Fidelity to what? Or what are we tying to achieve with all our expensive gear?

[Marco]

It's not about getting hi-fidelity to the performance it is about getting high fidelity to the recording of the performance. A subtlety that many seem to miss.

Quite.

....and without the use of tone controls. Lol, Andre, soz, couldn't resist!!



Marco.

[synsei]

In my case the answer to the second question in the thread title is; music reproduction which sounds good, to me. I arrived at this point recently, or at the very least have got incredibly close to it. Each of us has our own preferences however which is why I enjoy reading about other members experiences

[The Barbarian]

My beef with the Tone control less malarky is it is one of those things that Audio cracked pots have got in their heads that they must not have them 'Is is against all Audio purist stand for' it is no different from judging a piece of equipment by it's specifications imho. I am one of those that will always go against what is suppose to be De rigueur & ofc again ive had enough tone control less amps to safely say not a single one sounded any good to my lugholes.

[Macca]

tone controls or a graphic equaliser it doesn't matter, they are both perfectly valid in terms of reproducing to the highest fidelity because that means getting the frequency response balance right as well as a whole host of other things.

I've never found the 'purist' concept that they ruin the sound to be true.

[Ali Tait]

Too many cuckoo's searching for something that aint there. Why not just buy a stereo stop farting about & just use it for what it was intended for. Some of the stereo's that people have, that i have heard i really feel sorry for them because if that is their idea of Audio nirvana they need a doctor immediately.

[awkwardbydesign]

It's not about getting hi-fidelity to the performance it is about getting high fidelity to the recording of the performance. A subtlety that many seem to miss.

And that, I think, is the problem. Chasing an impossibility. Not a subtlety! And what is the point of the recording anyway? Capturing the performance, otherwise it's just an exercise in sterility.

[Marco]

tone controls or a graphic equaliser it doesn't matter, they are both perfectly valid in terms of reproducing to the highest fidelity because that means getting the frequency response balance right as well as a whole host of other things.

I've never found the 'purist' concept that they ruin the sound to be true.

Soz, bro - gotta disagree, as my experience is somewhat contrary to that. 'Ruin' the sound, no, but to my lugholes they most certainly add large amounts of audible distortion.

Quality rant, btw, Andre!

Marco.

[YNWaN]

Yeah, I have to say that analogue tone controls don't do it for me either. On those amps that allow the tone controls to be bypassed they have always sounded better to me when they are switched out of circuit. Even on those recordings that may benefit I find them too much of a blunt tool.

[istari_knight]

I've never found the 'purist' concept that they ruin the sound to be true.

+1

I can well imagine it...

If we market it just right & get everyone to believe they ruin the sound not only will that put punters off far eastern amps giving us more market but ours will be cheaper to produce = win/win

Who started it anyway ?

[Marco]

What you have to be careful of, when making these sorts of assessments, is that you're comparing like with like.

Just because one amp (with tone controls) sounds better to you than another without, isn't necessarily because of the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the tone controls, but perhaps that, through design, despite the effect of the tone controls, overall it's simply a better amp!

Marco.