basis (http://www.sauter-pianos.de/en/omega-220omega-plus).

One experience that has changed my views, that I would HIGHLY recommend to everyone is try and make your own recordings. It is relatively cheap to get decent mics and recorders. I started out doing a few recordings for the church and others for voice recitals. Once you get a little experience at the process and challenges of making a decent recording, it will totally change your outlook. For example, the smallest changes in mic position and selection drastically change the end results.
 
My gear is normally the reference. All my current gear (except for the X2's) was A/B'd against other gear to earn its spot in my system. Whichever piece sounds better stays.
 
This is actually a difficult question. I suspect I use a combination of the real thing and what I am used to hearing from my own system. I think I also like a warmer sound than the real thing to a small degree. Using the real thing I think can be problematic as I think the sound varies depending on where you are in relation to the players, etc. I go to probably over 50 live concerts a year in all sorts of differing environments. Last week, I was about 10 feet from various instruments (violin, piano, french horn, and clarinet) playing trios in a room in an old historic mansion. I felt I should have been further back to get a warmer sound. For example, I think the violin can sound more, for lack of a better term, wiry when up close.
 
With almost any live music you are still listening to amplifiers, microphones, speakers, sound boards, etc. Yes it is a good reference, but not perfect. Maybe listening to un-amplified guitar, piano, etc., if that is even possible. I went to an in home concert, and even there small amplifiers were being used.

I guess if the music gives me enjoyment is the single most important reference! If a new piece of gear enhances that enjoyment, allows me to pick out a particular instrument, or several instruments, without digital glare or distortion then the addition is an improvement.
 
a live concert. sitting on a good acoustic place - eyes closed.

next event: 5 november - beethoven's 9th symphony. :D
 
When it come to public performances, it really depends on the performance/venue, how much money you CAN and are prepared to pay for your seat and/or WHO you know to get you where you want to be. If you want live, centre font whether that be AAA-AAD is where you want to be for a reference check.

If out are 50m away past the lighting console and next to a pillar then your reference is a sytem sub $10K.
 
Randy Myers said:
With almost any live music you are still listening to amplifiers, microphones, speakers, sound boards, etc. Yes it is a good reference, but not perfect. Maybe listening to un-amplified guitar, piano, etc., if that is even possible. I went to an in home concert, and even there small amplifiers were being used.
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If you go to live acoustic classical concerts, you will be able to listen without amplification and get your ears set to acoustic tonality
 
Deafone said:
I go to probably over 50 live concerts a year in all sorts of differing environments. Last week, I was about 10 feet from various instruments (violin, piano, french horn, and clarinet) playing trios in a room in an old historic mansion. I felt I should have been further back to get a warmer sound. For example, I think the violin can sound more, for lack of a better term, wiry when up close.
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Same here. I got to Barbican, Royal Festival hall, wigmore hall, and some smaller venues a lot. I am lucky to be in central london where not only is the commute easy, but the tickets are much cheaper (subsidised) as compared to the US. Only Royal Opera House is silly expensive.
 
bonzo said:
If you go to live acoustic classical concerts, you will be able to listen without amplification and get your ears set to acoustic tonality
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Which is great except there are a lot of people, such as me, who have only a passing interest in classical music. I do own four classical albums that I will listen to on occasions, however my interests lie more in classic rock, jazz, jazz vocals, and folk. All of which would be a rarity to hear live without amplification, speakers, sound boards, microphones, etc.
 
The best way to develop an interest in classical is via live shows.

Talking about amplified jazz, we recently saw the Aladdin musical which was absolutely phenomenal amplified jazz, vocals and choral
 
Live Music - Years ago I had the opportunity to participate in a practice/training session for the Houston Symphony Orchestra. I was allowed to sit in three different positions as the orchestra played: 1) on the stage in the middle of the orchestra, 2) on the front edge of the sage behind the conductor, 3) on the floor below in the middle seat of row 10.

That is when I realized how important dynamics were in achieving realistic sound reproduction in the home. To bring this this level of live sound into my home I switched to horn speakers.
 
Hiker said:
Live Music - Years ago I had the opportunity to participate in a practice/training session for the Houston Symphony Orchestra. I was allowed to sit in three different positions as the orchestra played: 1) on the stage in the middle of the orchestra, 2) on the front edge of the sage behind the conductor, 3) on the floor below in the middle seat of row 10.

That is when I realized how important dynamics were in achieving realistic sound reproduction in the home. To bring this this level of live sound into my home I switched to horn speakers.
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That is precisely why my favorite speakers too are horns and restored apogees. I find restored apogees to more dynamic and slammy than horns, especially tympani and bass drum is unmatched. And no, other planars don't do that. I also find horns very different to each other, with trios with bass horns being the most dynamic of the lot
 
I have never been a fan of horn speakers. I am sure I have not heard the quality horns that you are referring to, however of the ones that I have heard have all seemed harsh, or blaring to me.

I very much have a preference of the smoother sound with great imaging, what we used to refer to as the European sound. Back in the day I was a huge KEF fan and will probably eventually get a pair of Reference or Blade speakers, although I also have a preference for monitor or stand mounted speakers. I also have very much enjoyed MBL speakers (out of Germany) that I heard at one of our audio club members home recently, which encouraged me to pick up the Music Culture (MC) speakers that I currently own (Wolfgan's line that he started after selling the MBL company and built just down the road from MBL in Berlin).

I also have never liked electrostatic or planar type speakers. I recently heard a new very high end Martin Logan speaker at the house of a Stereophile magazine writer. I did not like them at all.
 
Randy Myers said:
I have never been a fan of horn speakers. I am sure I have not heard the quality horns that you are referring to, however of the ones that I have heard have all seemed harsh, or blaring to me.

I very much have a preference of the smoother sound with great imaging, what we used to refer to as the European sound. Back in the day I was a huge KEF fan and will probably eventually get a pair of Reference or Blade speakers, although I also have a preference for monitor or stand mounted speakers. I also have very much enjoyed MBL speakers (out of Germany) that I heard at one of our audio club members home recently, which encouraged me to pick up the Music Culture (MC) speakers that I currently own (Wolfgan's line that he started after selling the MBL company and built just down the road from MBL in Berlin).

I also have never liked electrostatic or planar type speakers. I recently heard a new very high end Martin Logan speaker at the house of a Stereophile magazine writer. I did not like them at all.
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I don't like that ML either. Very different sound from an Analysis Audio, Apogee, or a restored Apogee, all of which are different. And horn speakers are extremely different from each other, much more than Wilsons are from Focals, Vandersteens, or Avalons etc
 
Hiker said:
Live Music - Years ago I had the opportunity to participate in a practice/training session for the Houston Symphony Orchestra. I was allowed to sit in three different positions as the orchestra played: 1) on the stage in the middle of the orchestra, 2) on the front edge of the sage behind the conductor, 3) on the floor below in the middle seat of row 10.

That is when I realized how important dynamics were in achieving realistic sound reproduction in the home. To bring this this level of live sound into my home I switched to horn speakers.
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No hi-fi system is capable of reproducing a live Symphony Orchestra, lacking at both the recording and playback level. At the playback level the limited system size and space used by most Audiophiles can only give you a small peek. Well heeled audiophiles with custom spaces, large playback speakers and huge reserves of power can create a more realistic illusion of a symphony orchestra, but just barely. A Pr of Horn speakers capable of doing such would be the size of small trucks , the only way to do it domestically IMO, is with large line source speakers and tons of power.


BTW Hiker, you do not have a "Horn Speaker" , your system has a Horn loaded Driver , a True Horn Speaker is a massive device .....


regards..
 
a.wayne - you apparently are not a horn lover, if you are happy, I am happy for you.
 
Hiker, when we are referring to horns it means (whether one likes these brands or not) trios with bass horns, tune audio anima, western electrics, big JBLs (66000, for example), big cessaros like the gamma, etc.

Horn loaded speakers, even smaller two way horns, while sensitive, don't have all drivers as horns
 
Hiker said:
a.wayne - you apparently are not a horn lover, if you are happy, I am happy for you.
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Hiker,

I'm a reality lover and i have heard and had my share of Horns and i dont recall saying i hated Horns, you may want to read over what i wrote , something to do with size and space...

A real Horn speaker at the level of reproduction we are discussing is a massive device.....


Regards..
 
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