Know yourself and take complete ownership of your ears

[Analogous]

Interesting article by Srajan on evolving as a discerning listener in the journey

Private investigations | Darko.Audio

Srajan Ebaen pulls a takeaway from his recent experiences with LessLoss's Blackground 10x Powerbase.

darko.audio

 

[grindstone]

The bits that ring truest might be subjective--interested in what you might've found useful out of it all. I'm left with cognitive dissonance from the distilled wisdom and the product that seemed to spur his reflection. I definitely wouldn't have read either thing, though. Having an open mind and trusting your own ears is sane policy, IMO. Unwritten is that each of us decides how far "in" we seek to participate and keeping it all healthy (our own lines) helps.

 

[Analogous]

He does say trust your ears.
What was more interesting is the bit about learning and discovering the kind of sound that each of us prefers.
That is totally, purely subjective and there are no shortcuts unless we are easily satisfied or risk averse.

Personally, starting out in my audio journey I had no clue about all this and depended on ads, recommendations and online reviews to choose. This process resulted in frequent disappointment, but also insights into what kind of sound I liked and the types I did not. Other key learnings were about the importance of synergy between components and room acoustics.
I feel he has written well about all these and more. You are right, the article resonates well with me.

 

[grindstone]

Thanks for the response. Agreed that he wrote the trusting bit. It's easy to lose track of some obvious things when we can no longer audition as in the (increasingly-distant) past--there's a lot of faith in audio purchases, now. The thing I wish I'd known when starting out was to let the pendulum swing wide intentionally. Took a lot longer to learn some things than it might have.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I don't doubt srajan's ears or his listening skills. But his reviews are not for me. He blabbers too much and his writing skills are dreadfull. He could write a book without actually saying anything

 

[keith_correa]

I don't doubt srajan's ears or his listening skills. But his reviews are not for me. He blabbers too much and his writing skills are dreadfull. He could write a book without actually saying anything

His prosaic style makes me reach out for my Prozac.

 

[bornfi]

I don't doubt srajan's ears or his listening skills. But his reviews are not for me. He blabbers too much and his writing skills are dreadfull. He could write a book without actually saying anything

Nah...since those articles are free, he throws puzzles at us and we need to figure out of the equipment is good or not.

 

[Analogous]

I don't doubt srajan's ears or his listening skills. But his reviews are not for me. He blabbers too much and his writing skills are dreadfull. He could write a book without actually saying anything

His reviews are a bit long winded and does challenge readers to search for what he is trying to say.
Definitely an anachronistic style in these days of twitter, emojis and short attention spans.
But before we dismiss everything he writes, the article above is worth a read I feel.(it’s not a review)

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

His reviews are a bit long winded and does challenge readers to search for what he is trying to say.
Definitely an anachronistic style in these days of twitter, emojis and short attention spans.
But before we dismiss everything he writes, the article above is worth a read I feel.(it’s not a review)

Thanks for the heads up. Will read through when I find the time

 

[Decadent_Spectre]

Only skimmed it briefly but I like how he understands sound is subjective and its about finding our own individual flavor of sound.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Only skimmed it briefly but I like how he understands sound is subjective and its about finding our own individual flavor of sound.

I kinda thought we all knew that already

What he probably missed, is to add that we don't choose our music to sound great on our system. We do it the other way around.

 

[Analogous]

I kinda thought we all knew that already

What he probably missed, is to add that we don't choose our music to sound great on our system. We do it the other way around.

A few months ago I realised my system was dictating what kind of music I was listening to.
I love the fabulous mid range from the Harbeth P3s. Supplemented with a decent sub properly situated and dialled in I thought I had a major breakthrough. It was. For music with amazing vocals and a few instruments. But when it came to faster and more complex/dense music, I discovered it could not rock it well enough, (even with the 80WPC LFD it sounded meh). After six months of great pleasure with slower melodies and such, I was missing my hard rock (which I still occasionally like to listen). So I put together another set up for faster and more complex music. But that’s another “yeh dil maange more” story.
I’d say if we knew what our favourite generes and sound preferences were at the outset it would be easier to select and assemble set ups. In other words “know thyself”

 

[ZzZzZ]

I don't doubt srajan's ears or his listening skills. But his reviews are not for me. He blabbers too much and his writing skills are dreadfull. He could write a book without actually saying anything

Mr. Srajan's usual TLDR reviews should have an abstract posted before his full reviews like on research papers. After reading his most reviews, I'm like

 

[kratu]

A few months ago I realised my system was dictating what kind of music I was listening to.
I love the fabulous mid range from the Harbeth P3s. Supplemented with a decent sub properly situated and dialled in I thought I had a major breakthrough. It was. For music with amazing vocals and a few instruments. But when it came to faster and more complex/dense music, I discovered it could not rock it well enough, (even with the 80WPC LFD it sounded meh). After six months of great pleasure with slower melodies and such, I was missing my hard rock (which I still occasionally like to listen). So I put together another set up for faster and more complex music. But that’s another “yeh dil maange more” story.
I’d say if we knew what our favourite generes and sound preferences were at the outset it would be easier to select and assemble set ups. In other words “know thyself”

I have been through this before. My take is that a good system should be able to resolve complex music with deftness and agility. That means the synergy is stellar and it doesn't collapse under pressure. That system will AND should sound good with quieter, slower genre of music as well. In other words, it should not corner us into listening to a specific type of music. Having said that, this is challenging and needs quite an investment into each and every component in the chain. Factors such as PRaT, Dynamics is different from "flavours" of music like analogue, organic, neutral, etc. It is okay that one explores two different flavours of sound reproduction, but it can get a bit impractical both in maintenance and switching between them. There is definitely a merit in having two different systems that shine in two different segments than compromising on either of them.

Yes, having clarity on personal preferences helps greatly in narrowing down on the gear. This can be varied and specific to each one of us. I have seen that some like forward sounding, "live" "front-seat" listening experience, while others prefer laid-back, wide, deep soundstage. Some like to play it very loud, while others prefer low-volume, intimate listening. To each to his own.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Mr. Srajan's usual TLDR reviews should have an abstract posted before his full reviews like on research papers. After reading his most reviews, I'm like View attachment 75105

I just can't stop laughing

 

[bornfi]

A few months ago I realised my system was dictating what kind of music I was listening to.
I love the fabulous mid range from the Harbeth P3s. Supplemented with a decent sub properly situated and dialled in I thought I had a major breakthrough. It was. For music with amazing vocals and a few instruments. But when it came to faster and more complex/dense music, I discovered it could not rock it well enough, (even with the 80WPC LFD it sounded meh). After six months of great pleasure with slower melodies and such, I was missing my hard rock (which I still occasionally like to listen). So I put together another set up for faster and more complex music. But that’s another “yeh dil maange more” story.
I’d say if we knew what our favourite generes and sound preferences were at the outset it would be easier to select and assemble set ups. In other words “know thyself”

I had been through this feeling and after several explorations, I can advise with a greater degree of confidence that the culprit here is your source which, I think is Bluesound Node. I just did a quick lookup and it is the power supply, I don't what it does to the whole thing, It either induces some noises/grunge. For a greater jump in experience, unless you are very handy with electronics, replace the power supply with (I would recommend) Farad Super 3.


Please visit https://pd-cf.com/produkt/bluesound-node-2-2i-upgrade-low-noise-psu-interface/


If this sounds complicated, you can get an Intel NUC and power with Farad. I know, very radical advice but I recently changed my computer's power supply to a Sean Jacob's DC4 and that shook things up interestingly.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I had been through this feeling and after several explorations, I can advise with a greater degree of confidence that the culprit here is your source which, I think is Bluesound Node. I just did a quick lookup and it is the power supply, I don't what it does to the whole thing, It either induces some noises/grunge. For a greater jump in experience, unless you are very handy with electronics, replace the power supply with (I would recommend) Farad Super 3.
View attachment 75116


If this sounds complicated, you can get an Intel NUC and power with Farad. I know, very radical advice but I recently changed my computer's power supply to a Sean Jacob's DC4 and that shook things up interestingly.

Iam sure @Analogous was referring to his speakers and not his source as the issue. And I agree with him. I was a proper EDM bass head in my younger days, and speed, rhythm and bass depth were the most important attributes to me then. So I was using PMC's, with high powered SS amps.

I listen more to vocal or live symphonic music now adays, so my main speakers have changed accordingly, and croon pleasantly with flea powered tubes. My present speakers can still do EDM but definitely not with the gut wrenching bass and speed of the PMC's, like their life depended on it . In an ideal world, I would be having two setups in my room. But only have space for one.

 

[bornfi]

Iam sure @Analogous was referring to his speakers and not his source as the issue. And I agree with him. I was a proper EDM bass head in my younger days, and speed, rhythm and bass depth were the most important attributes to me then. So I was using PMC's, with high powered SS amps.

I listen more to vocal or live symphonic music now adays, so my main speakers have changed accordingly, and croon pleasantly with flea powered tubes. My present speakers can still do EDM but definitely not with the gut wrenching bass and speed of the PMC's, like their life depended on it . In an ideal world, I would be having two setups in my room. But only have space for one.

I was addressing the point of his system being not able to decipher a complex piece of music and in my experience, most of such problems emanate from the source and hence my piece of advice.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I was addressing the point of his system being not able to decipher a complex piece of music and in my experience, most of such problems emanate from the source and hence my piece of advice.

Oops sorry... Yeah I missed that part . Fully agree with your point . Though at items it could be both or either of the speakers or the amplification too.

 

[Analogous]

I had been through this feeling and after several explorations, I can advise with a greater degree of confidence that the culprit here is your source which, I think is Bluesound Node. I just did a quick lookup and it is the power supply, I don't what it does to the whole thing, It either induces some noises/grunge. For a greater jump in experience, unless you are very handy with electronics, replace the power supply with (I would recommend) Farad Super 3.
View attachment 75116

Please visit https://pd-cf.com/produkt/bluesound-node-2-2i-upgrade-low-noise-psu-interface/


If this sounds complicated, you can get an Intel NUC and power with Farad. I know, very radical advice but I recently changed my computer's power supply to a Sean Jacob's DC4 and that shook things up interestingly.

I often use the Lindeman Limetree network DAC too. I am surprised every time what this little dinky streamer DAC can do. It has a medical grade power supply (SMPS I think) It definitely sounds different from the Bluesound Node 2i and MHDT Havana combination.

I was addressing the point of his system being not able to decipher a complex piece of music and in my experience, most of such problems emanate from the source and hence my piece of advice.

Thanks. I have not heard the NUC as a source but have tried the Raspi (w/o Allo Shanti PS)….found it ugly, cumbersome with poorly designed UI and moved on.
The Bluesound node 2i has a very nice interface.
I also swap it often with the Lindeman Limetree Network (streamer DAC) and everytime am pleasantly surprised at what this dinky little unit can do. It has a medical grade power supply (SMPS I think. It sounds different from the Bluesound-MHDT Havana combination. Not sure if better or not.
The mystery continues.