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Singing in a good church choir (tenor) really helps me appreciate vocal music on a fine system. There are times I'll put on John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers' various Christmas albums in the middle of summer! I'll also never forget hearing the Rutter Requium played in Terry Menacker's Overture room at Stereophile's HI-FI Show at the Waldorf a few years ago. I was astounded at the level of realism I heard in that room. I've not heard better since then, except in person. Interestingly, I was in the Morton Meyerson Auditorium here in Dallas last night---the same location used by Reference Recordings for that recording of the Rutter. I heard the DSO and Andrew Litton do Barber, Beethoven, and Copland. The hall is everything everyone raves it is. Simply a glorious night of music in an incredible acoustic setting!

From what I read in Stereophile, too many readers and reviewers are searching for "audio nirvana" (which doesn't exist). If you want to hear natural sound, play any acoustic instrument in your house and see how great it sounds!

Singing in a cantata group, an Episcopalian choir, and taking voice lessons at the tender age of 52 have indeed influenced my stereonutcase (coined by wife!) outlook on what I expect from gear and recordings . . . and vice versa!

fer fun

also brass

I play trompet too !