I went to the symphony today

[Dave (imported)]

I can hear the difference between analog and digital recordings. It's subtle but it's there and it helps to have heard the piece live one time.

I can also tell you that when I watch certain cable TV channels, the sound is different by TV channels (companies) and it is different audio than my blu-ray player. Again, it's subtle but not invisible or inaudible.

There are certain instruments I can pick out of the sound of a full orchestra.

The best barbershop quartets have an Irish Tenor for the Tenor Part. That makes a richer sound.

It doesn't take thousands of dollars of equipment to hear the difference. It takes good speakers or headphones, though...

[tugon (imported)]

That was unkind.

I am glad you have never been unkind.

[Dave (imported)]

I am glad you have never been unkind.

I said three words and dropped it. There is no good to come from discussing it.

Please do the same...

[Wolf-Pup (imported)]

Digital music is not the same. Just listen to any Pink Floyd on a good system off of clean vinyl or good tape vs. a CD.

Or worse yet, a compressed MP3 file. Urgh...

Try listening with SACD or DVD-Audio (or DTS) surround sound. Dark Side of the Moon is a whole new experience. Plus there are 2 surround sound mixes, one being the Quad Mix from the 1970's. I have a number of albums on DVD-Audio and they really are amazing sound.

[Wolf-Pup (imported)]

Its' been a few years since I've been to the PSO. I don't know how many folks know the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is world class. Last time I was able to go was a Beethoven's 9th performace. I have all 9 Symphonies on DVD-Audio now that I think about it. Love the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and my favorite the 9th especially.

[Riverwind (imported)]

I would agree, when I am feeling a bit down throw on the 9th, crank up the sound.

All better,

River

[Paolo]

I have a 2 speaker stereo system running through red/white RCA cables. I don't have a surround sound system, and have no desire for one. Hell, I just got rid of my CRT television and PC monitor last year.

[MacTheWolf (imported)]

I would agree, when I am feeling a bit down throw on the 9th, crank up the sound.

All better,

River

If I'm feeling down, I'll play Beethoven's Sixth symphony - I like the 5th too, but the Sixth brings out my joy

[Paolo]

Meat Loaf's "Bat out of Hell" on vinyl on a old hi-fi. Wow. Nothing else compares.

[Dave (imported)]

I have a 2 speaker stereo system running through red/white RCA cables. I don't have a surround sound system, and have no desire for one. Hell, I just got rid of my CRT television and PC monitor last year.

I only ahve two speakers in my TV/radio/CD player setup.

However, many years ago, I bought two BOSE bookshelf speakers and hung them on the walls, and when the Macintosh Amp died, I bought a really good Panasonic amp. The setup has excellent sound and enough volume to shake the entire house.

Nowadays, Comcast delivers its cable sound on a fiber optic link from the cable box. That's where I hear the difference between a Blu-Ray and the Cable when I watch a movie. The fiber optic is so clean and pure and free of distortion of all kinds. The Blu-ray player doesn't connect through the fiber optic. It has wires.

However, here's my sage and wise advice -- listen to the speakers and the amplifiers you might buy with the music you like. When you can't hear the difference between the less expensive and more expensive systems, don't pay any more than that. Equipment that is merely doubling or tripling the cost of the system without you hearing a difference is foolish. Don't pay for more than you need just to brag.

ALSO, if you are putting this in a 15ft by 15ft bedroom and buy huge-ass loudspeakers suitable for a concert hall, you are wasting money and you will never be able to hear that system at its best without breaking your eardrums. By small speakers for a small room and even medium rooms. Buy large speakers only for a very large room.

If all you like is on FM radio, then by a good FM radio designed to get superior signal acquisition. Start there with the base price for the system. Don't immediately run to the "most wonderful" receiver in the shop. If it gets bad reception of FM radio, it will sound awful.

Also, computers, IPADS, tablets, IPODS, phones, and all those other streaming services are compressed and lost both highs and lows of classical music. Don't think that the money you spend on a huge-ass, very expensive system will sound super fantastic with a computer or an IPOD pumping MP3's into it. to borrow a phrase -- you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. When I listen to music from my computer, I hear all that loss as lesser quality. Big speakers don't restore that loss.