Detail as the primary goal is an interesting one - It leads to things like ‘tracking’ which was pretty much nailed in 1982 with the 1/2g Shure V15 V (I’m not sure it’s tracking ability has ever been beaten?) But people moved away from this toward MC (Worse tracking) but with less turns on the coil ’ the idea being low output should relay more detail than an MM’. Spot conflict of thought here - Then there’s Deccas with no cantilever to blame for detail loss and so on…
Mechanical odds aside…
Much of what people name as their priority for sound isn’t - Words seem to loose their luster rather rapidly. It seems to me people are listening or taking pleasure from a fairly wide array of personal preferences. For example ‘musical or effortless’ really aren’t the best way to describe sound yet people nod along in agreement. Transient response is slightly accurate but we don’t know if everyone experiences this in the same way. - Humanz are weird.
I hear this a lot at hi end shows where they have a mass of detail,yet for me don’t sound real,almost synthetic
Like always,we all want different things.
My friend who has built the sound system and me had a chat about chasing a sound we remember of when we were young,but not even sure if that really exists.
Remember being blown away with a very good system in the late 70s,yet if I heard it today I probably wouldn’t be that impressed,but in my mind it sounded perfect
Detail to my ears comes as much from the sound getting out of the way as from the leading edge. Obviously electrostatics do that, horns can do as well.
Oh, and example for reference: brass players in the C16th in Venice were taught 40 different methods of articulation. They wouldn’t do that if they weren’t worth hearing.
The thing is Stereo is an illusion - so gunning for the ultimate retrieval is gunning for something which isn’t natural in the first place - I’m being cunty here I do know what people mean but it’s not the ‘thing’ is it?
In the same way someone says ‘tree’ I can nod along to that and say yes I know what a tree is but it’s just a human label it’s not the unique individual thing in the same way people experience sound in a unique and individual way - their tastes formed on the greatest potential for their brain to deliver frisson.
hahah, Good example the Viv is fun. It’s not an easy seller for the simple reason so many have ‘read into, been sold, expert opinion’ etc. Kind of tricky to say to a customer, you know that 12" arm you bought the other week - ditch that along with everything you think you know, this 7" with no offset is the way to go for a more visceral and ‘real’ presentation.
A nice undermining of one of the world greatest conductors; some might assume had a decent ear. Perhaps EMI need schooling too?
