Materials Technology and Audio Psychology

[The Grand Wazoo]

Have you ever noticed that when describing the sound of a component/cable/accessory etc people often use words that describe what the material it's made of looks like?

For example:
Silver - bright
Wood - organic
Ceramics - clean

I've noticed this countless times and I wonder if people are fooling themselves or if listening to hi-fi just makes your synapses fire off at funny angles?

[colinB]

Makes sense.

[colinB]

What about carbon fibre? Maybe it gives a dark sound :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

Makes sense.

But does that mean that they're expecting to hear that sort of sound, so they hear it?
Or their brain emphasises that part of the sound?
Or maybe they think they hear it?

.........or do they really sound like this?

[Stratmangler]

Quad ESLs use a plastic film, yet they don't sound plasticky.

[The Grand Wazoo]

No but people say electrostatics are transparent!
Come to think of itI don't know whether Quad's mylar is see-through or not.

[colinB]

If you bought a amp with a lovely walnut surround youre brain would be disappointed if it was a bit sharp on the ear.

[Stratmangler]

No but people say electrostatics are transparent!
Come to think of itI don't know whether Quad's mylar is see-through or not.

Only certain ones.
Quads were always intended to be used clothed.

I had a most interesting experience at Toppsy's place a couple of Saturdays ago - three different speaker styles, one of which was Quad ESL63s, the other 2 were builds that Colin had done.
All three speakers were in the same tonal ballpark.

They all sounded great :)

[Barry]

No but people say electrostatics are transparent!
Come to think of it I don't know whether Quad's mylar is see-through or not.

The mylar film is coated with a thin layer of conductor having a high surface resistance to hold the charge, so they will be translucent rather than transparent. However the film is 'sandwiched' between two perforated stators and this in turn is enclosed in a dust jacket, so I doubt if you would see anything through the speaker!

They are of course highly transparent when it comes to providing the illusion of a window on the musical performance.


The association of physical appearence with perceived sound attributes has been noted in the past. Wharfedale conducted experiments with their Diamond speaker painted in different colours. Audience response to a nominally identical speaker design but of different colours were as follows:

Red - 'hot', 'lively' 'exciting'

White - 'cool', 'clinical'

Yellow - 'mellow', 'warm', 'laid-back'

Black - 'dark' 'closed-in'.

It might sounds obvious and a sort of an urban myth, but apparently these replies were true. :eek:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I wonder if it is about time psychological effect was more accepted into setting up a hifi?
I would definitely say that I have been effected this way, at one time or another ...
Maybe with a bit of thought to this sort of thing hifi could be tuned psychologically ...
I suppose to many hard core audiophiles would say it doesnt effect them, or in fact that it is down to the materials ... Which I suppose it might be ...
I guess like most things in this subjective environment, it's more about the individual!

[Joe]

Valves are definitely more transparent than transistors.

[bobbasrah]

The Wharfedale example was proof of visual suggestion as widely employed in product design.... Cannot help but wonder what blind testing results would have been ???

I appreciate the nuances that are trying to be conveyed with some of the adjectives used in audio impressions, and generally these succeed as intended, but the viusal influence on the descriptor are a very good and intriguing point.

Some flowery adjectives however remind me of Julie Goolden and Oz etc descriptions of wines...and the various acts lampooning them....Leaping up and down in a field of thistles, being one memorable example...

[Stratmangler]

Valves are definitely more transparent than transistors.

Not necessarily - what about nuvistors?

[Ali Tait]

Aye, and metal valves? :lol:

[aquapiranha]

It's all seems a bit convenient does it not? That wooden things 'sound organic' for example? A marketing ploy methinks. There is far too much bollox talked around hifi now and I get increasingly jittery about admitting my hobby, as we become more aligned with the likes of mystical magic potions and healing crystals.

[Stratmangler]

It's all seems a bit convenient does it not? That wooden things 'sound organic' for example? A marketing ploy methinks. There is far too much bollox talked around hifi now and I get increasingly jittery about admitting my hobby, as we become more aligned with the likes of mystical magic potions and healing crystals.

Agreed.
That's why I posted this...


Only certain ones.
Quads were always intended to be used clothed.

I had a most interesting experience at Toppsy's place a couple of Saturdays ago - three different speaker styles, one of which was Quad ESL63s, the other 2 were builds that Colin had done.
All three speakers were in the same tonal ballpark.

They all sounded great :)

The Quads excelled at what they do best, but the 2 other speakers were not far behind at all.
The other 2 speakers were Toppsy's Edingdale, and Steve the Shadow's Metronome.
Tonally they were very similar.

[Clive]

If the colour of the equipment and the room leads us to perceive sound differently in a lasting way then this is significant. If we hear or see through the colour over time (I expect dedicated listeners would) then the effect is primarily useful for marketing.

Interesting.

[bobbasrah]

It's all seems a bit convenient does it not? That wooden things 'sound organic' for example? A marketing ploy methinks. There is far too much bollox talked around hifi now and I get increasingly jittery about admitting my hobby, as we become more aligned with the likes of mystical magic potions and healing crystals.

:mental:
With such a signature, little likelihood eh? :rolleyes: