hgcjr@utastro.UUCP (Harold G. Corwin Jr.) (11/04/85)
<> David Tang (dgt@myrias.UUCP) writes: > > On Oct. 28 I attended a Linn/Naim seminar held at a local dealer >here in Edmonton, and conducted by a Canadian representative of Linn/Naim. >I would like to repeat some of the points that were brought up, and perhaps >solicit an opinion from some of you net.audio subscribers. > > Basically what was said can be summed up by the following statement: >Vinyl records (as opposed to tape/cd) provide the best possible reproduction >of music. It then follows that the backbone of a good system lies in the >record player. > > Elaborating, any audio system should obey the following hierarchy: > >a) Turntable - the basic chassis/motor/platter assembly >b) Arm - next in importance >c) Cartridge - in the record playing system this is the least important >d) Amplifier - preamp/amp combination of course >e) Speakers - least important overall > ... I've been a classical music listener and stereo nut for a quarter of a century now. I first ran into Linn's corporate madness in Scotland when I was living there in the late seventies. [I actually did buy an Ariston RD-11S turntable, a virtual copy of the Linn, for about a third of what Linn was then asking (the new Audio Equipment Directory makes the prices more nearly equal now; that's what an importer will do for you). The Ariston is a great turntable, but is a royal pain to set up. The dealer botched it, so I had to learn how to do it myself -- it only takes a couple of hours now.] Anyhow, the Linn hierarchy that David reports above set me to thinking about my own priorities in audio. I've come up with the following, which I feel are more reasonable for any person looking for a good system. Sound is affected by the various system components in the following order, those having the MOST effect listed first: 1) the listener's biases and mood, and maybe what s/he had for lunch, too (no, I'm NOT being flip. Consider alcohol. Or even coffee and tea.) 2) the physical state of the listener's ears (when was the last time you had your ears cleaned? My ENT doctor washed an astonishing lump of wax out of my left ear not too long ago -- and I had thought it was my room, speakers, or electronics!) 3) the "software" (records, tapes, CD's, radio stations, etc all vary tremendously in quality) 4) the room (assuming one uses speakers, not headphones) 5) the speakers (or headphones) including crossovers 6) possible sources of interference (CB, radar, power line fluctuations, ignition noise, etc) 7) sound modification gear (equalizers, noise reduction units, spatial expanders, etc) including tone controls, filters, etc on preamps if you use them; AND record cleaners, stylus cleaners, tape path cleaners, and so on 8) the device playing the software a) for records: 1) the cartridge (including head amp if you're into moving coils) 2) the tonearm 3) turntable b) tape deck for tapes, CD player for CD's, tuner for radio, etc 9) the remaining electronics (power amp and preamp) 10) cables, record clamps, turntable mats and other gadgets beloved by us tweaks (yes, I admit it; always in search of the Holy Gra -- I mean, "perfect" sound, whatever that is, given my dependence on number three above). Notice that I consider the listener to be an integral part of the system. Ditto records, CD's and so on. My own system is usually limited by me or by the software. It's a rare recording that will reveal shortcomings in the system below number 4 above. All this is opinion, of course. My opinion of Linn is pretty clear, too, I expect. Good listening! Harold G. Corwin, Jr. uucp: {ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao,charm}!utastro!hgcjr internet: hgcjr@astro.UTEXAS.EDU mabell: 512-471-7463 Dept. of Astronomy, RLM 15.308, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712-1083