... thoughts on Taylor Swift's REPUTATION CD...


Hello to all... Am wondering how other audiophile folks who critically listen to music as coordinated recorded sounds access the newest offering from Taylor Swift.

PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT IF YOU HAVE NOT YET HEARD THE CD IN ITS ENTIRETY.
AND PLEASE LIMIT COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO SOUND - NOT ALL THE OTHER STUFF (looks, dating, etc) 

I find the recording fairly well done: abit thumpy throughout (which seems to be the trend in pop/indie music for the masses), but highly divergent in tones, dynamics, and harmonies. Deep and wide soundstage... Most vocals (within my system) are believeable (for the most part) but sometimes muddy up at the complicated refrains with several overdubs of her voice...

I think this is a good stereo test recording. YOUR THOUGHTS APPRECIATED...
justvintagestuff

Showing 13 responses by gosta

@dbwalek

May I ask what PMC monitors you use. I still miss PMC in my collection. Thought of IB2 some day. Any other reference recording?
I don't give much for the DR. A lot of the high DR:s sounds crap. It's just one of several important factors.
The OP asked for our SQ thoughts on Taylor Swifts new CD. I'm sorry she left the country music. She's talented. The CD sounds ok. It's very clean. Her voice is well recorded and in some tracks also very close. It's when some the songs are becoming loud the problems arise with - in my ears- distortion. Probably because of a lot of processing and compression. But really most of it is quite enjoyable - if you like the music and have the right full-range dynamic system for playing this kind of music. I suppose Harbeth won't do very well :-)
This morning I also listened to som of the tracks on my large systems which are Westlake (used for "Thriller" and "Bad") and ATC 150 (used for most recordings). I actually need the 15 inch woofers of the ATC to reproduce the heavy kicks and the bottoms in the superb "Delicate" to make it sound what you would consider as correct. Most of the tracks are really powerful and very well done. I'm actually reconsidering my thoughts on Swift :-)
They are however not without faults, probably because of heavy digital processing. But I would say in its genre reference quality. And testing this cd loud on a lot of "audiophile" speakers voiced for "smooth" reproducing of music will certainly uncover them....
In my opinion this cd is very dynamic. But because the average level is rather loud it could be that the measurement method behind the DR list doesn't do it justice. In most of the tracks there are nearly silent parts followed by a loud part which I call dynamic, maybe a 25 db change from one moment to another.  

If you like Swift you may also like Dua Lipa. 
And i would like to recommend a masterwork in this or similar genre Christian Falk cd "Quel Bordelo" including the, at the time, top range of swedish musicians.
Gershman Avant Garde RX20s! Beautiful, would like to hear them sing. From a reviewer: "As I had mentioned previously, the imaging produced by the Avant Gardes is first-rate, particularly for a floorstanding speaker. They are certainly capable of projecting a tight, well-defined image with lots of depth and layering. I found that Joni Mitchell’s "Overture/Cotton Avenue" from Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [Asylum 701-2] has some marvelous imaging. In fact, there are couple of incredible effects to check for on this track. First, there are some guitar chords that are played with the reverb out of phase, making the image appear to start in the center and explode out to the edges of the soundstage. There’s also a reversal of this, which is to play the chord out of phase with the reverb in phase. This causes the chord to start out at the edges of the soundstage and converge to a point that is dead-center of the speakers. This is a very cool effect when the system is imaging well. The other effect is at the end of the overture section, where there are a number of individual notes played in fairly rapid succession on a bass guitar. Again, if the speakers are imaging well, you will notice that each note shifts image, not just between the speakers, but in depth as well. "Overture/Cotton Avenue" is a must-have demo track in my book, and the Avant Gardes do it justice."
Looks a little like my JBL 250ti. The black one- not the "right" one, but everybody when they see them wants to be close and touch them...
New cd from Rosanne Cash on Tidal. Seems very promising. Also really recommend The Teskey Brothers. Superb sound. No db limit. Sure, a plagiat of old soul and R&B but great. The singer is terrifying. Lots of nice guitar. Also comes with recorded noice which I suppose all audiophiles will appreciate.
What I would like to understand is why especially voices often seems to fare so bad under modern compression/digital processing. When Taylor Swifts voice is made louder all her natural voice (which is fine) disappear and we are left with something that hurts our ears (at least my right one). It might of course be the voice itself, but I don't really think so. Very apparent on the Red cd, less so on Reputation. Is it because of some "radio-editing"? 



Very interesting to read all comments on the technical aspects of the modern recording process. Maybe going to You tube is a good way to really hearing the artists as they are (or at least more natural). In addition to the recommended video I found amongst other a duette with Ed Sheeran on BGT and a concert clipp with Swift impressingly performing "Drops of Jupiter" acoustic in San Jose (HD). Recommend that last one! I now understand she's really got something - which I didn't know before :-). Also lots of other enjoyable acoustic performances e.g. "I knew you were trouble" in a trio.

So before having too much opinions on an artist you should hear/see them on You tube!

Another thread for Rosanne Cash - She remembers everything? SQ perfect to me. Don't know the DR rating - so might change my mind :-) How did they manage it?



@geoffkait 
Cassettes? Don't give up. They're doing great music in top quality every day out there. It's just about to find it. And IMHO a lot of it sounds a hundred miles better than it did 30 or 40 or 50 years ago. Lower DR or not... There are a few exceptions though. 
@justvintagestuff   
Thanks, Eagles - The Long run is a super album for listening and also testing e.g heavy drums and bass. They really made a SQ jump there. "I can't tell you why" is a personal test favourite for hearing the bass-line separated from the kick-drum and the other instruments.

John Campbells two albums are very raw with a natural voice.

The first song on Merritt Gibsons (@dbwalek) cd begins very natural (probably heavy processed :-) and the song "Area Code" has great voice and piano. Other songs too.

Just a few tips for natural voices Cassandra Wilson, Jill Scott, Cécile Vemy Quartet (with large scale acoutic bass), Nina Simone, Sophie Zelmani, Rebecka Tornqvist, Bo Kaspers Orkester, Angaleena Presley, Nikki Lane. The phenomenal Brandi Carlile ("The Joke"). Aaron Neville - Warm your heart - a must - audiophile recording. Terry Evans - audiophile recordings. Neko Case mentioned. Bonnie Raitts first not to forget. Most artists have some recordings that are very natural.

To really experience natural voices my advice is to get yourself a pair of very neutral pro monitors and to listen to them near-field. Like from 1 meter. The PCM Result 6 mentioned above I'm sure is a good start. Older PCM models could be bought for half the price used. For some change however, I've just gone back to passive monitors Westlake BBSM-4 and Audiopason Karis. Completed with subs. It's very entertaining to "see" into the recording. Be aware though that most pro monitors gives you warts and all...it's their job. But when it's good you hear the difference.
Tip for a natural recorded live album with very good DR. Mostly acoustic small big band:

Bo Kaspers Orkester - 10 låtar live (ten songs live).
You might not get the texts but fine and hard to describe music. Is it jazz, is it pop, is it blues, is it rock?...doesn’t matter much, just great :-)