John A. Tuttle wrote in MMDigest 981107:

> When listening to high quality music you must first have a high
> quality playback system.  Something in the $2000 region is adequate.
> Next you must remove ALL tone coloring.  The frequency response of the
> amplifier must be FLAT.  No bass boost, no treble boost; in short,
> "0" attenuation.  Next, select a listening level (volume) that is
> close to the actual volume of the instrument.
>
> Now you're ready to enjoy the music.  Be prepared to be entertained.
> It doesn't get any more real

It has been my experience that the cost of the audio system has little
relationship to the enjoyment or appreciation of the music.  Music
heard through a car radio, a short-wave receiver, or an acoustic
phonograph can and has been shown to be profoundly moving to its
listeners.  It depends on the music involved.

The benefits of true high-fidelity reproduction, whatever that may be,
have been touted since at least 1900.  What's interesting is to look
back at the advertising copy:

  "... a true, uncolored reproduction of the music.  Nothing
   stands between you, the listener, and the music."

This was out of the 1927 Sears catalog and described one of those
electromagnetic radio speakers with the curved gooseneck horn.

In fact, what was a $2,000.00 system from 20 years ago is a $299.95
system now.  A portable stereo system has, thanks to inexpensive power
amplifiers and the CD player, sound that would have been fairly awesome
in 1978.  It isn't at all obvious what high-end audio outfits are
selling that's worth thousands of dollars now, especially since those
are the guys who try to sell us low-oxygen copper cables, gold-plated
connectors, and magic CD treatments.

What impresses me about player piano technology is that it is digital
and thus perfectly reproducible.  The rolls that Rachmaninoff and
Gershwin and them cut were the rolls that they cut, and we get to hear
them play essentially in person.  That's about as good a time machine
as we're likely to get.

Mark Kinsler

 [ I still enjoy the thump delivered to my solar plexus by the old
 [ bass-reflex loudspeaker at high volume.  The little speakers
 [ sitting next to the computer don't quite do that!  :)  Nonetheless
 [ I still get much pleasure listening to old recordings with their
 [ reduced frequency range, even with small loudspeakers.  -- Robbie