Editorial Principles
I've never believed that listening is objective.
Give the same recording to ten listeners and they'll often hear ten different things. Not because some are right and others are wrong, but because we're all listening for something slightly different.
These principles explain the perspective I bring to TrueResAudio, the assumptions behind the reviews, the Index, and the recommendations, and the reasons I keep returning to certain recordings while leaving others behind.
Over the years I've realised that most disagreements about recordings aren't really disagreements at all.
They're often the result of listeners valuing different things.
One person is listening for detail. Another for atmosphere. Another for emotional impact. Another for realism.
The more I listened, the less interested I became in finding "the best" recording and the more interested I became in understanding why certain recordings create a stronger connection than others.
The principles below are simply the conclusions I've arrived at so far.
They're not universal truths. They're the perspective from which TrueResAudio is written.
Music Comes First
A recording can sound spectacular and still leave me cold.
The purpose of sound is not to impress. It is to deepen the connection with the music. Everything on TrueResAudio starts with the music itself.
Sound Matters
Sound is not separate from the musical experience.
The way a recording presents space, scale, dynamics, texture, and instrumental colour changes how we experience a performance.
This is why recording quality, engineering, mastering, and production decisions receive attention throughout the magazine.
There Is No Single Best Recording
Different listeners listen for different things.
Some value transparency. Others warmth. Some want to hear every detail. Others care more about atmosphere and flow.
My goal is not to identify a universally correct choice. My goal is to help listeners find recordings that align with what they value.
Discovery Matters More Than Completeness
TrueResAudio is not trying to catalogue everything.
The focus is on finding recordings, editions, and releases that deserve attention. As a result, many worthy recordings will never appear here. But that is a consequence of editorial selection, not a judgment on their value.
Listening Is Personal
Reviews are informed opinions, not objective measurements.
Two listeners can hear the same recording differently and both can be right. The purpose of criticism is not to eliminate subjectivity but to make it visible.
Context Matters
Recordings do not exist in isolation.
A remaster means little without understanding the earlier edition. A performance means more when viewed alongside alternatives.
Whenever possible, recordings are discussed within a broader context rather than as standalone products.
Human Editorial Judgment Matters
Everything published on TrueResAudio is selected, listened to, written, and edited by a single person.
There are no recommendation algorithms. No review quotas. No automated scoring systems.
Everything published here reflects my ongoing attempt to understand why some recordings continue to matter long after the first listen.
The Goal
TrueResAudio exists to help listeners spend less time searching and more time listening.
It does not attempt to do that by providing definitive answers, but by offering useful perspectives.