What this Blog is about ...
Right out of the gate I [K: "We," dear ...] have to say that I we don't think we can add a great deal to the current audiophile string of equipment reviews. If you want a list of gear and reviews of gear, there are a lot of websites you can go to and get satisfaction.
I think I cried a little bit typing that.
We are going to do equipment and music reviews as part of this. But in all truth, I think what's most interesting is the process of evaluation. I also think the back and forth we inevitably go through if we decide something is good or bad is good, too. And, did you know, we get into lengthy discussions about the sales people, the people running the demo, and so on - many times more than what was being shown? The type of personality that decides to make a living in high end audio electronics is a bit of an odd duck, and they tend to be very interesting as a result.
I think while our reviews will be real reviews, I suspect the most entertaining portion of when we go through this is the process and not the end game. Even though we love recordings reproduced really well and admire good engineering, and we love music, people are far more interesting.
If you ever listen to Car Talk on NPR I think it s pretty clear they think people are more interesting than cars, too. So, yeah, like them, only not as polished.
We reserve the right to post things not about audio as well. After all, this is about families and music coming together primarily.
You won't be able to get away from our conclusion that high quality music reproduction enhances the enjoyment of music. Our goal will always be to find ways that our readers can get closer to the sound the engineers had in the mastering booth - because of the enjoyment that usually ensues. Every step you take down that path, you will end up transported more and more, and the performances will seem more personalized for you.
In our reviews, we will always try to bring the best forward in something. If we review something we don't like, we probably won't post about it - there is enough harshness in the world that we don't need to add to it. We won't stretch the truth either.
And yes, it isn't lost on us that most people are not willing to spend money for high quality sound reproduction. On your first step down this path, you will be automatically be in a small minority of people (but one that is growing) - but it is worth it provided you aren't forgoing necessities since these things are wants and not needs.
But back to how people are interesting ...
There was a room in the New York Audio Show (which we went to this year!) that had some terrific speakers made by Sony. The room was a real oasis - but what turned the "good room" into an "enchanting room" was a slight Japanese guy who was spinning vinyl and saying an a soft voice, clearly not entirely confident in his English, things like "Um ... this is Bob-ah Marleyy" and would play the whole song without a word, then would swap to a CD and then play a computer file. At one point he put an LP on without saying a word, and played the whole side. With a twinkle in his eye when he was removing the record he said in his halting English " ... maybe that hasn't been released yet."
I love the Japanese "maybe" ... we really don't have the nuance of that in English so the Japanese are forced to use our maybe which is one of our expressions of inexactness, but for them it is anything but ... the closest we have to what he said in plain English was "Whose your Daddy? Who. Is. Your. Daddy? I work for Sony and guess what? You just heard something no one else outside of Sony Music has heard! You may applaud and worship me now."
So, yeah, the full on English Version is all rolled up into a single Japanese 'maybe.' Imagine the possibilities on Twitter? (B: Honey, I set up a demo of some Quad speakers on Friday ... maybe they will be good! K: We'll see ...)
Now while normally I'd be tempted to post a review on the speakers (which were truly terrific), I really didn't get a chance to sink in and form the usual audiophile catchphrases. But I will list a couple of things that were remarkable about that room:
(And for reference, you can see what Stereophile said about the room, with a picture - we didn't take any because we had no idea we'd be writing about it: Stereophile-Sony
1. The Sony Speakers (SS-NA2ES) were aimed at the audiophile market. This means they are expected to tbe perfect for fit and finish, and also priced according to the performance. These were priced at about $9000 for the pair. Before you turn pale white, realize that these were the cost reduced variants of the two pairs that were released earlier at $27,000 (AR1) and $20,000 (AR2). And what was remarkable was that the level of sound purity - a very open and detailed upper midrange and treble that had not an ounce of harshness to it. Such clarity and detailed smoothness has traditionally been nearly impossible to do. When it is managed, it usually is at the expense of other characteristics (such as coherence, or tonal balance) - and even then the prices for these flawed examples tend to be much higher than what Sony was asking.
Ok ... now you can turn white as a sheet. Yeah, at $9k these things are not cheap.
2. The electronics they used to drive them while expensive and audiophile, were not the ne plus ultra of their categories. Pass Labs supplied the amplifier and preamp - whose lower end were the ones they were using - and while not cheap by "Best Buy" standard, are solid choices a dedicated audiophile might make. They had a Mytek DAC they ran many of their songs through from their computer ($1500 - and is aimed at pro studios) - and they had a Clearaudio turntable through a tubed phonostage. The main takeaway isn't meant to pop your eyes at the totalled $30k or so price tag not including speakers - but it is that that was a relatively humble setup compared to what most of the other exhibitors brought which was closer to $100-150k in most cases and didn't sounds as good.
But the main thing about the whole room wasn't the toe-curling price to the uninitiated*, is you could both imagine you owning the speakers and electronics ... and it sounded great with good music, and while we loved the speaker, and could easily imagine owning it if the funds became available, mostly the awesomeness of the room was the tiny Japanese man and his maybe.
*- I think it is important to point out that at these prices, it seems far too high for "just a stereo" - and yes, it is a lot of money. You can get most of what you'd hear at one of these things for a lot less, but it isn't going to ever be cheap. It is best to think of it as a substitute for a sports car that some folks buy as a "toy" when they get to be a certain age.
I think I cried a little bit typing that.
 |
| We suspect she'd like the sound better if she turned around ... |
I think while our reviews will be real reviews, I suspect the most entertaining portion of when we go through this is the process and not the end game. Even though we love recordings reproduced really well and admire good engineering, and we love music, people are far more interesting.
If you ever listen to Car Talk on NPR I think it s pretty clear they think people are more interesting than cars, too. So, yeah, like them, only not as polished.
We reserve the right to post things not about audio as well. After all, this is about families and music coming together primarily.
You won't be able to get away from our conclusion that high quality music reproduction enhances the enjoyment of music. Our goal will always be to find ways that our readers can get closer to the sound the engineers had in the mastering booth - because of the enjoyment that usually ensues. Every step you take down that path, you will end up transported more and more, and the performances will seem more personalized for you.
In our reviews, we will always try to bring the best forward in something. If we review something we don't like, we probably won't post about it - there is enough harshness in the world that we don't need to add to it. We won't stretch the truth either.
And yes, it isn't lost on us that most people are not willing to spend money for high quality sound reproduction. On your first step down this path, you will be automatically be in a small minority of people (but one that is growing) - but it is worth it provided you aren't forgoing necessities since these things are wants and not needs.
But back to how people are interesting ...
There was a room in the New York Audio Show (which we went to this year!) that had some terrific speakers made by Sony. The room was a real oasis - but what turned the "good room" into an "enchanting room" was a slight Japanese guy who was spinning vinyl and saying an a soft voice, clearly not entirely confident in his English, things like "Um ... this is Bob-ah Marleyy" and would play the whole song without a word, then would swap to a CD and then play a computer file. At one point he put an LP on without saying a word, and played the whole side. With a twinkle in his eye when he was removing the record he said in his halting English " ... maybe that hasn't been released yet."
I love the Japanese "maybe" ... we really don't have the nuance of that in English so the Japanese are forced to use our maybe which is one of our expressions of inexactness, but for them it is anything but ... the closest we have to what he said in plain English was "Whose your Daddy? Who. Is. Your. Daddy? I work for Sony and guess what? You just heard something no one else outside of Sony Music has heard! You may applaud and worship me now."
So, yeah, the full on English Version is all rolled up into a single Japanese 'maybe.' Imagine the possibilities on Twitter? (B: Honey, I set up a demo of some Quad speakers on Friday ... maybe they will be good! K: We'll see ...)
Now while normally I'd be tempted to post a review on the speakers (which were truly terrific), I really didn't get a chance to sink in and form the usual audiophile catchphrases. But I will list a couple of things that were remarkable about that room:
(And for reference, you can see what Stereophile said about the room, with a picture - we didn't take any because we had no idea we'd be writing about it: Stereophile-Sony
1. The Sony Speakers (SS-NA2ES) were aimed at the audiophile market. This means they are expected to tbe perfect for fit and finish, and also priced according to the performance. These were priced at about $9000 for the pair. Before you turn pale white, realize that these were the cost reduced variants of the two pairs that were released earlier at $27,000 (AR1) and $20,000 (AR2). And what was remarkable was that the level of sound purity - a very open and detailed upper midrange and treble that had not an ounce of harshness to it. Such clarity and detailed smoothness has traditionally been nearly impossible to do. When it is managed, it usually is at the expense of other characteristics (such as coherence, or tonal balance) - and even then the prices for these flawed examples tend to be much higher than what Sony was asking.
Ok ... now you can turn white as a sheet. Yeah, at $9k these things are not cheap.
2. The electronics they used to drive them while expensive and audiophile, were not the ne plus ultra of their categories. Pass Labs supplied the amplifier and preamp - whose lower end were the ones they were using - and while not cheap by "Best Buy" standard, are solid choices a dedicated audiophile might make. They had a Mytek DAC they ran many of their songs through from their computer ($1500 - and is aimed at pro studios) - and they had a Clearaudio turntable through a tubed phonostage. The main takeaway isn't meant to pop your eyes at the totalled $30k or so price tag not including speakers - but it is that that was a relatively humble setup compared to what most of the other exhibitors brought which was closer to $100-150k in most cases and didn't sounds as good.
But the main thing about the whole room wasn't the toe-curling price to the uninitiated*, is you could both imagine you owning the speakers and electronics ... and it sounded great with good music, and while we loved the speaker, and could easily imagine owning it if the funds became available, mostly the awesomeness of the room was the tiny Japanese man and his maybe.
*- I think it is important to point out that at these prices, it seems far too high for "just a stereo" - and yes, it is a lot of money. You can get most of what you'd hear at one of these things for a lot less, but it isn't going to ever be cheap. It is best to think of it as a substitute for a sports car that some folks buy as a "toy" when they get to be a certain age.
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