And Frogman, it would also be interesting to hear your thoughts regarding orchestral recordings in the modern stereo era where there seems even a greater variance. From the origins of the great recordings of RCA, Mercury and Decca to a seeming complacency as stereo took hold for the masses. I guess there would have to be a historical perspective of this that would probably take a volume or two to understand what really happened and why. |
It is tough today to meaningfully audition speakers now that there are so few dealers in close range. Shows can help but still...they often play music to highlight strengths. I HAVE to hear a wide range of music to be able to consider whether or not the speaker might be satisfactory long term. Like Elizabeth, I have specific recordings used to evaluate. The other wild card is the system you are listening to vs your own. Is the speaker going to match well with your amplifier or are you going to have to reconfigure the system to accomodate the new speaker?
There is no easy way today to audition so I guess one has to spend a lot of time reading, sorting through and finally try to locate someone reasonably close that will let you listen or buy used and try that route. I find speakers the most complex component to satisfactorily describe that would make you feel comfortable that it is going to work. We each have different priorities and can live with some ommissions or commissions more than others. Is it too forward, laidback, warm, resolving enough, tonally accurate, dynamically convincing...?
Really there is no way to know for sure without some serious listening which for many of us means buying used and gambling that it's going to work out and if not, reselling and moving on. I'm not too sure I would ever again purchase without hearing first unless there was some audition period, used possibly if the price was good enough that it could be resold if things didn't work out. It is a good question with few really satisfactory answers. The only thing I WOULD say, particularly to those with little experience, never purchase new without hearing first, particularly based on what others might tell you. This is the time to listen to as many speakers as possible to determine exactly what it is you want to hear to minimize costly mistakes. |
Indeed a great question posed by Charles. Inquiring minds want to know! Please Frogman, what are your thoughts, if not here then on another thread. My guess is that like rock musicians, some do and some really don't care, maybe more thoughtful consideration by the sound engineers on jazz recordings than those in rock/pop? I would think that there are much fewer jazz recording engineers than those in the rock/pop genre so there would be more variation in sound quality. |
Ah come on Wolf, he's really harmless and can't you at least detect his passion? But I've got to admit the part about the earplugs when sleeping and hearing the dog barking had me LOL, Bo come on now, really? On the other hand there's plenty of BS around here that is much less sincere than Bo's and besides, it's obvious English isn't his first language, benefit of the doubt.....maybe just a little bit? Bo's posts make this site worth coming back to, real entertainment! |
I suppose that my distaste for studio recordings in general is the mixing involved which is readily heard and certainly not appreciated by me. This being the primary reason I gravitate more towards live recordings. Case in point just the other day a friend sent me a youtube link to a live clip of Melody Gardot singing "Baby I'm a Fool" recorded during a TV show. I liked it so much I spent time trying to find a live disc with this cut. I ended settling for the studio album "My One and Only Thrill" which I just received last night. The mixing involved in the studio version with the overdubbed orchestra robbed the immediacy and connection of the live performance. To most folks maybe many audiophiles, this wouldn't matter but it did to me as my first experience was that live performance which so much better communicated that song to me than the studio version. The mixing that these "sound engineers" use often times robs so much of the magic of the live performance, this one was no exception. The voice was certainly there but the recording just sounded so disjointed and pieced together and didn't have the same magic.
It does seem there really isn't enough interest outside of audiophiles that obsess over these matters. If the artists don't insist on a better end product it seemingly won't happen downstream. |
I agree with your comments Dover, this has been my experience listening to other's systems as well some of which might benefit from "polite, inoffensive sound" IMHO.
I also agree this is the reason there are so many diverging opinions on this site about what constitutes "good sound" when it is obviously driven by preference more so than necessarily attempting to accurately represent what's on the recording.
Me too Charles, accurate tone and harmonics I mean :) |
I hear you Bo, but although it might be "relaxed" and not sound harsh at high SPL's I guarantee you that your ears can't take those levels for sustained periods without serious risk of damage. There are, I'm sure, more than a few on this site suffering from tinnitus. I don't know your age but I would seriously recommend you not continue this practice if you value your hearing which I'm sure you do if you love music. You ever hear ringing when there is nothing but the sound of silence? |
You're right Bo, your ears ARE sensitive. When you can feel it's too much, you've passed the threshold, the SPL's you indicate are well beyond, that is the point of my post. I too have been to concerts on a very regular basis, particularly many years back where the threshold could just be unbearable. Very early on, I got to the point where I would bring cotton balls and plug them in my ears when the volumes got to that point. I remember quite well having my hands on my ears at my first rock concert throughout the concert it was so loud as we were close to the speakers. My hearing has ALWAYS been sensitive, since childhood. Could never stand loud noises and could seemingly hear things others couldn't. Fortunately those instincts and that first rock concert experience carried forward but others, I have discovered, are less fortunate and I really feel for what they go through. I consider hearing to be the most important sense we are blessed with. |
Bo please answer me this question as I like you and you seem like a nice guy but when you speak of "truth for me in audio" would you acknowledge that maybe another's truth might be a little different than your's? Do you TELL your customers what is right or do you provide choices so they might decide for themselves? If you reread many of your posts, it really comes across that you may be the "Pope of audio". I'm not trying to be sarcastic but since you are new to this site you might want to consider this fact, you CAN NOT herd cats, do you understand the point?. Just trying to help you a bit and DO re-read some of your posts, it might help going forward otherwise you are going to lead many to post their deep temptations and you may not like it. It's tough fighting off cats once they get started. |
You missed the point Bo, re-read. I KNOW you're passonite about audio but the focus will become more on you if you continue the way you have, count the number of "I's" in your posts. Think it doesn't matter? think again. You're right the focus should be on the content and that IS the point, just trying to help you from the disappointment and frustration you will eventually encounter here. We were blessed with two ears and one mouth for a reason, think about it. |
