The Most Accurate Sounds..... Pure Direct ON??? How do you listen to your HD music?

[bizmord]

I am realizing something here and I wanted to run this by you. Maybe you'll tell me that I am wrong .... but ... it seems like the best way to get the purest sound and the more accurate out of your Multichannel HD audio like concerts, DVDA or SACDs, or anything that has to do with 5.1 recorded Music is to set your receiver to Pure Direct.


that way, your receiver is in no way modifying the original sound AND it focuses just on providing power.


Am I right or wrong??? how do you go about such audio source?

 

[RichB]

^^^
That will change the signal the least.
But many would argue, that at your listening position, room correct can be used to restore accuracy.

I don't use it but I have heard it sound good.

- Rich

 

[bizmord]

^^^
That will change the signal the least.
But many would argue, that at your listening position, room correct can be used to restore accuracy.

I don't use it but I have heard it sound good.

- Rich

Rich you don't use what? pure direct ?

 

[RichB]

^^^
I had an Marantz AV8801 and used Pure Direct exclusively because my room/speakers measure well.
I sold it and use the Oppo BDP-105D as a my preamp, so this option does not exist for me.

- Rich

 

[rojo]

Some purists argue that since direct and pure direct modes pass the signal unaltered, the reproduction will be the most accurate that way. This may be true at reference volumes in egg crate foam lined rooms and with speakers having a ruler-flat frequency response. But I find the sound from response-corrected, dynamic EQ activated modes more enjoyable and closer to the real thing at more reasonable volumes in my largely untreated room. Ultimately, you're better off trusting your ears and letting go of any technical obsession for theoretical accuracy. Just enjoy the music. There's no shame in using your receiver's DSP.

 

[bizmord]

Yea, sometimes I feel like if I let my Denon 4311 apply it's room correctness to music, it makes it sound not as open. if you know what I mean. now ... when it's playing TruHD concerts, it actually sounds very good and I have yet to compare it to doing Pure Direct ... but for Stereo ... it feels like Pure Direct is the way to go.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think you're thinking too hard.

Just use whatever is mellifluous to you.

We are not talking about rocket science here. Just music. And whatever moves your soul is the purist and best.

I think Dynamic EQ (Audyssey BYPASS L/R) sounds best to me. Since I cannot use Dynamic EQ (DEQ) in Pure Direct mode, I use Stereo mode. In my case, Stereo mode + Audyssey Bypass L/R + DEQ sounds better than Pure Direct mode.

 

[PENG]

If you like how it sounds in PD then go for it but that does not mean PD is accurate. It could actually be less accurate.

 

[Ponzio]

let's not forget the speakers. if the bottom end of your speakers only go down to 50Hz, lets say, why wouldn't you employ a sub? just keep pushing those buttons on the remote till it sounds right to you. I have a Yammy and listen to music in standard analog mode (L+R+Sub) FWIW.

 

[markw]

Be careful what you wish for. Accurate is not always the most pleasing to ones ears.

 

[panteragstk]

let's not forget the speakers. if the bottom end of your speakers only go down to 50Hz, lets say, why wouldn't you employ a sub? just keep pushing those buttons on the remote till it sounds right to you. I have a Yammy and listen to music in standard analog mode (L+R+Sub) FWIW.

This is the main reason I don't use PD. Without my subs, some music is very lacking as my speakers are only rated down to 40hz. I know not that much is below that, but there is enough for me to notice.

 

[PENG]

Be careful what you wish for. Accurate is not always the most pleasing to ones ears.

I bet you that happens a lot with bass and Room EQ. For example, people may not like what Audyssey or other ARC systems did to their subwoofers and often have to bump up the volume after though that still won't be the same as turn it off, i.e. to their liking.

 

[markw]

There is no "Accurate". Everyones ears are different as are their listening environments. Two people can be at the same concert and still hear things differently. As soon as people realize that, the better off they will be.

 

[bizmord]

ok you guys are really persuading me to play around more with my set up for music.

Problem is when I tried changing to "Standard" on my receiver that take into account the EQ, Audyssey, etc the sound became a bit squeezed and kinda unnatural. Don't know why. At the same time, running in just pure direct makes sound feel a bit uncontrolled and for some tracks muddied and all over the place. I guess I need to do some more testing.



thank you.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

ok you guys are really persuading me to play around more with my set up for music.

Problem is when I tried changing to "Standard" on my receiver that take into account the EQ, Audyssey, etc the sound became a bit squeezed and kinda unnatural. Don't know why. At the same time, running in just pure direct makes sound feel a bit uncontrolled and for some tracks muddied and all over the place. I guess I need to do some more testing.



thank you.

Did you try Stereo 2.1 + Audyssey BYPASS + Dynamic EQ?

 

[markw]

Your problem is that you are confusing "accurate" with "what sounds good to me". Big difference.

Go for the latter and be done with it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

There is no "Accurate". Everyones ears are different as are their listening environments. Two people can be at the same concert and still hear things differently. As soon as people realize that, the better off they will be.

In the end, it really comes down to what sounds GOOD and PLEASING, isn't it?

Even if something is more "accurate" (flatter frequency response, etc.), what is the point if you don't LIKE or ENJOY the way it sounds to you, right?

Some people enjoy FLAT, and some people just don't enjoy FLAT. The salient goal is to achieve that mellifluous effect whatever that ends up being.

I want the sound to move me emotionally. I want the sound to inspire me and lift my spirit. I want the sound to put a big grin on my face like this: .

There is no point of achieving that ruler flat response if the end result is this: .

 

[PENG]

I always prefer "live" music, but mostly (say 90%) live unamplifier music. I am not sure if that means I always prefer accurate sound, really not sure..

 

[herbu]

Some people enjoy FLAT, and some people just don't enjoy FLAT.

I have had experience with both, and will tell you that both can be quite nice.

 

[markw]

I have had experience with both, and will tell you that both can be quite nice.

Are we talking sound or wimmen?