nU
FDICE
A Beginner's Guide to Good Audio
What qualities distinguish a good audio system?
Let's start with a misconception. "Wow! I'll bet that can play loud!" This, or something like it,
is
typical
of
the newcomer's reaction to an audiophile's setup, particularly
if
the speakers are large.
Why a system's loudness capability should be the measure
of
excellence isn't difficult to understand.
People install often quite costly sound systems in their cars. Some
of
the larger specimens seem capable
of
shaking their host vehicle apart. The pavement trembles when one passes by. A club's sound system is in
the same league: ear-splitting, gut-wrenching, floor-buckling output. With the exception
of
classical music,
which is rarely ever amplified, the same is true for most live concerts. Domestically, the average boom box
can break a lease. TV ads featuring hard-pumping woofer cones say it all.
On actually sitting down and listening to our hypothetical audiophile's sound system, the newcomer will
likely say "Wow!" again, followed this time by
"It's
so clear!"
Clarity
. The term takes in a host
of
qualities. As strange as this may seem, one
of
clarity's principal
components
is
silence. A silent audio
system-
an audio system that contributes little to no noise
of
its
own - reveals the music all the more clearly at listening levels from soft to loud.
Resolution likewise contributes to clarity. Imagine two mounds
of
sand in bright sunlight. One mound is
mixed with mud.
It's
difficult to see its individual grains. The other mound is free
of
mud. You have no
trouble seeing its tiny, glittering bits. And so it is with high-quality audio. The music shines through.
Nothing muddies the sonic image. You hear the texture
of
a singer's voice almost as
if
she's in the room.
Instrumental timbres allow you to distinguish the purposeful grunge
of
the rockers' guitars. Violas differ
from violins, likewise oboes from English horns. A good sound system allows you to make these listening
distinctions.
Soundstage. Another critically important measure
of
an audio system's quality
is
its ability to project a
convincing soundstage. Can you perceive its width and depth? Is it realistically proportioned? Can you
hear the venue as large or small? Is it clear to you where the musicians perform within the soundstage?
Depending on the style
of
recording, our audiophile's sound system provides the answers. And
of
course
the pleasures.
Speed. An audio system's superior speed produces crisp, clean attacks: a violin or trumpet's edge, a
drummer's rim shot, a marimba's wooden
loveliness-
all those little delights that mimic live music.
Bass. To return to trembling pavements and hard-pumping woofer cones, the audiophile's guest will be
pleasantly surprised to discover that a high-quality sound system's low end is as tuneful and clean as the
rest
of
the audio spectrum. Again, no mud. Just lovely, well-defined sounds. A good audio system aims at
naturalness.
Size. Good audio is not necessarily big audio.
If
you shop wisely, you need not spend a fortune to achieve
a high level
of
audio performance. With these pointers as a guide, the newcomer has a good idea
of
what to
listen for. The least expensive NuForce components will more than satisfy modest applications. With our
reference-grade components serving as the culmination
of
all our efforts, our entire line answers to the
same ideal: accurate, vibrant, lifelike sound.
360 South Abbott Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA • www.nuforce-icon.com • EMAIL: directsales@nuforce.com
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