I listened to the illusions, I could feel myself trying to make sense of the phantom words but most of them sounded like non-specific pseudo vocal sounds although a couple nearer the end coalesced into words for me.
Audiophiles have always confused me because they seem to listen to utter crap on their expensive kit, I've always put it down to a 'gear fetish' phenomenon experienced by affluent older guys (and it is guys) whose hearing is starting to fail anyway, you need complex information rich music of the highest recorded quality to really resolve any difference and you need to listen to it loud, so the loud requirement means cheap gear with no headroom will always sound bad.
A decent amp and speakers will get you most of the way there, as long as your source is a lossless format then you should hear it all through good headphones anyway. I did notice detail I had previously missed in some music when I upgraded my gear but I really don't think there's any more to come from spending more money because I listen to the informational content rather than the superficial sound of the music.
Being able to resolve individual instruments in a symphonic work is really missing out on the composer's intention for the piece.
Audiophiles have always confused me because they seem to listen to utter crap on their expensive kit, I've always put it down to a 'gear fetish' phenomenon experienced by affluent older guys (and it is guys) whose hearing is starting to fail anyway, you need complex information rich music of the highest recorded quality to really resolve any difference and you need to listen to it loud, so the loud requirement means cheap gear with no headroom will always sound bad.
A decent amp and speakers will get you most of the way there, as long as your source is a lossless format then you should hear it all through good headphones anyway. I did notice detail I had previously missed in some music when I upgraded my gear but I really don't think there's any more to come from spending more money because I listen to the informational content rather than the superficial sound of the music.
Being able to resolve individual instruments in a symphonic work is really missing out on the composer's intention for the piece.
