For me, it's not a real problem because I'd either buy both systems and listen to either as required or a single system that can be degraded to become the other. Such as a computer with appropriate software and large speakers. So the dilemma does not exist. For the general problem itself, one writes or paints or does X  in both kinds of ways at different times. One talks the same way. In fact it's not two different ways it's many. Some people don't understand that. But they can get used to it. If one can only have a single system, for me it would be the fuzzy one because I could always modify it within my own mind to become cleaner or more precise. If I started out as clean and precise it could be too much so, too affecting and one could do less with it. The more abstract, the better. What is "good" is changed within us. Thinking made it so. The thought controls the feeling to a large extent. That suggests the possibility, that if stuck, one may be a slave to feeling.

My own involvement in, and love for, music and hi-fi equipment is the legacy of my father, who I only knew for thirteen years before his untimely passing, but who gave me the gift of a passion for both music and its reproduction.

It has taken me many years and many pieces of equipment to arrive at my current system.  My tastes underwent some transitions but it often felt like a natural evolution.  One of the keys was finding a good dealer.  For complete satisfaction I can only recommend specialty audio stores and preferably ones which focus exclusively on two channel reproduction. These are typically owned by people with a passion for music first, sound second and trying to eek out a living from the same third.  Often, if they are very good at what they do, they will find a clientele and make a very nice living from their passion.   They will present you different combinations of things and when you find something of real interest they will let you try them in your home environment so you can determine if it is right for you and your biases.

I have lost my dealer as he has retired and I have not found one yet that duplicates the environment he created.  Often I would just stop in for a few hours to see what was new and just talk music.  I miss that but he taught me enough I can now do much of it alone and on the internet at sites such as audiogon.com.


The picture in my profile is of one of my speaker sets acquired last year, built for me by an internet acquaintance in New Zealand.  The wood is all hardwood, not veneer, and is native to NZ, called Rimu.  The electronics I use are vintage 80's gear from a British company, Naim.  Their site is naim-audio.com and they have a wonderful forum, particularly their Music Room.  It was at the Naim Music Room where I first heard of pianist Edna Stern, a contributor here and an amazing artist.  I now am privileged to know of thinqon (through her site) and to own three of her recordings and be able to read her musings here.

I wish you an endless relationship with the joys of music.

Jeff A

Thanks for your answer Jeffrey.

What's your opinion about subwoofers for stereos? I see your picture is of a bookshelf monitor, and those don't have much base. I've listened to very good mixes of speakers with subs and very bad ones.
Is it a more cost effective way to get full-scale sound?

To also continue the topic of my first post, in a letter, Anthony Michaelson of Musical Fidelity says:
"The thing about high power rating is that if the amplifier is well engineered it won’t sound powerful. Actually quite the reverse a properly designed amplifier will almost never clip or distort. To inexperienced ears it will sound unexciting and undynamic. Actually what these inexperienced listeners can identify is the harmonic enrichment created by clipping. It’s ironic isn’t it? Only when an amplifier is clipping or limiting can they pick up the sound and confuse distortions and non linearities for what they call rhythm incisiveness and richness.

Over the years I have had endless frustrating run-ins with reviewers and hi-fi salesmen about the accuracy of what they’re hearing. When I have taken them a proper, high powered amplifier to use, their immediate reaction was that it was “dull” or “undynamic”. What they were hearing was completely faithful and accurate but what they wanted (or perhaps expected) was the usual clipping and limitation. Very, very, very frustrating."

What then are we looking for when we seek rhythm and richness? Perhaps what we want is not at all the best reproducing system? Or should we try to achieve best reproduction and hope we get used to the less engaging and duller sound it produces, as he describes it?