Let's talk about Critical Listening!
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Clipdat
Posts: 12,596
I enjoyed this video that Sean from Zero Fidelity just posted! One of my favorite topics, critical listening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbI4EWgqqvQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbI4EWgqqvQ Comments
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Critical listening is learned through experience. First, you need to realize everything affects the sound. Then you can start detecting differences in gear changes. For me, it needs to be late at night after the neighborhood has gone to bed, and the air has calmed down. Then I can start to really and honestly evaluate changes (gear, cables, power), and decide if it is better, the same, or worse.
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
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Critical listening is learned through experience. First, you need to realize everything affects the sound. Then you can start detecting differences in gear changes. For me, it needs to be late at night after the neighborhood has gone to bed, and the air has calmed down. Then I can start to really and honestly evaluate changes (gear, cables, power), and decide if it is better, the same, or worse.
I hear ya. Luckily my neighborhood stays in 🛌 Bed😄"if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
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Great topic to help me be a better listener, as when my wife is being critical, I ain't listening. Maybe this will help.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
nooshinjohn wrote: »Great topic to help me be a better listener, as when my wife is being critical, I ain't listening. Maybe this will help.
As Dr. Winston O' Boogie put it, in reference to his then (or perhaps soon-to-be) erstwhile wife, Cynthia.Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup...
Not really implying anything about your situation, but your comment made me think of the above
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Totally agree. That is a great Radiohead album. I have it in three different formats. 44.1k 24b flac, MP3?(Google playmusic), 180 gram vinyl.
I'd have to say that I'm a 70/30 spilt. 70% of the time I'm enjoying the music, the other 30% I'm critical listening. My critical listening mostly applies to when I'm listening to new material as I don't change much in my 2ch often besides rotating different pairs of speakers.
2ch rig:Speakers: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress modsPreamplifier: Parasound P5Amplifier: Parasound A23CDP: Pioneer DV-563ACables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp) -
This is gonna be an interesting thread. I’m so new to the critical listening aspect of this hobby. In the past for me it was about “what sounded good” and that’s about it.
That’s a big part of it for sure, but as I had a chance to play with different pieces of gear, I can hear differences in sound.
Some big, some small, but different. From nuanced improvements, to boom! OMG! Polk SRS’s, Cary, NS, MIT Shotgun’s come to mind for those OMG moments.
My tenure here on CP has really given me a taste of what’s out there. For now, I’ve really had to rely on others for advice. Trust their ears.
As I gain more experience, I’m sure to better discern differences from critical listening and articulate my thoughts concisely. But for now, I’m following this thread!
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
https://youtu.be/_ysiTgPFKWs
