“High fidelity” means being true to an original acoustic event; re-creating music that is exactly as it sounded when it was recorded.
Clockwise from top left: Original Ted Jordan module speakers (cone removed), Magneplanar speakers, Tannoy silver costing several thousand pounds (moving coil), Tannoy monitors.
In Audiophilia: The Secret Life of Audiophilies 2, Julie Hill talks to sound system, hi-fi and speaker makers passionate about doing justice to the tunes they love: Ron McLean from South London and his majestic Sputnik speakers; Bostonian boat builder Toby Shaugnessy and his giant horns, 50s retro raggamuffin Marty Vital's big bass, and the man whose speakers made Rodney Hide cry.
Hear part one of The Secret Life Of Audiophiles here
And more about Soundsystems here
Playlist
Artist: Jamie Cullum
Songs: Lover, You Should Have Come Over
Composer: Buckley
Album: Twenty Something
Label: Universe
Artist: Steely Dan
Songs: Aja
Composer: Steely Dan
Album: Aja
Label: ABC
Artist: Linton Kwesi Johnson
Songs: Street 66
Composer: L.K.Johnson
Album: Independent Intavenshan
Label: Island
Artist: The Temptations
Songs: You’re My Everything
Composer: N.Whitfield, C.Grant, R.Penzabene
Album: The Temptations With a Lot o’ Soul
Label: Motown
Artist: Marvin Gaye
Songs: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Composer: M.Gaye
Album: 15 Greatest Hits
Label: Motown
Artist: Billie Holiday
Songs: That Ole Devil Called Love
Composer: A. Roberts, D.Fisher
Album: That Ole Devil Called Love
Label: Decca
Artist: Chung Wha Kyung
Songs: Salut d’Amour
Composer: Elgar
Album: The World of the Violin
Label: Decca
Artist: Canibus
Songs: Second Round KO
Composer: G.Williams
Album: Can-I-Bus
Label: Universal
Artist: Joan Osborne
Songs: Pensacola
Composer: J.Osborne
Album: Relish
Label: Mercury
Artist: Beltones
Songs: No More Heartaches
Composer: T.Shields
Album: Tighten Up: Trojan Reggae Classics
Label: Trojan
