richardvarey

[richardvarey]

Sherlock Holmes investigates hi-fi music listening

The Adventure of the Audiophile’s Dilemma Being an Account of a Most Peculiar Case of Musical Obsession As recorded by Dr. John H. Watson, M.D. It was on a particularly dreary Tuesday in November when Mr. Reginald Worthington-Smythe appeared at our lodgings in Baker Street, his countenance bearing the unmistakable signs of a man tormented by matters of the most urgent nature. Holmes, who had…

[richardvarey]

The Pursuit of Dimensional Sound

A Memoir by Alan Dower Blumlein [written by Claude A.I. agent, 22 June, 2025] —## Chapter VII: The Cinema RevelationThe year was 1931, and I found myself seated in a London cinema beside my wife, Doreen, watching one of those early talking pictures that had so recently revolutionized the entertainment industry. The novelty of synchronized sound had worn thin for me by then—I was, after all,…

[richardvarey]

Recovering 'audiophile'

The term “audiophile” originally described someone deeply passionate about high-fidelity sound reproduction and dedicated to experiencing music with the highest possible quality. However, in recent years, it has taken on pejorative or mocking connotations in some circles. This shift has been influenced by a few cultural and behavioural factors.1. Perceived ElitismSome audiophiles are seen as…

[richardvarey]

Distribution and the centralisation of music assets

Streaming presents a fascinating paradox in our supposedly decentralised digital age. While we’ve seen decentralisation trends in areas like cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer networks, and distributed computing, the streaming industry has moved decisively toward centralisation.The Centralisation of StreamingMajor streaming platforms operate as centralised gatekeepers. They control content libraries,…

[richardvarey]

Cable caper for Lieutenant Columbo

Columbo: The Case of the Golden Cables Episode Synopsis Lieutenant Columbo investigates the suspicious world of high-end audio marketing when a wealthy audiophile dies under mysterious circumstances after purchasing $50,000 worth of “revolutionary” speaker cables. FADE IN: INT. MALIBU MANSION – LISTENING ROOM – DAY The room is a temple to high-end audio: towering speakers that cost more than…

[richardvarey]

Music listening joy - how?

The experience of joy when listening to high-quality music recordings involves several interconnected psychological, neurological, and perceptual processes that work together to create deeply rewarding emotional responses. High-quality audio reproduction allows your brain to process musical information more completely and accurately. When recordings preserve the full frequency spectrum, dynamic…

[richardvarey]

Here's lookin' at ya, hi-fi

Looking at audio equipment while listening to music creates a fascinating interplay between visual and auditory perception that can significantly alter the listening experience in several ways. Enhanced Perceived Quality – There’s a well-documented psychological phenomenon where seeing high-end equipment can make music sound better, even when the actual audio quality remains unchanged. This…

[richardvarey]

Slow Horses at the Hi-Fi Show

From the Case Files of Slough House: Operation Audio River Cartwright had drawn the short straw again. What started as surveillance of a suspected arms dealer who happened to own a chain of high-end audio shops had somehow morphed into the entire Slow Horses team attending the London Hi-Fi Show at the Olympia. Jackson Lamb’s logic was typically twisted: “If we’re going to look like we belong,…

[richardvarey]

Artistic depth of music

Musical depth refers to the layers of meaning, complexity, and artistic substance that exist within a musical work – qualities that reward closer listening and sustained engagement over time.Structural Depth … This involves sophisticated compositional architecture – how themes develop and transform, how sections relate to each other, the interplay between different musical voices, and the…

[richardvarey]

Philosophising about stereo sound

The armchair philosopher, settling deeper into worn cushion while adjusting the volume on their vintage amplifier, might begin their meditation on stereo sound thus:Here we encounter one of modernity’s most curious perceptual gifts – the deliberate construction of auditory space where none exists. When I close my eyes and surrender to the stereo field, I’m participating in an elaborate conspiracy…

[richardvarey]

If Jules Verne was an audiophile

# A Letter on the Scientific Audition of Recorded MusicFrom the Private Correspondence of Professor Aronnax To his esteemed colleague, Dr. Ferdinand Conseil—My Dear Conseil,Your recent inquiry regarding the proper method of experiencing recorded music through mechanical reproduction has prompted me to set down, with the precision that our scientific pursuits demand, the essential principles…

[richardvarey]

The economics of audiophilia

Audiophilia is a fascinating economic ecosystem built around the pursuit of superior sound reproduction, characterised by several key dynamics.Premium Pricing and Value Perception … The audiophile market operates on dramatically different price-performance curves than mainstream audio. Equipment costs can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars, with diminishing returns that…

[richardvarey]

Good rooms, bad rooms

David Chesky on the critical importance of the room as part of a listening system. The single most important element in any audio system is the room. If your room isn’t right, there’s no point in setting up a hi-fi rig—no matter how expensive it is. You could have the best gear in the world, but if you put it in a glass room with stone floors, it doesn’t stand a chance. The sound will be harsh,…

[richardvarey]

Enough of the records and headphones, already!

Whenever I search for an image to illustrate audiophile music listening, there’s a conspicuous absence and a puzzling presence. There’s a fascinating visual paradox in how audiophile culture is typically represented. There are several cultural and practical reasons why headphones and vinyl dominate the aesthetic, even though serious audiophiles often prioritise speakers and may use…

[richardvarey]

JRiver Media Center: The Maestro of Media

I upgraded to JRiver MC34 and JRemote3, and I am once again enjoying file playback, as well as YouTube. Media Center is so effective as a file manager, server, and player that I wanted to celebrate, and used Perplexity to create an imaginative post. Imagine JRiver Media Center as a tuxedo-clad maestro with a conductor’s baton in one hand and a remote control in the other. He stands atop a grand…

[richardvarey]

Hi-fi hype

Audiophile equipment marketing is notorious for its extravagant claims and mystical language. Some common hype tactics are:Pseudoscientific terminology … Terms like “quantum tunneling,” “crystalline structure,” or “molecular alignment” applied to cables and components, often with no actual scientific basis or measurable effect on audio quality.Astronomical pricing for marginal gains … $10,000…

[richardvarey]

Audiophile format fitness for purpose

Now that I have local streaming endpoints in three rooms, I have revisited my file library and invested in a new external hard drive, and copied those files I could recover from the drives I stopped using a couple of years ago. So, it’s interesting that a review of formats based on audiophile values puts lossless files on top of the list. Looking at this from the perspective of serious…