For me, Decca/London recordings, in general, are among the most realistic sounding and DG among the worst.i think the same and most musical afficionados i know of....
the sound of massed violins in classical orchestral recordings
why do massed violins have this sort of gritty sandpapery reverberation in classical orchestral recordings?even in some sections of a piece, when the violins are playing softly in the background, you hear that gritty overtone more than the melody.when I listen to the Houston symphony in Jones Hall,sitting fourth row, facing the violin section, I don't hear that sound.I have three systems { two of them mid-fi ] and I hear the same thing-even with headphones.in all instances, the other parts of the orchestra are clear. my main system : Vanalistine Trancendence 10 tube preamp,a 35 year old solid state Proton D1200 amp, [have tried NAD,Project, Musical Fidelity amps--they don't sound any better],Onkyo dx7555 CD player [Stereophile class B],and Project Carbon turntable with Grado Black 2 cartridge [ the Ortophon Red was too bright ] through Magnepan MG12/QR speakers.Tried a highly regarded Elac speaker--no change as far as the violins go, but way inferior to those dramatic Maggies.So, there you have it. Is it the equipment? Is the state of the art not up to recording violins? Is it me? [its o.k.-I can take it}. In closing,a couple of years ago,I had phone conversation with a well known person associated with a major speaker company about this. His response :[ paraphrased ] Violins are a problem--don't like 'em. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks.
Showing 7 responses by mahgister
I just reach my final goal: Controlling the sonic performance of my room... Passive materials treatment being only half of the solution, active controls device(different resonators, with active diffusors playing the main role in a balanced equilibrium between reflective,absorbent, and diffusive surface). The key to room enhancement controls(i prefer this concept than correction and treatment) is listening with your ears to the tonal instruments accuracy for feed back.... Treating room in function of some frequencies correction only is not my way at all and sometimes erroneous because many variable conditioning sound in a particular room are not reducible to frequencies ...It is more a synchronization, a timing of waves of sound than only correction of the waves.... This recording of solo violin is particularly good and the playing interpretation very impressive, not the best tough (for me it is Henryk Szeryng spiritual endeavour) but soundwise very amazing and you will listen to the micro texture of the string....If not, your audio system+room is defective or not enough refined.... These tonal material microstructure of the strings are like a crowd singing together and you will listen with each note to a crowd of events or voices....Each note is a universe..... All audio is mainly 3 embeddings of the electronic components....(mechanical,electrical and acoustical) Speakers are only a part of the room/ear system... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2a9IY3UtU4 |
Hi WolfieHow many violins make a mass? I dont know if he know how to count, but you must learn how to count the many strings instruments there is in a an orchestra perhaps.... « Before seeing the dog in the eyes of others look at the elephant in yours» -Groucho Marx |
Violin sound is the ultimate testing on our audio system ... I will add Brass ensemble with trumpet, horn, tuba, and trombone together.... A bad system cannot distinguish the gleaming sound of each and his particular timbre when mixed together.... This complement mass of violins in the higher frequencies with mass of brass for the mid and bass frequencies.... |
OR believe those who claim to tame without divulging any specifics.my thread journey has 20 pages...Specifics and idea are there, peanuts costs.... The specifics are simple to formulate: mechanical embeddings, electrical grid noise floor, and acoustical controls.... But there is NO single ready made product that solve all 3 embeddings problems....Not even a good dac.... Sorry.... And upgrading from a low cost audio system to a very costly one is NOT the solution either for most of us anyway....And any system at any price need to be rightfully embed.... |
Violin, and piano are very good test for audio system... For me with basic good electronic components, the day i was able to stand violins in mass, this day only comes after controlling vibrations, decreasing the noise floor of the electrical grid, and mostly treating and controlling the acoustic....(getting a good dac help for me a NOS one) For a bad recording of violin there exist also good one for testing.... The problem is not with recording, there exist very good one... The problem,often, is not with the basic good audio equipment each of us owns, the problem is controlling all these 3 necessary embeddings that makes, when uncontrolled, impossible for an audio system to reach his true S.Q. potential.... My recording of violins sound great now without harshness, and before implementation of embeddings controls i was not able to listen classical at all.... Classical is my favorite music but it is more easy for the ears to listen jazz if the system is not at his optimum...Right now i listen to Vivaldi 4 seasons, mass of violins, a polish version on TACET with many violins...Perfect sound.... I know reading all these forums about audio problems, that most of them are linked to the complete underestimation of the impact of acoustic, noise floor, and unwanted vibrations.... People dont know the destructive scale of these non adressed problems....And no simple unique ready to apply out of the box solution exist....We must work, it is not difficult but it takes time.... It takes me 2 years to figure it out with luck.... For test i recommend Bach Variation Goldberg music by FRETWORK a group of strings instruments.... Very beautiful and difficult to listen to if your embeddings and dac are not so good.... But marvellous to listen too in the opposite case.... |