I installed a SR RED Quantum fuse in my ARC REF-3 preamp a few days ago, replacing an older high end fuse. Uhh ... for a hundred bucks, this little baby is well worth the cost. There was an immediate improvement upon installation, but now that its broken in (yes, no kidding), its quite remarkable. A tightening of the focus, a more solid image, and most important of all for my tastes, a deeper appreciation for the organic sound of the instruments. Damn! ... cellos sound great! Much improved attack on pianos. More humanistic on vocals. Bowed bass goes down forever. Next move? .... I'm doing the entire system with these fuses. One at a time though just to gauge the improvement in each piece of equipment. The REF-75se comes next. I'll report the results as the progression takes place. Stay tuned ...
Any comments from anyone else who has tried these fuses?
I think my favorite "Firebird" in my collection is an LP of Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky." On Columbia. Stravinsky was conducting the CSO in celebration of his 80th birthday. It just seems to work. But then ... the conductor is also the composer.
One of my all-time favorite recordings of any work is the LP I have of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (as opposed to the complete ballet that is on the recording you referred to), Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, on Telarc.
I’ve got 4 or 5 versions, the best by far to these ears is the one, hdcd.
Regarding polarity switches, a point to keep in mind is that when the position of the switch is changed not only is polarity being changed, but the circuit configuration of the component which provides the switch is also being changed. That in itself could conceivably have audible consequences, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the specific design. I would expect that to be unlikely to be an issue in the case of a fully balanced design such as Frank’s ARC line stage, since in a fully balanced design a polarity reversal can be accomplished by simply interchanging two internal connections. However in a design having a single-ended internal signal path changes involving the configuration of active circuitry would probably be necessary.
Oregonpapa 4-13-2017 Here’s another one that I dug out of the vault last night. If you have it, play cut #14 and crank up the volume. Its a good test of a system’s dynamics and the ability to "hold together" while blowing the walls down ... not to mention that its great music a well. :-)
Thanks, Frank. I have that recording, on a CD having a release date of 1991, rather than on the 2004 SACD shown at the link you provided. Very impressive, as I recall, although somehow I haven’t listened to it in quite a few years.
One of my all-time favorite recordings of any work is the LP I have of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (as opposed to the complete ballet that is on the recording you referred to), Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, on Telarc.
And it can be found in CD form at the following link. I see from the review comments, btw, that I’m not alone in liking it. It’s great music, as you indicated about the complete ballet, and the performance by Shaw and the orchestra is excellent as well.
And speaking of dynamics, it is absolutely stupendous in that regard, even relative to the exceptional dynamic range that is found on many other early Telarc releases. It so happens that I have on my computer the same Sound Forge audio editing program that is indicated at the archive.org link (above) as having been used to create the digital files that are provided there. Using that program to examine the waveforms in those files I have found that the difference in volume between the notes at the end of the “Berceuse,” at around 17:20, and the concluding note at the end of the work, is around 60 dB! Meaning that the amplifier has to put out around 1,000,000 times as much power to reproduce the concluding note as to reproduce the softest notes. That is consistent, btw, with SPL measurements I have made at my listening position, those being about 105 dB on the concluding note, and less than 50 dB on the softest notes. (My meter can’t measure below 50 dB).
IMO, having a way to switch polarity on the fly is a must for a good system. I can readily hear the difference, and, more importantly, so can my wife 😉
The CDs in my collection are pretty evenly distributed as to which polarity sounds best, so switching speaker leads was not a viable option. My amp (Antique Sound Lab Tulip) came with a switch to invert the polarity in one channel for bridging purposes. I had a friend install a switch in the other channel, so I can easily invert both.
oregonpapa,
I also prefer the 4 ohm tap with my Audio Note AN-E speakers. It's definitely worth trying to see which sounds better with one's particular amp/speaker combo.
Thanks, Frank! Of course something else in the system might be out of polarity, that's why I asked to see which way sounded best. Not to mention the Mercury CDs sound great even out of polarity. 😀
I have a polarity switch on my pre-amp. I'll check it out and get back to you, although what this disc was doing last night was uncanny. Huge sound stage, instruments all separated and tonally correct. The brass was incredible and the kettle and bass drums were spectacular. And no matter how loud I played it, short of my neighbors running after me with torches, it all held together.
As a side note, two days before this listening session, I switched the amp (ARC REF-75se) from the 8 ohm taps to the 4 ohm taps. I'm getting a lot more slam and bass response now. Slightly better overall clarity too.
I understand the Mercury Living Presence CDs are out of absolute polarity. Can you do me a solid and reverse speaker connections on both speakers to see if one way sounds better than the other? when the CD is in correct polarity it should sound much more dynamic and coherent with huge soundstage. thanks in advance.
^^^ Thanks, fleschler. I'll bet it sounds terrific on your system.
I listened to it all the way through during last night's listening session. The band was in the room. How can you go wrong on this CD with this caliber of musicians ready to jump out at you?
Here's another one that I dug out of the vault last night. If you have it, play cut #14 and crank up the volume. Its a good test of a system's dynamics and the ability to "hold together" while blowing the walls down ... not to mention that its great music a well. :-)
Robert and I use this CD which he introduced me to, for testing equipment and changes in our audio system. If it doesn't sound great, there is something wrong with the system. I found out that my mid range drivers on my Focus speakers were lacking in polyester batting due to the hard and blurry/blurry horns. Upon remedying the problem, horns sounded rich and smooth. These were not due to factory error but the guy who rewired my speakers prior to purchase didn't replace the batting which they needed plenty of. Great CD!
I'm only listing the CD here. I have several copies of the album on vinyl, including one on red vinyl (the best sounding one) and one copy on CD. The vinyl records have excellent sound ... but the CD is just as good in the sound department. This is West Coast jazz at its best.
Hi Jond, I’ll certainly seek that recording out. Thanks for the recommendation as I really enjoy his playing. Jond one current vibraphonist I failed to mention is Jason Marsalis. He’s know primarily as a drummer (for good reason) but he’s also a very accomplished vibraphonist without question. I saw him live in Ann Arbor on vibes leading a quartet 2 years ago. Saw him last year as a drummer with pianist Marcus Roberts. He’s excellent with either instrument. Charles
@charles1dad Since you were so kind as to introduce me to Jay Hoggard, check out his release "Harlem Heiroglyphs" I found it on Tidal and it's excellent. Good upfront sound and some interesting original compositions with a few classics mixed in.
As much as I would like to discuss "religion," and why "what is hidden from the most learned is revealed to mere children," I won't. Its not appropriate for this forum, nor for this thread. :-)
Boy, is my system sounding incredible these days. Truly a magic music machine.
I have common ground with every human being on the planet . I don’t push my points to win any arguments but because I love everybody including wolf-garcia whose posts don’t bother me personally whatsoever . As Augustine said " Music is Gods greatest gift to mankind, save his son " .
Wolf and Schubert represent polar ends of a vast spectrum regarding religious though and it’s quite unlikely they’ll "ever" see eye to eye on this topic. Both of them posses excellent music taste and knowledge. Let’s find common ground there. Charles
We've gotten rid of most gods (there used to be a lot of them hanging around), so it really is time to get rid of that last big one. I realize for some it's hard to keep their silly religious nonsense from permeating forums, but when it's as inane as the stuff being posted by Shubert it really points out the need to keep some things to yourself.
One artist is better than another and God knows it . God made us but not as puppets on a string, our choices form us in the end . I would feel foolish if I was afraid to talk about the ultimate reality .
I'm with Charles here faith and religion being very tricky subjects which can tend to divide us, music on the other hand has a tendency to bring us together. For whatever that is worth. Sunday morning classical with Bach Trios by Yo Yo Ma, Chris Thile, and Edgar Meyer. Not much of a classical listener but I love it on weekend mornings for some reason.
When God becomes the topic things can become very complex and philosophical. I feel that this is such a personal matter that it can be difficult to discuss as one’s beliefs, conviction and relationship with God vary all over a wide spectrum. This goes deeper than discussing politics.
I’m in no position to dictate what others want to post about but I will keep my participation simple and limit it to the topic of music which I find fun and gratifying. Best Regards to all, Charles
God made us all unique. I respond to God through lyrics and the emotion/passion of the vocalist. From this perspective I respond to God and others though an artist like Sara Groves (Christian artist) more than Bach. One artist is not better than the other and certainly not in God's economy. Just the wrong question and thought process.
And we like what we like in music because in varying degrees it is what we are . The variance is in whether we like the way it makes us feel inside or whether it makes us want to reach out to others including God. A map of our self .
droleg Geo: Broken in or not , i'm just in it to enjoy the music. To each , his own. If someon thinks that doing this or buying that hightens their pleasure or enjoyment, i believe it does, to them. It's all in our perception and expectation. Much of this is phsychological, which , by no means , lessens the validity of what they percieve. If i buy or try a tweak, i usualy believe that there's a possibility it will help.
Gosh, thanks for your insight. I'm sure we all appreciate it.
Geo: Broken in or not , i'm just in it to enjoy the music. To each , his own. If someon thinks that doing this or buying that hightens their pleasure or enjoyment, i believe it does, to them. It's all in our perception and expectation. Much of this is phsychological, which , by no means , lessens the validity of what they percieve. If i buy or try a tweak, i usualy believe that there's a possibility it will help. What have you got to lose, within financial reason. Enjoy the music, all.
Droleg, by deduction I conclude that if you’re playing music though a wire or fuse you can never get to 100%. In fact as I understand the situation even cables that have been thoroughly broken in on the inestimable Cable Cooker the cables still befit from breaking them in on the Cable Cooker or whatever again a year later, ad infinitum. Besides I implore you, what audiophile worth his salt is going to sit there patiently - without making any change to his system - for 100 hours and be able to tell when the cable or fuse has finished breaking in? Give me a break, besides an audio system when it is well tuned doesn't even sound the same from day to day, night time to day time. Too many variables.
Al: Thanks for your thoughts Shadorne: i can't find where to check the electrin level on my amp. I'm kind of new at this. Maybe you can helpme locate it. Geo: so how many hours would you recommend for 100%? jettet: cant seem to locate the reverse swich on cdp. Maybe it doesnt have one, so i just inverted the polarity on the power cord by swithing the hot and neutral. This should make it play backwards, i think. Thanks for the suggestion!
This thread the past few days has been a genuine joy to read and participate in. This is the whole point of having an audio system, to listen to and connect with the music we are passionate about.
Bill, Carmen was in prime form well into the mid 1970s. See if spotify has her "Great American Songbook " early 1970s live in a LA jazz club. I think you'll like it. Charles
Another female singer I like a lot is Nancy Wilson ... but again, like Carmen McCrea, only her early work.
On Patricia Barber (and other recording artists like her), my intent wasn't to insult anyone, especially anyone contributing to this thread.
I love natural recordings, especially those that are right from the master tapes. They are far closer to what was happening in the studio or on site. For those who have heard master tapes played back through their stereo system .... they know what I mean. There is a "you are there" presence not available on ordinary recordings.
So many times, the artificial reverb is added to cloak a faltering voice due to age or a lack of talent to begin with.
Jond, I’m happy that you enjoyed those two recordings, I had a feeling they’d appeal to you. Regarding Nickolas Payton, he is one heck of a trumpeter. I really like Roy Hargrove but Payton has the better chops IMHO.
Wolf, Yes, listening to Brad Mehldau yesterday Fred Hersch came to mind. It must have been fun to have worked with him. I’ll seek out Vijay Iyer. You could live 2 full lifetimes and still not cover all of the talented jazz musicians out there.
Bill, Agree, music and audio components are the epitome of subjectivity, we simply like what we like. Charles
Good is the enemy of the best. Good-enough is the enemy period . The main job of old-men is to impart the wisdom of truth to others , and for that you need to be as "elite" as possible ! If you told a teen the Beetles are as good as Bach, you'd need your mouth washed out with soap . What could be considered an "open-mind " at 18 would be an empty mind at 80 .
Fred Hersch was (and likely still is) an influence on Mehldau…I mixed a Hersch (his trio) show last year and he's basically a brilliant if somewhat quirky dude who plays his ass off. Interesting fact: He was in an induced coma at some point and wrote and performed music that was inspired by his thoughts while comatose. Another mind blowing fave is Vijay Iyer (the New Yorker said he may be the best pianist alive…a silly statement but interesting)...his trio album "Break Stuff" is not for the faint of heart and is an intensely rewarding listen.
There’s a saying in this hobby, that you meet the same people on the way down as you meet on the way up. Actually, they’re entirely different people and the hell with them. - paraphrase of Don Rickles roast by Bob Newhart
The best is 110% subjective. What is best to you may be mediocre, at best, to another. Surely we cannot say the other’s subjective reaction to an artist or style of music is less worthy than our own? That would be, well, elitist. Correct? In the end we all have different tastes and nobody is "right". This applies to gear and wire also 😊
Charles has shared a lot of great music that I have very much enjoyed as well as others on this and other threads. I have been listening to Carmen McRae today. I like her recording of Billie Holiday tunes as well as Book Of Ballads. I do think her voice was better in the late 50’s and 60’s, but no doubt she sang with emotion after these years.
I have also added Fingerpaintings to my favorites!
Charles loved both of your suggestions today! Parkers Mood and Fingerpaintings are both in my favorites now and its been an enjoyable relaxed Friday of listening. Delving more into Nicholas Payton now with Into the Blue.
Tolerance my fellow Agoners for music and artists others feel have value. I like all the artists mentioned including PB. Charles is very cordial and open minded as his comments always convey. I hope some are not saying she has no value because she is simply not their taste.
I like the the style of her recordings and like reverb and creative atmosphere at times. There is a season for many styles of music in my life. I love Sarah Vaughan as well.
i live in Nashville and while I am not particularly fond of country music, especially the new pop style stuff, I certainly respect the fact that many love it and feel the artists do add value to our culture and lives.
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