Heard a live band today

[davidtwotrees]

Hey David - I have a Pacific Valve modified Lite Audio DAC AM - very cheap... The improvement was so great, I think I'll eventually try a Benchmark or Lavry.

Ok, so what is the rest of the rig?!

 

[cornelius]

Oh right...

McIntosh MA6200 integrated
Ohm Microwalsh Tall floorstanders
Sony DVD/SACD player (model #?)
Pacific Valve DAC
Rega Planar 2 turntable
MacBook Pro/Airport Express
Analysis Plus/Kimber/Canare Cables

 

[davidtwotrees]

nice rig, cornelius!

 

[cornelius]

Thank you! Everything seems to be working together pretty nicely, but I'm definitely going to get a new integrated soon - I'd like a little more res, and a remote! I watch a lot of TV and movies, so I'd like to be able to change the volume easier. I was ready to go for a new Mac integrated (MA 6300 or 6500) but they don't fit into any of my furniture - they're about 22" deep! With flatscreens and low profile DVD players, I want to streamline, but I'm still thinking of keeping the turntable - it's still kind of fun putting on vinyl once in a while... The Ohms also like power, so I'm looking for something with some juice.

I also have a two channel Orb set-up in the bedroom system - so I might expand that into a multi-channel rig someday... but for the most part, I still really just like the minimalist 2-channel HT set-up.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Even if I lived where I could get away with it, I would never play my stereo at or near live concert volume. Concerts are way too loud, and who wants to have to use earplugs at home? (I went to a lot of concerts without earplugs in my teens. It is only by luck that my hearing is intact.)

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Even if I lived where I could get away with it, I would never play my stereo at or near live concert volume. Concerts are way too loud, and who wants to have to use earplugs at home? (I went to a lot of concerts without earplugs in my teens. It is only by luck that my hearing is intact.)

Yeah, when I listen to music or watch movies at home, I make sure the loudest volume does not exceed 85 dBA. Health/safety always comes first.
I love live music, but not loud crazy concerts. Never been to one. Never will.

 

[3db]

This is a problem of sound recording. Your stereo is fine, but there are only a handful of albums in the world where the drum track is recorded to accurately sound like actual drums. Case in point all 100 songs on Billboard's 'Hot/Top 100' (for 11/10/07) have a poorly recorded drum track. People want that quasi-synthesizer wood spoon hitting mashed poatos drum-like noise.

I don't if you recall a band called the Payola's . They were a 80s band and one song particular on that album "Eyes of A Stranger" almost got the drums right. I eldused to this in a post last year. Although teh drum was off, the very last cymbol smash was recorded dead on. I don't know how they managed to miss the drums but get this one cymbol smash but it just shimmered away. Its the only one that stands out in my mind.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

The best drum recording in my collection is Persian and Middle Eastern Percussion by Zarbang. It is a live recording with all acoustic instruments. When I listen to it, I am there!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The best drum recording in my collection is Persian and Middle Eastern Percussion by Zarbang. It is a live recording with all acoustic instruments. When I listen to it, I am there!

Okay, I just ordered this CD from buy.com. Can't wait to get it.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Okay, I just ordered this CD from buy.com. Can't wait to get it.

Hope you like it as much as I do. (If not, I will feel guilty for convincing you to spend your $ on it.) FWIW the last 3 songs are the best.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Audio Critic

how do most of you holics listen to concerts? 2.1 i assume???

Here is another quote from the old Audio Critic:

"Please note that I no longer comment separately on stereo and surround-sound versions. Two-channel playback through my Linkwitz Lab Orion++ loudspeaker system (review coming) now gives me more accurate spatial information than 5.1 playback."

I guess older people prefer 2.0.
I must be old.

 

[GlocksRock]

I guess older people prefer 2.0.
I must be old.

But since your towers have built in subs, aren't you really listening in 2.1?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I guess older people prefer 2.0.
I must be old.

I prefer 2.0 (for music, not movies.) I have never had much luck integrating a sub.
In fact, I recently switched to smaller, less bass-capable towers to get a better match with my room acoustics. I think it worked, in that the bass is now tighter (though less of it, of course.)

 

[jaxvon]

This is a problem of sound recording. Your stereo is fine, but there are only a handful of albums in the world where the drum track is recorded to accurately sound like actual drums. Case in point all 100 songs on Billboard's 'Hot/Top 100' (for 11/10/07) have a poorly recorded drum track. People want that quasi-synthesizer wood spoon hitting mashed poatos drum-like noise.

It's both. You're definitely right, very few recordings try for a good drum sound, and even then, it's all close-mic'd stuff. Very few people try to get a "live" sound out of the drums using the acoustic space, though I would count Mapleshade Records as an exception. In recordings, things are toyed with so much that they take on a new sound.

As for the speakers and room, those are at fault too. The only speakers I've heard reproduce live music like you were at the original event were low-resonance omni speakers, something few people would shell out for on the speaker cost alone, let alone the associated electronics and room treatment. I've listened to high end speakers and industry-trusted studio monitors, and none can match the experience of high quality omni speakers in a properly treated room.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

But since your towers have built in subs, aren't you really listening in 2.1?

Well, I think for 5.1 movies & 5.1 SACD/DVD-As which have a dedicated LFE channel, which feeds right into the LFE input of my BP7000SCs, I would consider that 5.1.

But for 2-ch Stereo music, I still consider it 2.0 since the subwoofer is just part of one whole 3-way speaker system: tweeters, midrange/upper bass, & lower bass (or subwoofer).

The Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 5, Linn Komri & Komponent, Linkwitz Lab Orion, Aperion Intimus 533-PT, AV123 Onix Reference 3 & Strata Mini are among many many speakers with built-in subwoofers, but I consider the subwoofers to be just part of the 3-way or 4-way speaker system, & not a separate .1 subwoofer.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I prefer 2.0 (for music, not movies.) I have never had much luck integrating a sub.
In fact, I recently switched to smaller, less bass-capable towers to get a better match with my room acoustics. I think it worked, in that the bass is now tighter (though less of it, of course.)

I would prefer tighter bass over boomy bass anyday, even if it means less output. I can't stand boomy bass.
And live kick drums are tighter and less boomy as well, right?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I would prefer tighter bass over boomy bass anyday, even if it means less output. I can't stand boomy bass.
And live kick drums are tighter and less boomy as well, right?

I don't think I have heard any recordings of live kick drums since getting them (FYI they are Polk Monitor 50s.) I will try my Heart Dreamboat Annie Live and let you know.

 

[cornelius]

One of the best sounding kik drums on record is from Duke Ellington - Live at Newport 1958 - just beautiful sounding...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

One of the best sounding kik drums on record is from Duke Ellington - Live at Newport 1958 - just beautiful sounding...

Could you please list the names of the individual songs that have the best sounding kick drums?

Thanks.

 

[moreira85]

when watch normal television what mode do you listen in, 2 channel stereo or surround???