Which approach is for me? (Yes, for YOU!)
We hear passionate support for both camps. And guess what? They are BOTH right. One is not better than the other, there are atypical examples in both groups, yet both approaches will achieve something DIFFERENT. Your quest is to do a little introspection and find out which is your path. If you want success, you have to make your pick and go ahead full steam. Half-assing either approach, hovering on the no-mans land without committing will lead to wasting time and money. You will still go ahead... but will have relatively modest gains compared to a purposeful systematic approach, which will lead to a PARADIGM SHIFT instead of small incremental steps.
Mainstream is focused on achieving these goals. (Of course, there are other goals, but these are the ones that differ the MOST from the purist approach):
#1 Power delivery. The industry is obsessed with it. It is the stereotypical first thing (American) audiophiles want, to have powerful sound. If that's not your first priority, then you will NOT be happy with mainstream - or more specifically, you could do WAY BETTER with solutions on the fringe.
#2 High SPL playback. It can play LOUD, very loud. (Sadly, in addition, you are forced to play loud.) If your priority is to be able to listen at normal or quiet levels (as well), then your solution on the fringe is a giant step-up. If you want super loud playback, then mainstream is your surest bet.
#3 Conveniences & Compatibility with any modern mainstream gear. If remotes and controls on your cell phone are essential to you then you have to go mainstream. Be mindful though, that the smallest step taken towards comfort is ALWAYS taking away from sound quality. So, if sound quality is high priority on your list, then you will need to give up the fidgety toys and compromise on the convenience side, or strive for a balance with compromised sound quality.
#4 Small format. It's easier to achieve a compact system with mainstream gear, especially one with high power output.
#1 Lets you develop a deep understanding of music. My impression has consistently been that while listening to mainstream gear it demands my attention, and does not let me dwell on the music. The entire music session is spent in analytical mind frame, and my benefit from the session is the knowledge of what the given system did well and where did it fail. The music itself takes the back seat, the only remarkable part of the material listened to is that it brings to attention how the tracks were recorded and mastered. With Purist equipment the mastering errors and decisions are still easy to follow, but they do not DISTRACT me from the music. The equipment itself does not distract me from connecting to the music and allows deep immersion. Deep immersion is most apparent when you listen to it ALONE. Gathering in a group session favors mainstream performance, as in a group we stay on the surface, our minds are in conversation mode, while when you are at home wining down you can go into a semi-meditative state and absorb much DEEPER LAYERS. You can fully engage ALL YOUR SENSES, not just your ears.
#2 You will have a profound satisfaction with your system, and will loose the pressure to upgrade. Your thoughts will be centered on building your music library. This is every audiophiles dream, to focus on your music library... if you want to get there within 5 years, I warmly recommend going the purist route. Mainstream route will take many decades, and even then you need extreme luck to achieve it, and loose it very easily after the next upgrade. Very few audiophiles make it with mainstream gear, about 1 in 10.
#3 Your hearing skills will evolve rapidly. Although sadly neglected, this is the most important aspect of all audio gear. With improved hearing you can absorb MORE, make deeper connection to music and sound. Conversely, with repeated listening fatigue and abuse of ears will lead to compromise / INABILITY to enjoy music or sound. The best stereo or a transistor radio will not make any difference through a hearing aid.
M: Plenty of power quantity, but issues with its quality.
P: High quality power, but not satisfactory for majority of listeners addicted to over-EQd, overly dry midbass.
M: over-controlled and over EQ-d bass (US gear voicing / customer preference goes for massive over-control in general.)
P: under-controlled bass (this reputation is based on generalizing from a few bad examples, result of budget parts choices, not topology/approach)
M: Issues with midrange. (Most people are OK with it as media limelights the frequency extremes.)
P: Issues with frequency extremes.
M: does better with total perceived bass energy, pressure, higher bass level VS rest of the spectrum. This is seen as a boon by majority, and as a weakness by a few who are looking for high fidelity and do not desire a de facto over-EQ.
P: does better with bass texture, harmonic integrity, level integrity with rest of the spectrum. This is seen as a weakness by many, as hearing skills of most audiophiles in the bass region amount to an overdrawn bank account. Maybe 10% can actually appreciate quality bass, the vast majority is satisfied with quantity that M provides. (Caveat: by training anyone can improve hearing skills, and you can switch from M->P.)
M: strong emphasis on midbass levels.
P: midbass is not boosted over deep bass. This is perceived by many as lack of midbass, yet it goes unnoticed that bass quantity is actually more correct, as M tends to EQ midbass quite high above both deep bass and midrange.
M: projects a strong artificial reality. (While this is perceived as an excellent show, it is a form of distortion as it does not allow natural reproduction, in other words: it's not high fidelity. It's high contrast.)
P: lack of artifice is often mistaken for lack of refinement and perceived as a weakness in A/B sessions.
What our fellow audiophiles think of leaving the mainstream?!
Subscriber Comments from my YouTube channel
Eduard Broekman
Thank you Janos for all that you have shared and the people it brought together. Until earlier this year something was left entirely unsatisfied.. I tried 30 headphones, 10 dacs.. but something never got satisfied, despite me developing quite excellent tube headphone amps. The turning point was purchasing a turntable and with your guiding hand, building speakers. Combined with a lot of experimenting.. this got me more in touch with the 'magic' in music. This 'magic' seems to have its own rules and works independently of better 'treble', 'resolution', 'image'... I may get those, but they also get traded in quick smart. For example, I recently went dual channel mono but for whatever reason it improved everything but 'magic'... so I don't know yet what Sakuma found driving his 515/288 combo, but I haven't found it yet :) As of yet things that consistently seem to favour 'magic' are analog sources foremost, transformers, avoid R and C's wherever possible, use chokes and good power supplies, DHTs, high efficiency transducers with good motor designs and anything that resembles music instrument techniques or way of performing. My system now lets me enjoy so many more music types, obscure bands, poor recordings .. because the music shines through and touches. And there's the joy of having records 'find us'.