You don't need high-end gear to get a highly satisfying listening experience, but once you arrive at a decent hifi system that plays well, sounds good and is set up correctly, the music attains another dimension. A very important element is the placement of the speakers and where you sit in the room. That determines the tonal balance, the soundstage and imaging. When it's right, it's like the speakers disappear and you are staring into a big, deep space filled with music and it's as if you could put your hand out and touch the musicians. Almost eerie. I played Altamira the other day, and track 2 or 3 where it's only the lady on percussion who plays sound fantastic.
"Audiophilia" may not be for everybody, but a decent system (buy used for value for money) set up right is a pure joy and something all music lovers should look into. Listening to laptop speakers (sorry, Pavel) is just offensive LOL
I know, though Apple’s speakers on their recent laptops and iMacs are pretty nice, iMacs especially, it even has some reasonable bottom end to it, you can seriously get away with listening to music on it. Laptops and phones lacks bottom end, but got a decent spatial effect. So all in all, speakers on their devices got really good, I was impressed.
With that said, nothing can replace a subwoofer, and especially since I’m in love with bass as an instrument. And I just had a thought, but probably because I mostly use phone and laptop speakers, when I get to the “real” sound system, it blows me away completely every time. When I know I want some bass, I go to the subwoofer and it delivers the absolute heaven to my ears.
I wish I’d had an affection towards decent audio equipment, but I don’t. I’m so happy with what I’ve got, that I don’t want anything else even if I could afford it.
