What are your audio values?

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
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This is an attempt to objectively determine the type of speaker system an individual may prefer by analyzing their high end audio values in a numerical fashion. This by no means should be used as an end all be all determination of what type of system that we want. It is also not designed to conclude that one is better than another and I don’t mean to slight any company. This is just a guide to determine what type of speaker system should please an individual interested in high end audio. Let’s have fun with it. Put them in order of what you value most and see if your system agrees with your values.

Audio Values (List in order of importance)

Dynamics/Transients/Attack
Good Timbre/Accurate Tone/Naturalness
Imaging/Size/Width/Depth
Bass/Tightness/Slam/Chest Thumping
Extreme Loudness Capability/Loud Volume while listening. Does not fall apart.
Openness/Ambience/Envelopment/Airy/Transparent
Detailed /Etched /Snappy presence
You are there.
They are here.

The order of these may be able differentiate why a person chooses one speaker/audio system over another. We all have different ears and different audio values to help determine the type of audio system that we may be most interested in. Of course, the type of music genre you most listen to can also have an effect on the choice along with affordability.

Some possible examples are:

If you most value Dynamics/Transients/Attack then you may prefer solid state amps driving horn speakers/ hard domes beryllium, ceramic, diamond etc. more capable of extreme dynamics.
Examples, Avantgarde, Tidal, Volti Audio, JBL, Zu audio

If you most value Good timbre/Accurate Tone/Naturalness then you may prefer soft domes/tube amps. Classical/Jazz music lovers.
Example, Sonus Faber, Harbeth, Dynaudio, ATC and Vandersteen.

If you most value small (specific) sound stage and imaging, then you may prefer point source type speakers, smaller monitors, narrow baffle-coax.
Examples, KEF LS 50/wireless, Magico S1 mk2, Raidho D1.1, etc.

If you most value large diffuse sound stage & Imaging then you may prefer panels, dipole, line source and Omni directional speakers.
Examples MBL, Martin Logan, Sanders Sound, Magnepan, Scaena Loudspeakers

If you most value Bass/Tightness/Slam/Chest thumping then you may prefer sub-woofer assisted and/or larger systems. “I love my rock and roll”.
Examples: HSU subs, Seaton sound and other sub assisted speakers. The flagships of Focal, Avantgarde, JBL, Volti

If you most value Extreme Loudness Capability/Loud Volume then you may prefer Horn/Higher efficiency speakers. “I love my rock and roll”.
Examples, Klipsch, Volti Audio, JBL, Zu audio.

If you most value Openness/Ambience/Spaciousness/Transparent then you may prefer Panel/Dipole/Omni type speakers/ribbon tweeters
Examples MBL, Martin Logan, Sanders Sound, Magnepan, Legacy Audio.

If you most value Detailed/pinpoint/snappy presence then you may prefer Ribbon tweeters, hard domes beryllium, ceramic, diamond etc.
Examples Raidho, Magico, Rockport, Wilson, YG

If you most value Rich/Woody/Warm/Smooth then you may prefer British type loudspeakers-
Example Harbeth, Sonus Faber, Spendor, etc.

If you most value You are there performance e.g. Classical-Ambient large hall. then you may prefer Large horns/Panels
Example MBL, , Avantgardes, Martin Logan, Sanders sound, Magnepan

If you most value They are here performance e.g. Jazz/Blues/Female vocals- small hall-intimate.
Examples KEF, Magico, Raidho, Kharma, Marten.

What are your audio values?
 
If you most value Good timbre/Accurate Tone/Naturalness then you may prefer soft domes/tube amps. Classical/Jazz music lovers.
Example, Sonus Faber, Harbeth, Dynaudio, ATC and Vandersteen.:D
 
Alpinist said:
If you most value Good timbre/Accurate Tone/Naturalness then you may prefer soft domes/tube amps. Classical/Jazz music lovers.
Example, Sonus Faber, Harbeth, Dynaudio, ATC and Vandersteen.:D
Click to expand...

TRUE!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Natural presentation of upright string bass. The phantom image should be close to the same "size", reaching undertones clearly and relating string work accurately (it can be a noisy instrument if played fast and loud).

Any system that gets this right relative to what I hear on nights out, live, does most things well on playback.

I suspect directivity of the loudspeaker and distortion in the amplification are limiting factors of greatest importance.

Sent from my HP 10 G2 Tablet using Tapatalk
 
1-Natural, rich, warm sound, good timbre.

2-Large diffuse sound with openess, imaging

3-dynamics

4-detail

5-punchy

I use Magnepans with dual subs and have tailored my electronics and cables to try and give me this type of sound, although I would love to have a Vinnie Rossi system with Harbeths, Sonus Faber or PSB Imagine 3's.


My tastes have changed over the years as I use to be a detail and resolution guy as many of us were initially when we started in audio.
 
I don't know if those categories above quite fit. I would just say for me, the most important audio values/qualities of my loudspeakers in order are...

- musicality (natural tonality, accuracy, dynamics, impact, draws me into the music)
- balance and coherency
- resolution and inner detail
- sound staging and imaging (incl: off-axis)
- smoothness, non-fatiguing
- build quality, looks

I loved classic Infinity speakers like the Ren 90's for their sound staging and imaging, smooth top end response & off-axis performance, however their overall coherency and build quality in some areas left a bit to be desired, as did their business model (but that's another story).

I've enjoyed some Avalon models like the Eidolon diamond due to their natural sound, imaging and coherency, though they lacked for me a bit of meat on the bones, bass depth as well as tonal color and texture.

I've very much liked some of the latest Wilson Benesch speakers, incl: the Act One Evolution & loved their advanced carbon fiber cabinets, first class design and build quality, but wanted a bit more extension and 'oomph'.

I also very much like the latest Marten Coltrane speakers...just not their price tag!

Most speakers at a sane price point have some level of compromise. I just found the Magico S5 Mk2's to have the the least compromise at my price point in my Dealer's stable of speakers based on my wish list above :thumbsup:.
 
Mechnutt said:
+1 on musicality, but I think that is a given when deciding on speakers.
Click to expand...
Some of the systems I've heard on display, or in expensive home installations challenge this.

I now ask the owner if they attend live musical performances, before stepping in.

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anji12305 said:
Some of the systems I've heard on display, or in expensive home installations challenge this.

I now ask the owner if they attend live musical performances, before stepping in.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Stepping into what?
 
I find the comments and thoughts very good so far.

All of the characteristics are important - absolutely. We want it all.

But for me, dynamics is the characteristic that is most important to me because it most resembles live music. It's dynamics that brings back memories of my jazz Sax playing days.


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high contrast in sound on different recordings. (i like the audio note statement on this)

natural tone balance. (not to much bass/treble)

and it should sound great on low volumes too.
 
Mike said:
I find the comments and thoughts very good so far.

All of the characteristics are important - absolutely. We want it all.

But for me, dynamics is the characteristic that is most important to me because it most resembles live music. It's dynamics that brings back memories of my jazz Sax playing days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

So true. Without dynamics, you are left with compressed digital loudness wars.
 
Without dynamics the rest just falls flat. Appropriate attack, sustain, decay are necessary, to me, to get the presence factor. Listener fatigue is the best indicator of a system's effectiveness IMO. If I find myself with a couple of lost hours then it's sounding right. When my wife is there with me and she loses a couple of hours,"OMG it's 2Am", it's a great night.
 
my audio values related to speaker choices, are also connected to my room, system and it's various assets. maybe some of my audio values would be the same with any room and system situation, but others might not.

none-the-less, for me the first issue in a speaker is (1) absolute coherence/FR balance. next is (2) 1st watt liveliness.....micro-dynamics, delicacy and nuance. next (3) transparency and refined truth of timbre and texture. then there is (4) macro-dynamic headroom, ease and authority, and finally (5) extreme low frequency extension.

those are attributes i want to hear in a speaker......or more accurately stated; in a speaker-amp-room combination.

side note
to me #4 without #1 and #2 and #3 is a shame. I'd rather have a small sounding, lively, tonally pure, and balanced sound, than a macro dynamic sound that misses the heart of the music. i respect that some like a bit of over the top pulse to the music above all else. and while when appropriately medicated i might agree, typically that is not the viewpoint for me. just how i see it.
Click to expand...

and assuming a properly mature system and finely tuned room, this speaker system should disappear sonically and do space and imaging beyond reproach. but these results are from the basics achieved above.

there are potential conflicts in my audio values. if i want coherency, but also extreme low frequency extension, my choices are very limited. i need an integrated true full frequency speaker 'system', that handles the whole bass frequency range exceptionally well without holes or humps. it likely needs some sort of room adjustability. and if i also want 1st watt liveliness and delicacy, then somehow this speaker system also needs to be an easy load for an amplifier with a great 1st watt......yet still have plenty of headroom for that ease and authority and extension.

so my choice of speakers are the Evolution Acoustics MM7's. there are likely a few other speaker systems that could be candidates too, but i know this one can pull off this equation.

if i did not have the room and system i have, then likely i would relatively compromise on #5 and #4, and then there are a world of choices out there to consider. these would still be reasonably competent on #4, but likely not in the ballpark on #5.
 
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