[ZLS]

In Order Of Importance:
                                       1) PRAT- If the music coming through the equipment doesn't make me want to tap my foot, then nothing else is going to help. 
                                        2) Coherency of Sound-Whatever the sound of the system is; it must be identical from top to bottom.(BTW I favor single driver speakers)  However much extension (bottom or top) or abundance of detail, if you can hear a change it destroys the illusion and thus the magic for me. 
                                          3) Tone-Rich beautiful tone that washes over me and makes me draw in my breath in wonder. 

    This is not much to ask for is it?

[weirdo]

Most important is clean separation with good individual instrument rendering. It takes at least a good source to accomplish this. Not terribly important for rock but critical for classical choral.

Secondly and equally important is the bass. It must be muscular, bouncy and seem separated from the music like a separate instrument. I always admired the better bass players in rock and jazz like Phil Lesh and Stanley Clarke and I don't want their artistry melted together with the midrange. 

Thirdly, I need the classic tube sound. It is a bit more colored and microphonic compared to solid state but I have become hooked on it, especially for late 50's and 60's jazz, my current favorite genre. my thoughts.

[Affordable$$Audio]

Great thread Sean!

In no order:  Clarity, Depth, Musicality, and Tone.  I desire my bass to be tight and punchy.  The midrange to be slightly warm with a hint of sweetness. The highs to be clear, but easy on the ears.

My favorite recorded instrument to test my criteria, acoustic guitar.

[konut]

I'm a detail guy, so keep distortion under .01%. I also worship at the alter of signal to noise ratio. That's why tubes and turntables are out for me. I'm fond of wide range mids, coupled with a sub, for extended frequency presentation. Keep the Xover out of the midband please. I've found that if these criteria are met, all those adjectives used in the previous posts are taken care of.

[doug s.]

I'm a detail guy, so keep distortion under .01%. I also worship at the alter of signal to noise ratio. That's why tubes and turntables are out for me. I'm fond of wide range mids, coupled with a sub, for extended frequency presentation. Keep the Xover out of the midband please. I've found that if these criteria are met, all those adjectives used in the previous posts are taken care of.

this is what's fun about audio.  besides listening to the music, of course!     i have found that, with digital sources, & w/solid state amplification, it is wery difficult to achieve three of the four adjectives above:  depth, musicality, tone.  no way i could ever do solid state amplification for anything other than subwoofers.  and, a tubed preamp is also a must.  i do listen to cd's occasionally, but i will always try to buy new releases on winyl if awailable...  every time i have ever a-b'd cd w/winyl on a hi-rez system, winyl always wins...

ymmv,

doug s.

[robert1325]

I am constantly discovering new stuff about myself and sound preferences.  One thing is sure :

I like a warm musical sound .  Smoothness over detail.     I don't care about details,  as long as it makes me enjoy music.   

[jon_010101]

Frankly, I like my system to (within reason) sound like the recording, whatever that might be 

I prefer something capable of a dry, fast, non-sloppy, non-smoothed-over presentation, where things sound and "look" clear. But I want to be able to tell if an album was recorded on tape or digital, so no exaggeration or air-brushing.  Treble glare, midrange brightness, dynamic compression/expansion = very bad.  I do enjoy the sound to be "big" in the sense that instruments and sounds should be able to come from anywhere in the room, and smack me on the nose if-needed.  Natural dynamics are nice too, but I can get over a lack of bass, and 75-80dB is plenty for me to rock out.  So... Push-pull tubes, feedback, and flat-response low-distortion speakers with a proper crossover, please.

[R_burke]

Ribbons, Tubes and a musical subwoofer 

Coupled with a great sounding, warm recording of a stringed instrument, a beautiful voice (male or female), with just a touch of drums (brushes and cymbals)

[bpape]

Mine is fully extended at both ends, tonally and timbrelly (!?) correct, dynamic, and capable of presenting a good 3 dimensional soundstage.  I can sacrifice that last nth amount of detail to get the rest right.  Oh, and it's gotta make me tap my toes!

Bryan

[mcrespo71]

I'm a detail guy, so keep distortion under .01%. I also worship at the alter of signal to noise ratio. That's why tubes and turntables are out for me. I'm fond of wide range mids, coupled with a sub, for extended frequency presentation. Keep the Xover out of the midband please. I've found that if these criteria are met, all those adjectives used in the previous posts are taken care of.

this is what's fun about audio.  besides listening to the music, of course!     i have found that, with digital sources, & w/solid state amplification, it is wery difficult to achieve three of the four adjectives above:  depth, musicality, tone.  no way i could ever do solid state amplification for anything other than subwoofers.  and, a tubed preamp is also a must.  i do listen to cd's occasionally, but i will always try to buy new releases on winyl if awailable...  every time i have ever a-b'd cd w/winyl on a hi-rez system, winyl always wins...

ymmv,

doug s.

What's winyl?  Is it like a tuna?

[eric the red]

I'm a detail guy, so keep distortion under .01%. I also worship at the alter of signal to noise ratio. That's why tubes and turntables are out for me. I'm fond of wide range mids, coupled with a sub, for extended frequency presentation. Keep the Xover out of the midband please. I've found that if these criteria are met, all those adjectives used in the previous posts are taken care of.

this is what's fun about audio.  besides listening to the music, of course!     i have found that, with digital sources, & w/solid state amplification, it is wery difficult to achieve three of the four adjectives above:  depth, musicality, tone.  no way i could ever do solid state amplification for anything other than subwoofers.  and, a tubed preamp is also a must.  i do listen to cd's occasionally, but i will always try to buy new releases on winyl if awailable...  every time i have ever a-b'd cd w/winyl on a hi-rez system, winyl always wins...

ymmv,

doug s.

What's winyl?  Is it like a tuna?

Listens to winyl:

[pardales]

I want it ALL right THERE in front of me.......I need to be transported, and engaged. 

[Mortsnets]

can't stand:
- metallic, glassy, boomy, thin, grainy, lifeless
- acoustic instruments that sound synthesized
- so much detail can't see forest for the leaf molecules
- systems that you don't want to listen to anything but select audiophile quality cds/lps

don't care:
- deep bass
- great imaging
- hyper detail or hyper extended treble
- loud

do want:
- scary real midrange for acoustic instruments and voices
- warmth, texture, richness, tone

plus:
- good at low volume

[JimJ]

I think bass needs to be there, if it's in the recording...it's hard to fake a set of real kettle drums if you don't have the substage to do it.

What I can't stand is an overemphasized low end, just for the sake of having something "bumpin'".

[SET Man]

In Order Of Importance:
                                       1) PRAT- If the music coming through the equipment doesn't make me want to tap my foot, then nothing else is going to help. 
                                        2) Coherency of Sound-Whatever the sound of the system is; it must be identical from top to bottom.(BTW I favor single driver speakers)  However much extension (bottom or top) or abundance of detail, if you can hear a change it destroys the illusion and thus the magic for me. 
                                          3) Tone-Rich beautiful tone that washes over me and makes me draw in my breath in wonder. 

    This is not much to ask for is it?

Hey!

     As a Single Driver user I'm totally understand your number 2.

     I rarely came across multi-way speaker that have a coherency near Single Driver speaker. But there are few out there.
 
    Of course there are limits to what Single Driver can do compare to larger multi-way speaker. So choose your weapon carefully.

Take care,
Buddy

[BoomieMCT]

I tend to like a smooth warm sound but the one thing that really gets me excited and emotional is massive dynamics. 

[JackD201]

In a word, Effortless.

My pet peeves are dynamic and thermal compression that lead to distortions that distract me and shatter the state of mind required for suspension of disbelief.

I want to feel like I am at the venue rather than have a hundred musicians crammed with me in my room. (I'm a classical music junkie). I also don't want a presentation akin to looking at a diorama.

So I definitely need true full range loudspeakers and then some, poweramps with headroom appropriate for the loudspeaker's requirements at the most demanding passages and sources with very low self noise or potential for acoustic feedback. I'm also borderline fanatical when it comes to lowering the noise floor hence a penchant for investing in room acoustics, isolation platforms, dedicated AC lines/power conditioning and muffled airvents.

I can however live with so-so recordings provided that I really like the music and the performance.

In my smaller systems I go highly subjective and choose items that give me added emphasis on tone and texture. While no longer "realistically sized" it addresses the more hedonistic side of my psyche.  DHT amplifiers and loudspeakers of fair sensitivity and benign impedance curves are my choice here for the reasons stated. I could live with such a system except for it would limit my choice of program material.

[satfrat]

I desire solid deep imaging, the kind that comes from behind the loudspeakers that ultimately results in a very deep eerily 3D sound stage that will fill the room with the type of backlash that you'd find in a stadium or concert hall. I don't need total accuracy but I do like lots of detail and most importantly I want to be entertained, just as tho I were at a live concert. Now that's not too much to ask for,,, is it? aa

Cheers,
Robin

[BillB]

Another single driver guy here.

I like to be wowed, I love the goosebumps from a really good system. I am now back to an all tube system (aikido 24v and 6t9 SE amp) and I love the dimensionality of it...something my Monarchy cannot quite achieve.

I am having a hard time putting it into words but I guess an easy way to put it is that I like a honey glaze over my sound, something that can still bring detail out but will not get harsh. I don't *need* crazy volume and I have found my 2-3w SE amp capable of driving my Jordans quite well.

Another big element in *my* sound is cost. I built everything I listen to except the sub and cd player. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing YOUR creation make sweet music...it can even cover some flaws that you couldn't live with if you bought it outright.

My current goal is to help people get 60% there with only about 30% of the cash. It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it. 

[iGrant]

I want a system that will take me to the concert or the engineers chair. I want a system that makes an instrument sound like a real instrument. I want a system that keeps my toes tapping and my butt glued to the chair. I want a system that turns on or off my audiophile hat with the flick of a mental switch. I want a system that reveals the composer's intent and the performer's emotion. I want a system that allows me to hear if the drum stick is plastic or wood tipped. I want a system that is affordable! I want my name on the above system.

I want a lot and if I ever get it, I'll let you know.

Great thread Zero and well worded.

Cheers,
Ian