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      04-29-2013, 09:38 AM   #27
AussieSimon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC View Post
There's no doubt that aspect plays a role...however the Strads are renowned for their power and clarity of tone, which enables them to energise large concert halls spectacularly well. The point is...if you take a virtuoso violinist at the pinnacle of his or her career, the music they make on a Strad is stunningly beautiful, with qualities they simply can't extract from lesser instruments
I know the occasional chamber orchestra performer (the old man runs a classical music record label) and they tend to be rather dismissive of old instruments. I might ask the specific question next time I get the chance, but I got the distinct impression that fancy instruments are known by musicians as little more than handy marketing gimmicks mostly used by "celebrity" performers.

The point is it might well be "what we've assumed for 300 years" but I wouldn't agree you could go so far as to say "what we've known for 300 years". This study is the first attempt at objective evidence, and I don't consider a lack of attempts to refute it as evidence to the contrary. We have an opening salvo, now the burden of proof rests on those who assume Strads have as yet undetermined magical powers.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC View Post
I respect your 'if you can't measure it, it ain't real' viewpoint
That's not my viewpoint. I would never say that.

What I said was: if you can't measure it, it's not worth paying for. Put another way: if a difference can't be reliably measured -- either with electronics, microphones, or double-blind tests -- it will almost certainly be too small to worry about. You might think it's much the same thing, but to me there's a world of difference between this and claiming "it ain't real".

Furthermore I would not say all purchasing decisions need to be made on a purely analytical basis. There's nothing at all wrong with buying a fancy pair of speakers because they look awesome, or a certain power amplifier because you love staring at the illuminated VU meters, or a Stradivarius because it's an object of beauty. As long as you're aware why you're choosing something, the reasons don't have to be rational.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC View Post
There are many products out there that sound superior, for reasons we don't fully understand....vacuum tube's sonic superiority being one major one.
Oh come on, that's an easy one. Vacuum tubes add harmonic distortion to the signal, and some forms of harmonic distortion are known to have a superficial level of appeal. We understand how it works, we understand why it works. This distortion is trivial to measure, and indeed trivial to emulate in software. As for whether it's superior, well, it's arguably no different to advocating the superiority of exaggerated treble frequencies. If you like your sound modified/coloured, that's a matter of personal taste.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveC View Post
Finally, and with respect, time and experience will ultimately teach you that not everyone that holds an alternative opinion to yours is an uneducated chump. Reject everyone with an alternate view and you'll never learn and grow.
A nice sentiment, but alternative opinions can't change the laws of physics.

At least in the world of cars, enthusiasts understand that there are some things we can measure (0-100 times, horsepower, weight, steering response, etc) and some things in the eye of the beholder (aesthetics, ergonomics, comfort, etc). We can discuss things like weight distribution, differentials, plastics, turbo lag, value for money, torque curves and suspension setups. Yet car enthusiasts rarely muddy the water between objective engineering and experiential evidence.

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To change the subject, some entertaining YouTube videos:





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