Is your system black and white or colorized?

[ohbythebay]

Seems like an odd question, right ? Well, a recent thread talked about revealing vs forgiving and this is somewhat in that vain but a different way to see how we have system preferences.

Black and white
This is the total reveal system, pure sonic sound from media to speaker. Can be somewhat sterile (to some) but there is no coloration introduced by the equipment, right down to the cable capacitance and inductance. Your bass and treble was recorded in a studio, is never even referred to except as lows and highs and a control could not be found anywhere on your equipment. If a sub is employed, its placement is done via a microphone pickup and analysis

Sepia tone
Similar to the above but some coloration is allowed, possibly by tubes, perhaps by room treatments. Room treatments you say ? How is that not black and white ? Because (and now we start to see) one is tailoring the sound. Of course, it could slip back into black and white if it is used to get back to purity of sound and remove any coloration by the room.

Colorized
I think the majority gets their systems developed here. We all have certain sounds we seek. Warm tubes. Forward mids, Crisp bass or boom boom. We love to tube rolls, try different units hoping to get that sound we desire. Not necessarily that BLACK AND WHITE perfection, we seek the perfection we like to hear.

Case in point, my input tube rolling experience. 12AX7's can be so different. I wanted warmth but clarity. Crisp bass. But the hardest to get was all of those things AND forward mids. I achieved the former with several types but only two gave me those and the forward mids.

So is my system colorized ? Heck yes. I love my system. I think it sounds awesome. For some it may not be detailed enough, it may be too warm, too bright, to deep...but its just the right color for me. :scholar:

BTW..Black and white, sepia or colorized, none are wrong because they are right for you.

 

[Dpod4]

A little bit from everything you cite. I want it all.

 

[Mike]

Sepia. Must pay special attention the amplification and cabling to keep it there.

 

[sharkmouth]

Sepia. Must pay special attention the amplification and cabling to keep it there.

Same here, I try hard to get the balance just a tad warmer than neutral. It doesn't take much to upset the balance. The room treatments work perfectly too but in the sense where they tame the room to a point, not totally void any natural sound.
Another thong that dawned on me the other day when talking to a fellow audiophile was that my tastes run to switch mode power supply or linear. This has an effect on the sound too.

 

[Glareskin]

Very good topic! This is what I am struggling with for a long time. You want your speakers to be revealing but at the same time a bit forgiving when it comes to your favorite music that is not so well recorded...
I'd have to admit that I have sepia so far. For me the sound is a bit too revealing because I notice that I avoid some of my favorite music. However guests in my house always say: "through your equipment everything sounds good". So I guess it also has a lot to do that we have very trained ears. I always pay attention to recording / mastering. I would love to remaster some of my favorite albums...
Now apparently, at least that is what the magazines wants to believe us, the new Linn Exakt system sounds sonically correct (=revealing) and at the same time sound good with all your music. Since I read that sentence I am very interested....

 

[BobM]

I want a transparent system that leans toward the colorizations that I prefer. And I think I have it now (but then I also think I'm still 25 years old, have a sculpted body, and have more hair than I do).

 

[ohbythebay]

I want a transparent system that leans toward the colorizations that I prefer. And I think I have it now (but then I also think I'm still 25 years old, have a sculpted body, and have more hair than I do).

Okay...getting past the good laugh you gave me(thank you)

I think I am in your camp. I want detail, reveal or as you put it, transparent but leaning towards the coloration I like.

Example - I have always favored Audio Technica carts because I feel they reveal a lot - for some the highs may be fatiguing but I don't get that...so perhaps for my system, tubes, whatever, it needs that an is tempered by the system. I should note, certain carts like the AT33EV, choke my system where others love it.

I tried STanton, Pickering, Sumiko, Shure, etc...In all cases I felt a thin veil ...My CA Concept MC being an exception...that one was a perfect fit.

I also use my bass and treble controls...Treble on +2, Bass on +4

I guess I am the colorized version...LOL

 

[MDP]

I think colorized , I love all the detail,but if it gets too revealing I start to get fatigued. I want a system that makes me want to turn it up,not turn it down !

 

[the professor]

GRAY . . . .

I need it to grab me and show it's emotion first. It needs to make you tap your toe. Once it has that, I want to get as close to black or white as I can with out losing the emotion and toe tapping.

 

[RedSectorA]

I think colorized , I love all the detail,but if it gets too revealing I start to get fatigued. I want a system that makes me want to turn it up,not turn it down !

+1. We may define it differently but I think we will all come down with this definition of what we have/desire in our system. That being said the sound we like will be very different from one person to the next based on earring, personal experience, room acoustics, personal bias, etc....

 

[Rayooo]

Give me color or give me AM Radio.

I listen for enjoyment and relaxation. If coloration increases my enjoyment and relaxation, bring it on.
I could care less about some unobtainable thing called "accuracy" I wouldn't know accuracy if it hit me in the face, I have never had a clue what the original artists and or producers of a recording "intended" it to sound like anyway.

 

[MDP]

Give me color or give me AM Radio.

I listen for enjoyment and relaxation. If coloration increases my enjoyment and relaxation, bring it on.
I could care less about some unobtainable thing called "accuracy" I wouldn't know accuracy if it hit me in the face, I have never had a clue what the original artists and or producers of a recording "intended" it to sound like anyway.

I nominate this post as "Post Of The Year" :victory:

I have never read anything that rings more true, to me !!

Great post Ray !!

 

[NorthStar]

It's a great post, but not totally accurate.

 

[MDP]

I can't think of one thing he said that "Wasn't" accurate.

 

[Rayooo]

It's a great post, but not totally accurate.

Thank you! I'd hate it if it was! (accurate) I don't even know what I intended that post to sound like, let alone all those thousands of recordings out there.

 

[joeinid]

Well said Ray. I listen for enjoyment.

Give me color or give me AM Radio.

I listen for enjoyment and relaxation. If coloration increases my enjoyment and relaxation, bring it on.
I could care less about some unobtainable thing called "accuracy" I wouldn't know accuracy if it hit me in the face, I have never had a clue what the original artists and or producers of a recording "intended" it to sound like anyway.

 

[MDP]

Thank you! I'd hate it if it was! (accurate) I don't even know what I intended that post to sound like, let alone all those thousands of recordings out there.

:roflmao:

 

[ohbythebay]

I nominate this post as "Post Of The Year" :victory:

I have never read anything that rings more true, to me !!

Great post Ray !!

+1 on that...I understand he didn't mean squeky AM radio sound ...he meant he listens to what please him and if its not accurate, he's not listening for that ..he is listening for the pleasure of the sound HE LIkes...

Which reminds me ...a Honda story..why I will never buy a Honday...LOL

Many years ago, was shopping for a Honda. Price was too high so the salesman was trying to figure a way to reduce the price. He said and I quote "Are you fussy about your sound ? " I wanted to say "No, I like tinny crackly speakers that sound like a transistor radio if it can bring the price down". Jerk

That was strike two because strike one was I was looking at pre-owned vs new. Pre-owned was more expensive. I asked why and he said "Well, its a Honda".

I walked out and have never been back.

 

[Design Audio Video]

Accurate? What's that? Accurate, dry, warm, clinical, dark, sweet.? Honestly these words are nothing more than how we as individuals describe sound with our own two ears. There is not a right or wrong and it's not a debate. It's simply a means of describing what we hear.

 

[Design Audio Video]

I can whip out my pocket audio glossary on you guy's. Specifically for East Texas folk. Courtesy of Tara Labs. I wonder if they were trying to tell me something?