The Ultimate Guide To High-End is on the way – we need your help!

[Anonymous]

thing about car audio is that it tends to open a whole new arguement about outside influence on the sound (engine/road noise, ability to concentrate on the music when you're concentrating on driving or - gasp - the reverse).

I remember the 80s journalists (Alvin Gold, Jimmy Hughes etc) getting into the whole 'remove the TV and telephone from the room because it alters the sound of your speakers' thing. I never tried it and I don't doubt it's true but who can be bothered or afford a big enough house to live like that. It is, however, a more tenable choice than being able to eliminate extraneous influences from car audio.

I note that Naim are getting into car audio. The sceptic in me tells me to beware the subjective improvements over whatever's currently fitted in your car. As the owner of a Naim home system I think I'm entitled to say that. I steeled myself against the law of diminishing returns when I replaced my Rotel/Sugden with Naim but it worked for me at the time. I can't begin to think how much Naim car audio would cost but after 50 miles of M1 between East Mids and Barnsley I doubt I'd be aware of it enough to appreciate it, whatever the cost.

Just beware trying to translate test results into real experience is all I'm saying - before you part with your cash.

 

[Anonymous]

Quote: "Merely thinking of the high end audiocard in my tower pc, gives me goose bumps."Or how about this one: I fitted my ipod with high-end in ears. White ones!"Ok, last one: "I upgraded my brain to keep track of all the subtle changes in my system."

 

[Andrew Everard]

Huh?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
Huh?
[/quote]That's a good one. It exactly descibes my feelings when I hear the word "high-end". Can I quote you on that?

 

[matthewpiano]

High-end is what you achieve when your system entices you to listen to the music you love at every opportunity, and to explore as much new music as possible. My system is more mid-range than anything and yet it brings every style of music to life in my living room whether I choose to listen to vinyl, CD, or a DAB broadcast. It covers all the bases that are important to me, particularly soundstaging and tonal quality. As a musician I want to be able to pin point the correct seating positions in the orchestra and yet retain a sense of the overall arch of the music. I want to be able to listen to classical, jazz, rock, pop, folk or any music that takes my fancy and simply enjoy it. Thats why my system is high end to me.

 

[gwynne61]

To quote Graham Chapman

"Stop it, it's getting silly"

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Solomon1"]Can I quote you on that?[/quote]

No.

 

[drummerman]

Probably a manufacturers vision of the best they can achieve without or little budgetary constraints. Sound quality ... beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman, peteAllen, Bigguads, etc you are all cordially invited to share your extensive experience with hifi! This is your chance to shine!

Edit: sorry, Thaiman, i just reread the thread and you're right- can't believe I missed it before!

 

[Thaiman]

I thought I did!

I just listen to the cure and it seem like robert smith was singing just for me Very personal feeling it was.

 

[Clare Newsome]

I'm just running in a new turntable, and it currently sounds like Johnny Cash (Man Comes Around) is back from the dead, strumming away and singing about six feet away from me. Stunning.

 

[gpi]

Yes they are excellent recordings. Have me captivated every time.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
I'm just running in a new turntable, and it currently sounds like Johnny Cash (Man Comes Around) is back from the dead, strumming away and singing about six feet away from me. Stunning.

[/quote]

Do tell!! what's your new turntable

 

[Clare Newsome]

Only trying it out for now, but across the room is sitting the Award-winning beauty of the Clearaudio Performance. All elements still running in, but the midrange is already sounding sensational - the vocal realism and emotion are incredible. I've had tears in my eyes twice (but that could also be due to either a) hayfever or b) the sadness of having worked all through a glorious weekend of weather!)

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
Only trying it out for now, but across the room is sitting the Award-winning beauty of the Clearaudio Performance. All elements still running in, but the midrange is already sounding sensational - the vocal realism and emotion are incredible. I've had tears in my eyes twice (but that could also be due to either a) hayfever or b) the sadness of having worked all through a glorious weekend of weather!)

[/quote]

Wow. I'm sure it sounds glorious. I also have tears in my eyes but only because I don't have one :-(

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="JAXON5"]Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for
example .[/quote]

No!!! I can't

How I would describe Highend? (in a broken English way as always!)

High end companys normally don't make a budget range . The components used are generally a lot higher quality that usually found in the mass market produced brand.

The main differnt normally will be pin point imaging, Natural bass (if you ever play the intrument, you will know what I mean) and Details.

The sound of them? I can only descripe as "glorious", once you own them...there is no turning back. It is the case of "finding downgrading from highend is harder than Upgrading from Budget - midrange eqipments.

because High end HiFi give you the sense that being there! all is there between you and the bands is just fresh air.
[/quote]

Spot on!

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="Anton90125"]
[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="JAXON5"]Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for example .[/quote] No!!! I can't
How I would describe Highend? (in a broken English way as always!)

High end companys normally don't make a budget range . The components used are generally a lot higher quality that usually found in the mass market produced brand.

The main differnt normally will be pin point imaging, Natural bass (if you ever play the intrument, you will know what I mean) and Details.

The sound of them? I can only descripe as "glorious", once you own them...there is no turning back. It is the case of "finding downgrading from highend is harder than Upgrading from Budget - midrange eqipments.

because High end HiFi give you the sense that being there! all is there between you and the bands is just fresh air.
[/quote]

Spot on!

[/quote]

Well, just back from a local gig (QED/Tripp ... Darren, you probably know what/who I'm talking about) and I can safely say that no expensive system I've heard can replicate what they did (nor would I want to do that in my living room on a regular basis). Full on, huge impact from drums, piercing guitars and captivating synth. Live's live ... hifi is hifi.

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="drummerman"]I can safely say that no expensive system I've heard can replicate what they did
(nor would I want to do that in my living room on a regular basis). Full on,
huge impact from drums, piercing guitars and captivating synth. Live's live ...
hifi is hifi.[/quote]

You are very welcome to visit and hear my current rig (no rega though!)
although they are not as good as a stack of Naims that I heard at Neat Acoustic....it came very close

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="JAXON5"]Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for
example .[/quote]

No!!! I can't [/quote]

I don't believe that the most expensive equipment is always the best sounding or high end, hence my suggestion some may rank the MF A5.5 or similar excellent players/ amps in amongst your 3 or 4k + players. The law of diminishing returns is something to consider. I doubt very much had MF priced their a5.5 duo at 3K each people would complain that they weren't of sufficent quality to warrant that price tag(maybe they just believe in value for money?). Some high-end high-priced machines are high-end over-priced machines. I've seen numerous reviews of eqipment such as Mark Levinson equipment where users have judged it to be exceptional but not worth the RRP and have recommended other potential buyers to purchase 2nd hand. A money no object approach to design is all well and good but ultimately depends on how good the design team is. They may produce a glorious sounding machine but poor value and no better than one costing 1.5k. Just my opinion

 

[Thaiman]

Your comment echo my thought about a lot of so call high end gears but please trust me, GamuT combo will beat anything up to £10K regardless of what music type you play. I have no reason to bullhsit you
With Hifi, when you get to certain point, double price doesn't mean double preformance. However, i do open up the hifi case and look inside them (most of my gears if not all) I can tell you right now that the cost of components use inside GamuT amp will cost an aweful lot more than what Musical Fidelity used to build thier amps. The price different easily justify.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Thaiman"]Your comment echo my thought about a lot of so call high end gears but please trust me, GamuT combo will beat anything up to £10K regardless of what music type you play. I have no reason to bullhsit you

With Hifi, when you get to certain point, double price doesn't mean double preformance. However, i do open up the hifi case and look inside them (most of my gears if not all) I can tell you right now that the cost of components use inside GamuT amp will cost an aweful lot more than what Musical Fidelity used to build thier amps. The price different easily justify.

[/quote]

Don't worry I trust you Thaiman. Was just a general comment regarding a lot of high end gear. I guess the safety net is if you dont hear a difference don't buy.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]Only trying it out for now, but across the room is sitting the Award-winning beauty of the Clearaudio Performance.[/quote]

Clare, any thoughts on how this deck compares to the Roksan Radius? A considerable step up? A more subtle improvement? A veritable thrashing? A comprehensive sonic superiority? As you can see, I'm suffering from turntable-related status anxiety.

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="drummerman"]
[quote user="Anton90125"]

[quote user="Thaiman"][quote user="JAXON5"]Imagine a musical fidelity a5.5 rated higher than a Gamut or Levinson for example .[/quote] No!!! I can't

How I would describe Highend? (in a broken English way as always!)

High end companys normally don't make a budget range . The components used are generally a lot higher quality that usually found in the mass market produced brand.

The main differnt normally will be pin point imaging, Natural bass (if you ever play the intrument, you will know what I mean) and Details.

The sound of them? I can only descripe as "glorious", once you own them...there is no turning back. It is the case of "finding downgrading from highend is harder than Upgrading from Budget - midrange eqipments.

because High end HiFi give you the sense that being there! all is there between you and the bands is just fresh air.
[/quote]

Spot on!

[/quote]

Well, just back from a local gig (QED/Tripp ... Darren, you probably know what/who I'm talking about) and I can safely say that no expensive system I've heard can replicate what they did (nor would I want to do that in my living room on a regular basis). Full on, huge impact from drums, piercing guitars and captivating synth. Live's live ... hifi is hifi.
[/quote]

Its a question of context. Live is live yes, but true high end equipment takes you past a certain point where it is easy to forget you are listening to a hifi. The sound can be load and in your face but at the same time unforced and well- natural. There are less simulated and more actual harmonics.The whole sound is more phase correct (the stereo imaging/depth/sound stage feels correct and of the right size).

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="Anton90125"]The whole sound is more phase correct (the stereo imaging/depth/sound stage feels correct and of the right size).[/quote]

How do you know what soundstage was present when the recording took place (if any, its mostly done on mixers with artificial phase etc)? Phase correct ?Thats called 'hifi'. Amplified live music has little 'depth, phase correctness, imaging' etc. Its full-on totally immersive with amazing transients and timing if done well. Accoustic/unplugged comes closer to your 'audiophile' understanding of perspectives/proportions. Like I said anton90125, its not something I'd like to replicate in my home regularely, I have neighbours I like.

I have'nt heard to much 'high end' stuff, certainly not as much as some members but I doubt many home systems can truly replicate a live band performance in your living room unless you have multi thousand watt amplification, big bass bins/satellites and a guy with a drum kit in front of you. Thaiman seems to think so so I'm perhaps wrong but I admit that instruments that dont produce huge transients such as a drum kit are much easier to emulate with home electronics.

 

[Tear Drop]

[quote user="drummerman"]I doubt many home systems can truly replicate a live band performance
in your living room[/quote]

There are NONE. That would be the perfect hifi, and they don't exist.

[quote user="drummerman"]Thaiman seems to think so [/quote]

I seriously question Thaiman's critical listening ability from other stuff s/he has written, so I would take anything s/he writes with a very large pinch of salt.