is it all in the mind?

[Thompsonuxb]

The current theme of this forum for me, is fascinating.

All the 'differences' from the various changes that can be made in your system are they really pointless?

If all amps, cables, sources sound the same - only speakers and their positioning make a difference are any differences heard only in the mind.

When I first bought the. Yamaha ax-620 all those years ago I was stunned by the improvements it had over my Technics amp.

I have been running a Rotel ra-1520 for the past couple of weeks and genuinely cannot understand why it does not sound as good has the old amp.

Now I get that an amps job is only to amplify but do some amplify better than others?

Control the speaker driver's better, extract better harmonics a fuller range from your boxes?

On the ax-620 it has a DSP which can manipulate the sound from your source to your speakers - these are real differences - even TrevC would be unable to deny.

So if the musical signal can be manipulated how can the 'house sound' be considered a myth?

Is it all in the mind or what?

 

[Jame5]

If equipment is designed to emphasise / suppress certain frequencies audibly then those differences should be audible. I'm sure this happens with a lot of really cheap equipment.

 

[CnoEvil]

You are unlikely to change anyone's mind on anything.

FWIW. I seldom see anything in this hobby as "black and white"

 

[iQ Speakers]

Its not a Science, that can be measured in unit results, unless you have a music enjoyment meter? I think thats the beauty of it. Us (mostly men) love tinkering, tech stuff, the pursuit of the best at a given price. We all have different ways of getting there and thats what we enjoy. This Forum and others, as well as mags should only be a guide in getting there, so lets just go and enjoy, including the mistakes, which we just learn from and are able to share our experiences that other people can ignore or take note of.

 

[chebby]

Is it all in the mind or what?

Yes of course it bl##dy well is!

Tell me where else it can be? Your leg? Kidney?

 

[BenLaw]

Is it all in the mind or what?

Yes of course it bl##dy well is!

Tell me where else it can be? Your leg? Kidney?

I think it could all be up his a***

 

[ID.]

Not all, but it is important to be aware that there are psychological factors involved.

 

[pyrrhon]

If we follow science red like the color on top of this web site does not exist outside our minds. Pertty much all we relate to in the world is within ou mind. Music is an activity of the mind, we are not passive while listening we create music in our minds from what is supposed to be only air vibrations. If you dive into philospohy youll find kant calling it transendental mind. This hobby of litening to music is so deep and fascinating! I dont hold strongly to any opinion but to realise how the mind extends beyond our body is a matter of great interest. I really enjoy the kind of questionning you bring along here.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Chebby, BenLaw don't be like that, what's wrong with you,?.

I'm genuinely curious of your opinions.

Comparing these two amps Rotel ra-1520 and Yamaha ax-620 - I get WHF's reviews of kit. I've heard guys question the terminology used, like 'a musical amp' or 'clinical sounding' or 'conveys emotion' and concluded its all rubbish.

These are not distortions but what I've found actually is how amps present music.

To be fair generally speaking these two amps will sound the same in passing but if a moment is taken to listen to them the above descriptions work.

The Rotel is a straight forward amp -it presents its music in a room filling way.

But not has good as the Yamaha. I'll try and explain.

Previously I've said the rotel lacks upper bass , lower midrange and upper midrange. This 2nd outting confirms that view.

Bass while deep is not.... textured, by that I mean if you have a bass note, the foot drum and some bongo drums playing on a track they're not clearly defined the sound is general. It's listenable and the instruments are there it just all sounds, general.

The Yamaha you notice the instruments, their textures it's like all frequencies are present.

Its more musical...lol.

It's like The Rotel produces sound and the Yamaha delivers music, if you know what I mean?

Vocals again sound natural/real on the Yamaha on the rotel it sounds like a recording.... I hope you get that.

With harmonies the Yamaha picks up individual voices, you actually hear who's guesting on who's album.

Again with the rotel all the info is there but it does not jump out at you - there is no wow moment.

I swear it'd be so much easier to listen to what I'm listening to and then discuss it.

All things considered I can't understand why this is - Davedotco said something in another thread the other day ref a hi-end system about its sound. Said more eloquently than I can say it.

I don't think it is in the mind the differences are real.

 

[The_Lhc]

If we follow science red like the color on top of this web site does not exist outside our minds.

Well, it kind of does, it's a particular range of frequencies of light, to say those don't exist is not entirely correct, obviously our minds interpret the signals being received from the retinal nerve in a particular way but that's not the same as saying "it doesn't exist".

 

[Native_bon]

Chebby, BenLaw don't be like that, what's wrong with you,?.

I'm genuinely curious of your opinions.

Comparing these two amps Rotel ra-1520 and Yamaha ax-620 - I get WHF's reviews of kit. I've heard guys question the terminology used, like 'a musical amp' or 'clinical sounding' or 'conveys emotion' and concluded its all rubbish.

These are not distortions but what I've found actually is how amps present music.

To be fair generally speaking these two amps will sound the same in passing but if a moment is taken to listen to them the above descriptions work.

The Rotel is a straight forward amp -it presents its music in a room filling way.

But not has good as the Yamaha. I'll try and explain.

Previously I've said the rotel lacks upper bass , lower midrange and upper midrange. This 2nd outting confirms that view.

Bass while deep is not.... textured, by that I mean if you have a bass note, the foot drum and some bongo drums playing on a track they're not clearly defined the sound is general. It's listenable and the instruments are there it just all sounds, general.

The Yamaha you notice the instruments, their textures it's like all frequencies are present.

Its more musical...lol.

It's like The Rotel produces sound and the Yamaha delivers music, if you know what I mean?

Vocals again sound natural/real on the Yamaha on the rotel it sounds like a recording.... I hope you get that.

With harmonies the Yamaha picks up individual voices, you actually hear who's guesting on who's album.

Again with the rotel all the info is there but it does not jump out at you - there is no wow moment.

I swear it'd be so much easier to listen to what I'm listening to and then discuss it.

All things considered I can't understand why this is - Davedotco said something in another thread the other day ref a hi-end system about its sound. Said more eloquently than I can say it.

I don't think it is in the mind the differences are real.

Like someone mentioned, not all is in the mind. Some differences are real. One thing I can say for sure many still judge performance by price. Some items perform worst at a higher price. Those who seem to know it all are just as jaded as those who do not know it all. People go to almost any length to make a bad expensive promoted HIFI product to sound its best. If a mediocre or low priced item is given the same attention to perform at its best, it may well perform just as well or even better.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Ok.... normality has been restored. The ax-620 is back in place.

My conclusion - the naysayers, those from the 'church of science'
aka the pit of 'it all sounds the same' also referred to as the den of the deaf and....lol

Let me stop, anyway you guys don't know what your talking about.

And should seriously consider getting your ears syringed or at the least checked.

Now wheres my coat, what did I do with my keys..... *fool*

 

[SteveR750]

Ask yourself what is music. What is harmony, and why should it follow such a mathematically precise pattern? Rhythm, why are we so fundamentally moved by repetitive beats that move (literally) us? It's so powerful, that so many of us are impressed when an artificial source replicates it. It's so powerful to engage almost every being on the planet to change the way they feel for that moment. I hate the term PRAT that some wisecrack has come up with to try to use adjective definitions for something new to describe something that is beyond fundamental human psyche, but yet it's symptomatic of just how powerful it is. Distortion of the overlaying harmonic type is gorgeous, an inspiration to a million guitarists every day, such is the paradigm of sound. It's sometimes easy to perhaps lose sight and sound of the importance of context.