Unusual ways to know a system is good

[kratu]

We often talk about objective/subjective ways to evaluate a system. Preference to music is entirely personal and we don’t need to explain or know when it feels good. We know that we know, period. What if, if we have some unusual ways to explain this?

Here are some:

You switch it on and instinctively feel the beauty of the sound as it wafts through the air, you end up listening through the night. One more track, and then another …
You hold your pee for longer than that is healthy - let that playlist finish.
Now, you are listening to the end bit of that familiar songs, no longer skipping tracks randomly even before they complete.
You pretend to work on your laptop ... the music makes you pause many times, the pull is magnetic.
Your foot starts tapping on its own, without your consent; gradually your head sways with the rhythm. With certain music, your body rattles violently, so much that the head might fall off.

We can leave the audiophile jargon to the reviewers. What are the unexplainable, subjective ways you would narrate that attraction?

 

[Nitin K]

The clarity of the system and the way it reproduces the tracks without any hint of harshness are conducive for long listening session without wanting to skip tracks. Your mood and genre of tracks also matter.

When your foot starts tapping, it means you like the rhythm and the pace of the track. Which means the system has the right synergy to bring it out.
These are just subjective point of views.

 

[keroo1099]

Your foot starts tapping on its own, without your consent; gradually your head sways with the rhythm.

This it for me.

 

[rwnano]

You just know it's good. Recently recapped my AVR amplifier and the sound was just better than earlier

 

[square_wave]

You are describing a music system that sounds like real music.

 

[kratu]

Probably, the pinnacle of this when you are so overwhelmed with emotions that you break down ...

headphones.com
For a moment, we will give the reviewers and the product the benefit of the doubt.

 

[square_wave]

Absolute Sound’s idea of “good sound” is that a hi‑fi system should recreate the illusion of real instruments and voices in real space, as you would hear them live from a good seat in a concert hall. The goal is a convincing musical experience—tonal naturalness, coherent timing, and emotional engagement—rather than just impressive specs or hi‑fi “fireworks. Such a system will evoke the same emotions in you as compared to listening to a live unamplified (or minimally amplified) performance.
Emotional engagement is key here! The difference is production of music that you "admire" vs music that you "emotionally immerse" yourself in. I have always liked gear that does the later.

 

[rwnano]

Another way to judge the system, as said above-mentioned: "Does the system reproduce the sound of live music accurately?"

 

[morerajendra5678]

You don't shy from turning up the volume a bit more even when the volume is more than enough for the listening room.
You can play your system really loud and just enjoy its music when you have a system which is not harsh by any means, your system knows how to handle bad recordings and its presentation is just musical.

 

[Kannan]

Learn to enjoy by connecting to the music and not the instruments.
I have a small balcony adjoining the room where the system is setup and a chair in the balcony is as euphoric as the best imaging position.

 

[Nitin K]

I have a small balcony adjoining the room where the system is setup and a chair in the balcony is as euphoric as the best imaging position.

May I add with a hot cup of filter coffee or kadak chai will make the music even more enjoyable

 

[Kannan]

May I add with a hot cup of filter coffee or kadak chai will make the music even more enjoyable

agar biwi ne ashirvaad diya to ek garam cuppa defenitely adds to the magic . Ofcourse amrut is at a different level.

 

[Nitin K]

agar biwi ne ashirvaad diya to ek garam cuppa defenitely adds to the magic . Ofcourse amrut is at a different level.

I guess amrut gives a holographic sound with a big sound stage

 

[hifimaddy]

May I add with a hot cup of filter coffee or kadak chai will make the music even more enjoyable

I would like to have a glass of whiskey in my hands while music plays in the background, my eyes closed and fingers snapping to the beat. That's how I enjoy the tracks (with chai maybe regional music albums, with whiskey and blues/jazz).