The Audiophile Debate

[Spotted Horses]

I think science does a fantastic job of explaining the material universe but can't deal with questions of meaning. My own experience of meaningful coincidences convinces me something more is going on, although I don't know what, I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

As a person who has been engaged in scientific research for most of my adult life, I find that at least as much 'meaning' comes from understanding how the world works through curiosity and scientific inquiry as comes from 'religion.'

[AnotherSpin]

Agree, science and religion are equally distant from the reality.

[Valentino]

One tries to understand it, the other makes a fairytale of it.

[71 dB]

People suffer from biases/expectations formed by reading reviews and checking measurements. So they buy components with "correct" measurements and reviewed "well" that can't give them the quality of sound they would be satisfied with.

I have never been dissatisfied with "correct measurements." Why would I be? If I am dissatisfied with the sound it is because the music was recorded, mixed and mastered badly. Just yesterday I listened to The Carpenters' Ticket to Ride CD and I wish I had the individual tracks so I could mix the songs myself. How it was done over 50 years is pretty bad (later albums of the band have better sound quality).

[ritter]

This thread has really, and I mean really, gone off-topic (just sayin').

But if the posters active here are OK with how te thread has evolved, by all means carry on. If not, a new thread (e.g. "Science and Religion") can be opened.

[Florestan]

a new thread (e.g. "Science and Religion") can be opened.

Oh, santi numi, proteggeteci!

[Spotted Horses]

This thread has really, and I mean really, gone off-topic (just sayin').

But if the posters active here are OK with how te thread has evolved, by all means carry on. If not, a new thread (e.g. "Science and Religion") can be opened.

That would be redundant. A certain branch of audiophilia is essentially a religion.

[Florestan]

That would be redundant. A certain branch of audiophilia is essentially a religion.

 

[DavidW]

I'm not too concerned about the "meaning of it all". Others are, and that's fine by me. But to apply it to our simple audio gear muddles things.

Well that is one thing about AS and Poju, they're not really for small talk!  While you might ask "honey how was your day?", they probably would ask "what is the meaning of the universe and our place in it?"

[AnotherSpin]

Well that is one thing about AS and Poju, they're not really for small talk!  While you might ask "honey how was your day?", they probably would ask "what is the meaning of the universe and our place in it?"

I can make it very small: two cables with similar measurements would sound different.

[Valentino]

...at least if one knew which was which. If one didn't know it would be ever so slightly more difficult.

[LKB]

The more I read here, the more satisfied I feel with my " internal " stereo. Not only can I adjust tempo, balance and ensemble as I like, but the sound quality is always optimal. 

[DavidW]

The more I read here, the more satisfied I feel with my " internal " stereo. Not only can I adjust tempo, balance and ensemble as I like, but the sound quality is always optimal. 

You can also take it to 11 without damaging your hearing!

[LKB]

I should watch Spinal Tap again, haven't seen that one in a few decades...

[DavidW]

fyi I changed the title, because that title that I came up with on the fly last summer is terrible and I'm really sick of seeing it.

[Spotted Horses]

The more I read here, the more satisfied I feel with my " internal " stereo. Not only can I adjust tempo, balance and ensemble as I like, but the sound quality is always optimal. 

I'm sure you're aware that the internal stereo doesn't free you from the cable dilemma. You will have to consume at least 100 mL of avocado oil per day to be sure that the axons on your nerve cells are able to transmit audio satisfactorily. You might be able to get away with olive oil for chamber music, but I once tried to listen to Mozart on Canola oil and it was a disaster, sounded like W.F. Bach.

[LKB]

I'm sure you're aware that the internal stereo doesn't free you from the cable dilemma. You will have to consume at least 100 mL of avocado oil per day to be sure that the axons on your nerve cells are able to transmit audio satisfactorily. You might be able to get away with olive oil for chamber music, but I once tried to listen to Mozart on Canola oil and it was a disaster, sounded like W.F. Bach.

Well, your point is taken. However, considering the deleterious effects of avocado oil upon my aging positronic matrix, l must continue chugging along as best l can without it.

Now, if only that annoying Commander Maddox would let me be...

[drogulus]

    I can hear prices!

     

[Daverz]

I'm sure you're aware that the internal stereo doesn't free you from the cable dilemma. You will have to consume at least 100 mL of avocado oil per day to be sure that the axons on your nerve cells are able to transmit audio satisfactorily. You might be able to get away with olive oil for chamber music, but I once tried to listen to Mozart on Canola oil and it was a disaster, sounded like W.F. Bach.

You're just going to give those people ideas...

Of course, diet, exercise, chronic conditions, aging, just plain mood, etc does very much effect our hearing.  I don't think audiophiles like to talk about it much, particularly the effects of aging.  Maybe the only reason that expensive cable sounded better was your blood sugar levels.

The bravest thing I think I ever read by a writer in a major audio magazine was a description of how he lost hearing in one ear during a stint as an artillery officer in 'Nam.   

[71 dB]

Agree, science and religion are equally distant from the reality.

What even is "the reality" to you?