What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

[Fëanor]

Interesting discussion. My own observations:

Lots of classical music listeners are not interested in collecting recordings. I run into people who listen on the radio, go to concerts, say "I love X composer," but their collection might run to 5-10 CDs.

Musicians I've known are usually not audiophiles. Whether because they spend so much time around live music that they don't care enough about home listening to invest in it, or they don't think it's worth the expense.

Conversely, audiophiles I've known often are more interested in sound than music. One audiophile I knew said the only reason he went to concerts was "to get the reference for great stereo sound." (They seem to use the word "reference" a lot.)

That is a problem. I can rarely justify going to them nowadays, unless I can get some kind of discount, or it's free in the first place.

As I explained above, I'd like to go to more concerts by am constrain there by both inconvenience and cost.  So I'm closer to the audiophile type you describe than any others

I do have a least a middle-sized collection, though.  My collection is constrained by the price of SD/SACDs and by the fact that I buy want to listen to and don't just collect for the sake of collecting.

A lot of audiophiles I know, (most of whom are music lovers though not so much of Classical), are into high-resolution streaming services such as 'Tidal' or 'Qobuz'.

[Harry]

Right well, I love classical music, I am heavily into high end equipment, which I have, because I do not want to approach how it sounds in any given concert hall, but I want to treat my ears to the best sound possible. I do not collect music for collecting sake, but I buy what I want to hear.

[Herman]

Interesting discussion. Personally I don't think recorded music ever 1) equals the rounded out sound picture of a live concert, with the overtones and all the stuff a microphone just doesn't capture 2) the visual effect of being able to see who does what, which makes one hear better what's going on in the composition 3) the excitement of never knowing for sure what's going to happen, or rather how it's going to happen, which makes the listener somehow more a part of the music than when he's listening to the same cd he or she's heard fifty times before.

I don't think I have ever listened to a full 75 minute cd in my life. Probably I just have a vinyl-one-side attention span. At home one just gets up and starts doing something and next thing I know the music has been switched off (by me). This never happens during a concert, and not just because one isn't supposed to get up and go to the john during a symphony, but also because one is more interested.

That being said, I agree with Mandryka that concerts have become too expensive, particularly first rate orchestral concerts  -  which probably means that my income hasn't grown at the same rate as bankers' incomes and lawyers'. On the other hand, I still like to go to chamber music concerts, that have not grown as expensive and (is there a correlation?) I like the audience better, relaxed, casual and engaged with the music.

The pros of listening to recorded music are obvious. You can stay at home, and the recorded reertoire is vast, massive and unlimited. I don't think I have ever encountered a Martinu string quartet in live performance, for instance.

As long as I can remember I have had a pretty nice Naim set, which is slowly deteriorating (I'm guessing), and sometimes I wonder what I'll do when I start noticing. (See the part above about the bankers and lawyers.)

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Interesting discussion. Personally I don't think recorded music ever 1) equals the rounded out sound picture of a live concert, with the overtones and all the stuff a microphone just doesn't capture 2) the visual effect of being able to see who does what, which makes one hear better what's going on in the composition 3) the excitement of never knowing for sure what's going to happen, or rather how it's going to happen, which makes the listener somehow more a part of the music than when he's listening to the same cd he or she's heard fifty times before.

This is why predictions about recorded music replacing live, film replacing theatre etc. were so inaccurate and naïve. They're different kinds of experiences altogether. Live music is essentially being created right in front of you, regardless of whether it's already written down on paper or not.

The virtual never completely drives out the real, it just squeezes it a bit.

[Mandryka]

As long as I can remember I have had a pretty nice Naim set, which is slowly deteriorating (I'm guessing),

Not necessarily, and if it does present problems you'll easily find someone to repair it I would have thought.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Perhaps I'm lucky in that sense (or desentitized) but I've been to so many concerts, I (think/seem to) hear fewer and fewer differences between reproduction and the real thing. It's as if my brain just filled in the rest. Only when I'm back at a particularly powerful concert does my brain go: "Bing! Oh, this is different, innit!?"

[staxomega]

I think "constant directivity" is a valid concept, though.

I think it really works well for music that needs neutrality and uncolored sound, ie music that is acoustic in nature and doesn't need additional help.

Toole's presentation on them here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrpUDuUtxPM

After reading his book, various AES papers then hearing these style of speakers at owner's homes it really changed my perception of great sound.

Edit: he uses Revel Salon Ultima 2 speakers and is nearly entirely a classical music listener.

[71 dB]

I don't think I have ever listened to a full 75 minute cd in my life.

Wow. Listening to full 70-80 minute CDs is nothing for me. If I can watch 2 hour movies on Blu-ray, CDs are easy.

[Herman]

Wow. Listening to full 70-80 minute CDs is nothing for me. If I can watch 2 hour movies on Blu-ray, CDs are easy.

Different blokes. I'm primarily a book reader. Watching movies on DVD has the advantage I can watch them in thirty-minute instalments.

But yeah, I'm bad. When I recently listened to something as basic as LvB 9 I break it down in Mvt 1 and later Mvts2, 3 and 4.

[Fëanor]

I think it really works well for music that needs neutrality and uncolored sound, ie music that is acoustic in nature and doesn't need additional help.

Toole's presentation on them here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrpUDuUtxPM

After reading his book, various AES papers then hearing these style of speakers at owner's homes it really changed my perception of great sound.

Edit: he uses Revel Salon Ultima 2 speakers and is nearly entirely a classical music listener.

Floyd Toole is famous for his scientific research on what makes good loudspeaker design.  Loudspeakers designed to closely adhere to his principles typically sound great.  Revel speakers are an example.

Revel Audio is a brand of Harman International, (which is owned today by Samsung), for which Toole was a senior consultant for a time.  Harmon owns many brands including speaker brands Infinity, JBL, and Revel.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Ah, finally got a picture of part of my system now, with the two new babies - - the DAC and the blu-Ray player.

The stone on the DAC is just that, a stone. A memory of a trip. It does zero to the depth of the soundstage, it does not slightly enhance the bass and it does not make the upper range a little more crisp. 

[Herman]

The stone on the DAC is just that, a stone. A memory of a trip. It does zero to the depth of the soundstage, it does not slightly enhance the bass and it does not make the upper range a little more crisp. 

You clearly have cloth ears... 

I sense immediate depth increase...

[71 dB]

Different blokes. I'm primarily a book reader. Watching movies on DVD has the advantage I can watch them in thirty-minute instalments.

But yeah, I'm bad. When I recently listened to something as basic as LvB 9 I break it down in Mvt 1 and later Mvts2, 3 and 4.

You really lack attention span. I can do for hours things I enjoy. If it's something repulsive (work) then I need have breaks every 30 minutes or so. How long can you read a book in one go?

[Herman]

You really lack attention span.

Maybe I do. On the other hand, listening to music via hifi is inherently artificial, which is why I find it hard to sit there for eighty minutes.

In my view classical music is intended to be enjoyed live, and I have no problem listening to three string quartets in a program, live.

[Mandryka]

Maybe I do. On the other hand, listening to music via hifi is inherently artificial, which is why I find it hard to sit there for eighty minutes.

In my view classical music is intended to be enjoyed live, and I have no problem listening to three string quartets in a program, live.

I'm much the same as you, but I don't think with me it's a question of short attention span. It's that I want to reflect on what I've experienced, absorb it. 


With reading it shows up too -- I'll read a chapter at most, in some authors just two or three pages, then have a break. It's not a problem, you get to the end eventually. I used to think there were two types of books: savouring books and wolfing it down books.

In a concert, I very often just don't want to go back after the interval, I'd much rather stay in the bar. Two string quartets does me fine.

Early music is very good for people like me, the pieces are short, they give you lots to engage with intellectually and emotionally, concerts tend to be shorter too.

[Irons]

Bass. Although Quad are best known for mid-range it is deeper bass that is most noticeable.

I am most impressed with the build quality of this deck. It did cross my mind to investigate the sister 99 Pre-amp which has a phono input for both MC and MM. I presently have an all valve/tube based system and my present Pre sounds great but is, I must admit, an ugly piece of kit (two boxes). The sleeker lines of the Quad would go down very well with the better half. Would a transistor Pre work with a valve Power I wonder?

I am about to find out! After hanging around eBay for the last month or so the matching Pre eventually turned up for auction which I managed to win. I haven't auditioned yet spending today hooking it up. It can be connected in the normal way with RCA plugs or with "Quadlink bus cable" between other 99 components. This resembles a scart lead. After hooking up I was perplexed as no connection between the two components. After trying a different configuration I was even worse off as the CD player had died on me. Using the tried and tested remedy of turning everything on and off they seem now to be in sync.

[aligreto]

I am about to find out! After hanging around eBay for the last month or so the matching Pre eventually turned up for auction which I managed to win. I haven't auditioned yet spending today hooking it up. It can be connected in the normal way with RCA plugs or with "Quadlink bus cable" between other 99 components. This resembles a scart lead. After hooking up I was perplexed as no connection between the two components. After trying a different configuration I was even worse off as the CD player had died on me. Using the tried and tested remedy of turning everything on and off they seem now to be in sync.

Best of luck with the setup and subsequent listening sessions.

[Irons]

Best of luck with the setup and subsequent listening sessions.

Cheers.

[aligreto]

Cheers.

Reports are expected, in good time.

[Irons]

Reports are expected, in good time.

Don't encourage me, I won't stop!