The second problem is, how do you convey that judgment to the reader? I think it behooves us to try to talk about our process of evaluating equipment by using references that the reader can…
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Mitchell: This discussion is going on two different levels. What is the sound source that the reviewer has in mind when he's evaluating the equipment? And on that score, you can equally well judge equipment either by playing a recording of a soprano singing a Handel aria or of a rock guy playing a Fender Stratocaster. If you know what the source sounds like, you can competently judge the equipment.
Tellig: Because an amplifier might take the Shostakovich Tenth Symphony, where there are some chords that are meant to be excruciating and heartwrenching, and make the music sound more "pleasant." But over the long period of time, if you had an amplifier or any other piece of equipment that was tending to do that, I think your interest, your involvement in the music, and therefore your enjoyment over the long term, would be diminished.
Balgalvis: I have a comment here. I have been on vacation, totally divorced from all types of music except mostly hard rock and hillbilly type music—which…
Balgalvis: I disagree. That if you don't hear more, then something is wrong. It goes back to what Corey said about the recording being flawed, being a bent tool. Because what I find fascinating is to pull out a record I haven't played for three years, and play it with my present components. You hear more. Nine out of ten times, if not 99 out of 100. To me that's better.
Mitchell: I think we need to make a distinction between being able to hear more clearly what's in the recording vs being able to say this speaker reveals more ruthlessly the flaws of that CD player, therefore the speaker…
Hammond: The question is: How much detail is desirable and how much is undesirable?
Greenberg: Whatever's there.
Balgalvis: Whatever's on the record.
Lipnick: You said it.
Greenberg: Why can't we just say that there is no one absolute job for a hi-fi system? Some people are searching for a neutral playback system that will accurately replicate the input signal; some people are looking for not so much neutrality but something that will make them feel good at the end of the day.
Hammond: Isn't this one of the basic problems with hi-fi reviewing? That each…
Letters in response appeared in the February, March, and May 1992 issues.
Accuracy vs musicality
Editor: I really appreciate your periodic "As Reviewers See It" section ["As We See It," December 1991]. The disagreements and diversity of views are a mark of expertise and intelligence, in my view. The section on "Accuracy vs Musicality" in December particularly caught my attention. I have some thoughts about what I will call the "Car Radio Paradox" raised by Arnis Balgalvis (p.27): Goosebump elicitation (p.22) is the sine qua non of a good sound system, and car radios pass this test.…
When Wilson Audio Specialties' Peter McGrath offered me a pair of MAXX2 loudspeakers to review, I reminded him of just how small (15' by 21' by 8') my room is, and how close I sit to any speakers in it.
"Not a problem!" he responded confidently.
Yet the prospect of sitting only 10' from two looming, praying mantis–like towers almost as tall as I am gave me the willies. The way the Cyclops-like topmost midrange driver protrudes makes it seem as if it's staring at you. How could such an apparition get out of its own way?
McGrath had already set up the WATT/Puppy 7s…
What was left in the wake of the MAXX2s' grand disappearing act was a sonic picture of vast height, width, and depth. Any fear I'd had that the speaker's relatively high tweeter height would result in a soundstage raised "off the floor," with images floating up near the ceiling—a problem I'd noted with the tall Audio Physic Kronos—was quickly dispelled. Instead, with just a few exceptions—all multimiked rock recordings—images formed that were grounded, properly proportioned, and appropriately tall. Aiding the illusion was that these images appeared literally launched from the cabinets, out…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Three-way, floorstanding loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" inverted titanium-dome tweeter, two 7" carbon-fiber/paper-cone midranges, 10.5" carbon-fiber/paper-cone woofer, 13" carbon-fiber/paper-cone woofer. Crossover frequencies: not disclosed. Sensitivity: 92dB/2.83V/m. Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum. Minimum amplifier power: 7Wpc. Frequency response (including port contribution): 20Hz–21kHz, +0/–3dB.
Dimensions: 63" (1615mm) H by 17" (435mm) W by 22" (565mm) D. Weight: 410 lbs (186kg).
Finishes: Multiple automotive paint colors, plus…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: Simon Yorke S7, Nottingham Audio Deco turntables; Immedia RPM-2, Graham 2.2, Nottingham Ace-Anna tonearms; Lyra Titan, Lyra Helikon, Lyra Dorian mono, London Jubilee cartridges.
DigitaL Sources: Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista SACD/CD player, Alesis MasterLink CD-R recorder.
Preamplification: Manley Steelhead, Aesthetix Rhea, Musical Fidelity kW phono preamplifiers; Musical Fidelity kWp, Aesthetix Calypso preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: Musical Fidelity kW, Audio Valve Baldour.
Cables: Phono: Cardas Neutral Reference, Audience Au24…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
A speaker as massive as the 5' 3"-tall, 410-lb MAXX2 presents problems when it comes to measuring its performance—maneuvering it as required is no trivial task. Ultimately, I decided that, rather than have the speaker shipped to my home for measurement, I would travel to the speaker. This would have the advantage of allowing me to perform some measurements in Michael Fremer's listening room; the downside would be that not all tests would be practicable. Wilson Audio Specialties supplies an ingenious wheeled jack to allow the speaker to be moved; however, raising…