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The Female Voice
We all prefer the sounds of certain musical instruments over others. What's your favorite?
Second choice is electric guitar. Number one: the drum kit. The drums carry the rhythm, and for me provide the greatest sensory pleasure. They are also the first thing I use to assess a stereo system. First, how open and clean does the snare sound? Second, do the cymbals make the proper crash and splash while maintaining a sheen (esp. with brushes)? Third, does the kick have good definition and body without sounding like an indistinct thump? Fourth, how well-differentiated are the pitches of the toms, and how much impact do they have? Needless to say, I find most stereos deficient in one or more of these areas. My chosen Naim amps do pretty well.
The human voice, the saxophone, and the violin. Nothing has the tremendous range and variation of the voice box, the saxophone seems to reflect more of the player's personality than any other instrument, and I play the violin (making it personally interesting and satisfying to listen to).
I have been an alto saxophone player for about 14 years, so saxophone is the obvious choice for me. Not really the John Coltrane sound or, heaven forbid, the Kenny G sound (from which the soprano may never recover), but the mellowness of Paul Desmond or the cutting of Lenny Pickett. I am actually a classical saxophonist, and love Eugene Rousseau's sound.