I can afford anything discussed here or anywhere. But I know overpriced mediocrities. There are very few audio components that are investments from the money point of view. Most are bad losers. And throwing out false statements about me is worse than any incorrect comments I may make about components I haven't personally heard at home. Even if my statements are incorrect, they are not far from the truth, since I have listened to similar components from the same brand which usually has a house sound. And I have a good technical understanding of things. For example, a 15" driver is capable of more bass than a 5" driver, so there is no need to listen to a 5" driver if someone claims that it outdoes the 15" in bass.
For the record, shannere, more of your posts are about criticizing me, than contributing useful info. I recommended the Maggies a long time ago to WC. He finally tried them, and admitted that he should have done this a long time ago. If he doesn't mention me as providing help, his actions certainly reveal that he appreciates it. He always asks for comments, which he is entitled to, because he puts out the money, and free advice is always helpful. The fact that you think I am ordering him to do anything, tells the reader about your lack of understanding. |
He's a Holistic Witch Doctor....not a real one. He throws Chicken Bones, does Chants and incantations, makes herbal tea's with the Eyes of Newts etc Al Lewis (Grandpa) on the Munsters had more credibility. Why do you think he cant afford the Merrill gear or GT Audio Speakers he was foaming at the mouth at for so long? |
viber
Who's show is this? Who started this thread? It's not about what you want or what you think WC should do, it's his trip for you to observe not direct. You have never heard but a small percentage of what the OP has and never in your own room. You strike me as very selfish wanting someone to buy and explore what you can't and then have the nerve to criticize his conclusions. If you are truly a dr. then you know you can watch all the surgery you want but until you hold the scalpel your opinion does.t mean much.
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Also, tweak the toe in on the 3.7i. It will be MUCH better with the toe in as I described. I certainly understand keeping the interest on your thread and youtube channel high by bringing in new things, but make sure you really get the most out of everything you try. Many people want to hear the 3.7i shootout with the best amps you have--Gryphon, Merrill. |
WC,
Please keep the 3.7i for a good while until you at least thoroughly break it in, and use it to do all the trials you want with Gryphon, Merrill, Sim (in the future again), cables, etc. The Wilson and Dag amp will get you most of the money you need. Besides, you said the 3.7i was by far the best purchase you made this year, and you regret not doing it years ago. And finally, it is the most revealing speaker you have had, with the best sound quality you have heard except for very deep bass. These are your own statements, seconded by me. No conventional dynamic speaker at any price will exceed the overall sound quality of the 3.7i. Once you have learned all you can from the 3.7i, the next logical move would be the GTA for about $20K. With another $10K or so for its matching subs, you will have everything you want. It is a better version of the 3.7i, and its 90+ dB efficiency will permit low power amps to be appreciated, and then you can review all amps at any price, low or high.
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Return the microphone. In almost all the videos, the differences have been audible, some more subtle than others. It was just in that one recording of the Maggies, where I felt the singer’s voice was kind of undernourished. But this was *not* the first posting of the Maggies playing, and the sound in that first video was just fine. That was probably just how that particular disc sounded--no fault of the Maggies or your recording technique. |
WC any plans on mephisto? Would be great to do mephisto vs colosseum.
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Riaa
That is exactly my point...the same posts about the same gear over and over.... Gets a little old.. hell I get sick of seeing the same gear in my room so I might do what you do and just keep it in boxes lol |
Lol sorry everyone. I need a time out.
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Clearly you've lost your mind. Thats what you get for having too many conversations with SMOD or reading his never ending posts on multiple threads about the same PASS/LUX/CODA gear over and over...and over. Somebody PLEASE take his keyboard away.
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WC, do you use the flat preset mode on your Shure microphone? I have the same mic. Unfortunately, it is not an ideal recording device. In my experience, it brightens the sound, makes everything sound a bit thinner. Anyway, you should download the Shure Motif app to your iPad and configure the mic prior to a recording. I think the best preset mode is flat and you can also try different polar patterns, e.g. stereo vs raw mid-side. Also, the mic supports recording in landscape mode.
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No I meant the BIG boys - relentless, but probably not available on good deal (hell, I wouldn't know, that's for sure!). way out of my league |
He already had the Dag Momentum 400's recently so dont think he's going back to the same well again so soon.
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Why don’t we keep things real here:
if i did what magazine reviewers do which is to sit and live with all of this, you all would be bored as hell because all i would be posting are the same damn songs with the same damn amps and preamps... who wants to follow the dude who is reviewing the same damn amp and preamp for the last 3-5 months? NOBODY....
My sickness of changing out gear constantly is in reality what keeps you coming back here for the most part. Again, let’s keep it real here... Most people here tune in because you want to see what is next and if i am ever going to be giving my input on an item you own. I am not gospel, but some of you do appreciate my input because I ACTUALLY own and play with these toys and dont go off of magazines and some of you respect that. Also, there is always people who reach out to me for input on certain components and i am always glad to give you my opinion. |
Haha, well I don't think anyone who has followed this from the beginning would be surprised by any moves. Turning the ship on a dime is kinda the norm in this journey, even if you've previously made contrary statements about what your plans are with currently owned gear (e.g., with the 3.7i). Wouldn't even be possible to count all the times you've indicated you would keep things for awhile and then they are gone. ARC Ref 6 to burn in for at least 500 hrs and then do shootouts just one recent example; Pass 250 another.
You do your little experiments and then move on. : )
Entertaining all the while, even if we sometimes wish you'd go deeper with certain items.
Wilson Alexx would be cool; I've been pushing for that for awhile??? It's been a long time since you've been able to live without at least one Wilson Audio speaker (close to a year probably between DAW and Alexia? timing runs together I guess - what seems like an eternity on this thread is probably only a few months).
Or maybe you are looking at D'Agostino big boys if you are going to sell the stereo amp but keep the preamp?? |
I was looking at some of the equipment I’ve seen other reviewers use, earthworks qt40s for the speakers, about 2200 a pair, I’d want a room mike to help capture some of the soundstage and holographic effect akG c414, about another 2300 for a pair, and then as long as I’m doing that I’d get a good mike for the vocals, many good choices there well under 1k, and then a rode podcaster board to connect those xlr mikes to the iPad with and adjust the sound levels. I’m sure there’s many other options, that setup was just what looked and sounded good to me without spending tens of thousands. |
Why not just go to fellow YOUTUBE Audio "reviewers" with phenomenal microphones and ask them what they are using. Here are a few examples: DECWARE HIGH FIDELITY...Call up Steve and just ask SOUND SOMMELIER HIFI MANIA Pursuit Perfect Systems On my crappy 1 inch Hewlett Packard PC Speakers I can tell the difference between speakers they feature. Should be phenomenal for those with better setups/headphones etc Why keep running around in circles and blindly experimenting...what a waste of time and money. Go to the best places and duplicate what they have. |
WC would you say all of those amps in that list beat the Pass 0.8 stereo amps?
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Right now, i am contemplating listing the following items in order to finance something else that might happen if all the stars align. Please don’t go into shock if you see them listed here over the next few days:
Wilson Sasha Daw
Magnepan 3.7i
Momentum s250 stereo amp |
I dont like to be that blunt because some people can get their feelings hurt, but yes i personally rather own a luxman 900u or simaudio. Pass labs NEEDS a complete overhaul and release something new soon.
Gryphon released the "essence"models
Parasound released the new Jc1 +
Krell did the XD upgrade on their amps
Merrill audio did the "element" models
Bryston did the cubed series
Mcintosh did the 611 and 1.25kw
Simaudio - 860 v2
ARC - 160S
The following companies need to do something new with their stereo amps:
Hegel
Pass Labs (xa25 isnt really doing something new...)
BAT
Mark Levinson
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Damn pretty brutal how badly 900u destroys the pass.
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There is a flat setting I will be trying on the mic but I will say that it sounds flat and you'll need to crank up the volume.. |
The only thing the 350.8 does more of over the luxman 900u is watts, weight, and heat...the end.. |
WC, so M900U is somewhere above X350.8 but below XS300? Does 350.8 do anything better?
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Again, you are not straying from the original sound if the mic is not picking up what is actually there.....What you want in the end is the reproduction of what Jay hears. If he has to eq the mic to get it to make a flat recording (flat from his ear standards...not measurements) then it is actually more accurate to the source to use the eq. Most any mic measures pretty flat....they all sound different....just as all amps measure flat....they all sound different. |
My point is that once you eq ,you are straying from what is the original sound. You can EQ it to get it to sound however you like, then, but that may not be what the sound is in WC’s room. Most mics are designed to pickup what they hear, or at least that is the Goal.I am sure |
Not if the microphone is deficient in bass.....then you are compensating for its loss. No microphone is perfect. They all "modifiy" what is being recorded. |
If you use EQ , then you are modifying what is being recorded ...Not Advised !. It would be altering the recording |
It looks like the app that works with the Shure mic allows you to eq while recording? if so, you can boost the low end and now you have the clarity and fullness. Please investigate. |
Hell no the 900u is not better than the xs300 pass labs. Not in the same stratosphere. |
Jay I read a post where you were so blown away by the 900U, you basically said you would be fine selling everything else and just living with it including XS300. I wanted to clarify do you find 900U better than XS300?
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I wonder if there is a break-in period on the mic....ha |
He said it sounds full in his room .
The Shure mike does not sound full, therefore the note 10 mike better produces what he hears in his room.IMO |
My objective perception that #1 is clearer than #2 agrees with those of kren, ron, grey9hound, rsf507, although grey prefers the fullness of #2. The guitar and voice are more immediate in #1. There is thinness compared to #2, but the overall sound is still full due to the DAW speaker and the Merrill amp (again I am revealing that the Merrill is a full, dynamic sounding amp from my experience with it). In my recordings, I used small diaphragm mikes from Shure, AKG, Schoeps, Neumann, B&K. These are all professional mikes, well respected and used widely. I found that Shure and B&K were rounded and smooth, with Shure being more veiled. AKG, Schoeps and Neumann were in the clarity/detail camp, with the Neumann the most detailed. All these mikes are the condenser (capacitor) type, analogous to an electrostatic speaker. Lower quality dynamic mikes produced obvious colorations compared to any of these condenser mikes, similar to dynamic speakers vs electrostatic/ribbon speakers.
This was a worthwhile experiment, so I think you can keep the Shure mike. Its purpose is to more accurately record what you want to present about your system, and thus to better reveal differences in components. If you want to have more fun and try the other brands of mikes I mentioned, that’s great. But if you don’t want to bother, the Shure is an excellent choice.
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Ok. I'm trying to get a sense of what it does or doesn't. I won't keep it if the improvement is minimal. |
Agree its detailed but on the thin side |
I think the new mike sounds thin IMO |
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Does it sound thin or full in your room ? |
Hard to say to be honest.... I spent money to see if I can give you all a better representation of what I hear here but I get the feeling that youtube compresses something because if I put my earphones on and play the video directly from my device and not via YouTube, it sounds better... |
@whitecamaross
Have you listened to it .
What is your take ?
Which one is more true to what you hear ?
To me #1 sound thin but has more clarity .
#2 has more fullness or weight. (I prefer #2)
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Yeah I'm with kren on this one. I thought the mic recording (1st one) sounded richer, warmer and more detailed....also the stereo aspect sounded better. The phone recording sounded more defused. Work on the mic gain level and I think it's a winner. |
I thought the first recording was substantially better. Second one sounded veiled in comparison.
i made that assessment before seeing which was which. Better clarity on first recording |
First is the new Shure mv88 $150 dollar mic...the second one is the microphone on my Galaxy note 10.
So far people are saying they prefer the microphone on my phone...if that is true, that is CRAZY to think that the built in mic of a phone can best a dedicated Shure $150 microphone |
Disregard precious link. Use this new video: https://youtu.be/iSxYxCSxMHgWilson Daw, full Merrill see up. Levels are the same on both clips. Let me know if you all feel there is any real advantage or not really worth it. |
The sound is nice, but unfortunately I cannot tell you whether it is better than using your phone without the external mike. You should present an A/B using the 2 recording devices with their mikes. There are a few unknown variables. The recording media--phone vs ipad--could have different characteristics. And of course the external mike has different properties like voltage output than the phone internal mike. When I did my extensive mike tests, I made repeated recordings of my violin playing of a 1 minute passage, which were all fairly similar in characteristics. With different mikes, I adjusted the gain on my Bryston mike preamp. Then I tried different mike preamps and repeated all this. When I was all done, I had a recording of all mikes and different preamps with the gain adjusted to yield equal volumes in each recording. Then I could listen repeatedly to my recordings to make a decision as to which mike and mike preamp I wanted to buy. If you don't have the ability to do all these things with your 2 different recording setups, just use your preamp to adjust the volume so that the playback of each recording yields the same volume. Make a video with the 2 recordings in sequence, and then we could decide.
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If there is clipping, don't worry. I can adjust that. What I simply want to know is if this is better than previous recordings (disregard clipping) or if it is marginal and not worth me spending 150 dollars. |
I just played the YouTube video I uploaded through my phone and you simply can't use your phone speaker guys. If I use headphones then it sounds much better...don't use phone speakers please.... |
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I am uploading a quick video so you can all tell me if there is an improvement in sound using the new mic. Please note that this is now being recorded using my iPad since the external mic is only iOS compatible. Let me know if it is or it isn’t worth the $150. I can still return it.
I am trying to get you all closer to what I am hearing. |
