High-End Audio

Winter AthleticsTraining Centre near Banff, Canada

My Reference System:

Hearing Everything That Nothing Can Measure

Speakers: Vienna Acoustics

Sources: Bryston Clearaudio

Amplifiers: Bryston Audio Research

Power Distibutor: Shunyata

Shelving: Quadraspire

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Special thanks...to these folks, for sound advice:

Philip Beaudette, B. von Bork, Gary Dayton, Andrew Gilbert, Josh Meredith, Robert Norris-Jones, Mike Pickett, A. Pike, Chris Rice, Richard Rogers, Ray Samuels, Grant Samuelson, James Tanner, Simon Wilson, Kevin Wolff

Note: In many instances, clicking the photo will open new pages!

A high-performance audio system brings immense satisfaction to music lovers. The main goal of such systems is to bring us closer to our music, so that recordings seem like live performances. Realistic 3-D soundstage depth and width, acoustic neutrality (i.e. nothing is added or subtracted by the electronics, everything is accurately reproduced), high resolution of vocal and instrumental nuances, and transparency (i.e. you hear everything, nothing is blocked) are all essential traits of a high-performance system.

There is an immeasurable trait of music, called "musicality", that is enhanced by a high-performance audio system. Musicality is often described as an ability of a playback system to integrate all the essential features of music, so that we are swept along by its pace, rhythm, timing, and emotions. In short, musicality is the ultimate goal in building a home audio system. It has me tapping my feet, strumming my fingers, and swaying my head, when I listen to my favorite recordings. I forget that the electronics are 3 metres in front of me. The equipment, speakers especially, seem to have disappeared. Instead, only the performers, their music, and I are in the room. That's musicality. Elusive but attainable.

It is a marvel of modern engineering that many audio systems can take a two-dimensional electrical signal and transduce it into three-dimensional sound that is lifelike and transparent. Multiple media exist through which we can enjoy this reproduced sound. Digital media, such as CDs and digital downloads (e.g. hi-res FLAC files), are highly convenient and popular. Digital music players can stream and play digital music files, with selections often made from a hand-held mobile device. This can all be done from the comfort of your listening chair. No need to get up, leaf through CD boxes, and load CDs into your player. There is also traditionalist, "old-fashioned" analog, in the form of vinyl records. For many music lovers, a combination of digital and analog playback capabilities is ideal for full enjoyment of the incredibly diverse offerings of recorded music.

There is a misconception that "high-end" audio means expensive audio. "High-end" actually refers to high-performance. There isn't always a proportionate relationship between price and performance. A very good-sounding audio system can be acquired on a modest budget.

But which is better - digital or analog? This will long be debated. The answer lies entirely with one's acoustic tastes, and with the specific attributes of an audio system. If you like music reproduced with the utmost detail and bit-for-bit accuracy, then digital media are the way to go. Furthermore, CDs and digital files will sound the same on the 500th playing as they did on the first (assuming you have taken good care of your CDs). On the other hand, digitized music, even with the best DACs, can sometimes sound cold and edgy. This is where analog has an advantage. If you like music to have an organic vitality as if the performers are in front of you, with superb acoustical presence, then analog may be the choice. It delivers warmth and organic presence in abundance. Fortunately, the best of digital and analog can be enjoyed with current equipment.

Remember: The MOST IMPORTANT AUDIO GEAR is the one we were born with. Listen at reasonable volumes and preserve it for a lifetime of musical enjoyment!