It might seem like semantics, but I think it’s something more.
A resolving system has the technical chops to pull out every last detail. It’s about capability. How much information can be extracted from the source? A high-resolution DAC, a transparent amplifier—these give you resolution.
But revealing? That’s about communication. You can have all the detail in the world, but if it’s not presented in a way your ears can make musical sense of, it loses its value.
A revealing system puts those details in context. It organizes the musical information so it feels effortless to hear into.
I’ve heard incredibly resolving systems that left me cold. And I’ve heard less “perfect” setups that revealed emotional truth in spades.
So yes, resolution matters. But revelation?
That’s where the music lives.
