nur=orcc=
A Beginner's Guide
to
Good Audio
6
What
qualities distinguish a
good
audio system?
Let's start
with
a misconception. "Wow! I'll bet
that
can play loud!" This, o 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 capabilities should
be
the
measure
of
excellence isn't
difficult
to
understand. People
often
install
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.lV
ads
featuring
hard-pumping
woofer
cones
say
it
all.
Upon
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
on
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
much
more
clearly
at
all listening levels, from soft
to
loud.
Resolution likewise contributes
to
clarity.lmagine
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.
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