A eureka revelation about good hifi

[Vizzage]

A revelation I have had this morning about my hifi. Now I've upgraded everything, the final jigsaw piece being my new cartridge, I think one of the main differences (apart from the dynamics, the accuracy, the "they're in the room" effect, the tightness, the warmth, etc etc) is ... the fact that there's no noise. Just music. Regardless of how loud I turn it up, even if I'm playing Iron Maiden, I can hear my wife talking! (she's saying turn that bloody horrid noise off). In fact we can just about hear each other whispering!! It's like before there was an underlying noisiness level that has just silently and suddenly vanished through the floor. I didn't expect that. It's lovely. It means I can play the music at a good strong volume at one of our dinner parties and it won't be too noisy or fatiguing.

 

[ReValveiT]

I always say the mark of a good system is being able to talk without having to shout over the music; even at good 'loudish' levels.

I can be in the living room listening at good loud levels, and when I move in to the hallway, with the adjoining door still open, I can hardly hear it!

Nothing more annoying than a 'HIFI' you need to shout over to make yourself heard.

so yes, agree. 🙂

 

[Vizzage]

Nice 1. Reminds me, we went to a basement jaxx concert at the O2 last year and it was incredibly loud, and we were sitting in the circle at the front, and we could look down on the crowd in the stalls and hear people talking to the person next to them in the middle of the songs. That is one hell of a sound system they have there, with A LOT of headroom.

 

[busb]

Nice 1. Reminds me, we went to a basement jaxx concert at the O2 last year and it was incredibly loud, and we were sitting in the circle at the front, and we could look down on the crowd in the stalls and hear people talking to the person next to them in the middle of the songs. That is one hell of a sound system they have there, with A LOT of headroom.

Sounds like one hell of a concert! A good sound system will allow conversation. Not a question to ask neighbours though!

 

[nopiano]

Good points. One of the best compliments a well-listened visitor paid my system was to say how quiet it was. He didn't mean the volume, either.

Lack of 'grunge' is definitely a hallmark of any good piece of kit.

 

[shafesk]

A revelation I have had this morning about my hifi. Now I've upgraded everything, the final jigsaw piece being my new cartridge, I think one of the main differences (apart from the dynamics, the accuracy, the "they're in the room" effect, the tightness, the warmth, etc etc) is ... the fact that there's no noise. Just music. Regardless of how loud I turn it up, even if I'm playing Iron Maiden, I can hear my wife talking! (she's saying turn that bloody horrid noise off). In fact we can just about hear each other whispering!! It's like before there was an underlying noisiness level that has just silently and suddenly vanished through the floor. I didn't expect that. It's lovely. It means I can play the music at a good strong volume at one of our dinner parties and it won't be too noisy or fatiguing.

I find what you have said very interesting, I think the "There is no noise" things also happened to me when I listened to mega buck amplifiers like the Gryphone or Hegel 200. There was no noise, I could turn up the volume but it didn't feel in your face, it just felt like the performers were playing louder and louder. It is also an odd revelation that you brought to me, I thought the amps weren't that different from my Cayin but this is where the difference between high end and ultra high end really is. I still prefer the Cayin but now understand what those amps bring to the table.