Character

[Pieoftheday]

Should your HiFi components have character? That spelling dint look proper? Anyhoo should your amp Dac or speakers have a sound? Or should your gear just be neutral?

[Puffin]

Don't we all tailor our systems to the sound we want/like? When we add a component we don't like I suspect it is because we don't like it's character? If a system doesn't have character then it must be very boring.

[Pieoftheday]

Don't we all tailor our systems to the sound we want/like? When we add a component we don't like I suspect it is because we don't like it's character? If a system doesn't have character then it must be very boring.

I get your point, often amp cd Dac makers say they've produced their gear so you can hear exactly what the musician wanted, so the gear they produce has no influence?

[jandl100]

I guess you mean that any deviation from perfection is 'character'.

Nothing is perfect, so everything has character.

Embrace it! :hifives: :thumbsup:

[Pieoftheday]

I guess you mean that any deviation from perfection is 'character'.

Nothing is perfect, so everything has character.

Embrace it! :hifives: :thumbsup:

I don't have an issue with kit having it's own character, just wondered if folk want utter neutral gear or a bit of that there Character? As the artist intended is often a manufacturer blurb but that's bollox? Production fooks that up, so a bit of character might help?

[jandl100]

In my experience, a lot of makes have a "house sound", a set of characteristics which gives all of their gear a similar character that differentiates them from other makes.
Sometimes this house sound evolves with time - Naim did that, very different characteristic sound now from what they were to start with.

[Pieoftheday]

In my experience, a lot of makes have a "house sound", a set of characteristics which gives all of their gear a similar character that differentiates them from other makes.
Sometimes this house sound evolves with time - Naim did that, very different characteristic sound now from what they were to start with.

Big ask! Do you reckon amp/ source / speakers have the biggest influence, or might have the biggest influence? In this regard? Have I opened a previous can?

[jandl100]

That seems to be being partly addressed in this thread atm -- http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?57333-Biggest-bang-for-the-buck-pound-euro-top-to-bottom&p=959435#post959435

[Pieoftheday]

That seems to be being partly addressed in this thread atm -- http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?57333-Biggest-bang-for-the-buck-pound-euro-top-to-bottom&p=959435#post959435

Best to have another whiskey:lol:

[Primalsea]

I think that a lot of marketing departments of hifi equipment manufactures like to talk a good neutrality, but really people who want to enjoy listening to music don't really want it. I think it is that unplaceable musicality that is wanted and ultimately draws you in.

[Joe]

Should your HiFi components have character? That spelling dint look proper? Anyhoo should your amp Dac or speakers have a sound? Or should your gear just be neutral?

It should be neutral, in that it should allow different recordings to sound different. The character should be in the music, not the equipment. Of course, with speakers especially, that's probably a forlorn hope.

[Yomanze]

Should your HiFi components have character? That spelling dint look proper? Anyhoo should your amp Dac or speakers have a sound? Or should your gear just be neutral?

Down to taste, but for me, I like a *little bit* of a warm balance, but also value a fast and tight bass. Dead neutral systems can sound a little bit 'cold' and lacking in 'character'.

However, I don't think there are any truly transparent speakers out there, so vive le difference.