Questions for Audioholics

[fmw]

I'm not familiar with the brand but it looks great and, I suspect, plays just as nicely as it looks. My preference is for Yamaha so I understand why it appealed to you. I feel at home with the touch and feel of their pianos. I would love to have a Yamaha C1. The only place to buy sheet music in our area is the piano store. I always take a minute or two to play something on that black C1 in the showroom.

My only Yamaha piano is this one I got for Christmas:

Not exactly a C1 or a grand like yours. But I can tell you it is the most fun I've ever had with a musical instrument. It is like a toy but it can make some serious music and can accompany me as though I had a band in the same room.

 

[funked up]

*Name: Aaron
*Email:
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Race: Caucasian
Location (country/city): Upstate NY

Survey Questions:

1. Do you consider yourself an audiophile? (why or why not)

No. I consider myself a movie enthusiast. And to really enjoy a movie
surround sound is a must.

2. Where do you buy your equipment? (as specific as possible i.e. The Audioholics online store)

Mostly Online stores and auctions(ebay). Some at local stereo shops.

3. How much money have you spent on your system?

$800 - $900

4. What do you look for when purchasing new equipment? (i.e. price, sound, appearance, easy to set up, etc)

Price is a big part of it as I am recently graduated from college and student loans suck. The next would be sound, not overlly concerned about how nice it looks as long as it sounds good.

5. What role does your significant other (if you have one) play in purchasing new equipment?

Very little.

6. Do you tweak your system and to what extent? (I won't tell Tom)

I calibrate by ear to the best of my ability. Thats about it.

7. When buying speakers are you most concerned with the sound of music or movies?

Movies

8. When demonstrating your system for others do you use music or movies?

Movies

9. Describe your music purchasing. (Do you buy DVD-A/SACDs, from sites like AIX records, normal CDs, LPs, if MP3s bought or acquired through other means (don't worry I won't tell the RIAA) what bit rates?)

I buy very little music. Mostly I buy movies.

10. Do you own a portable music player (mp3, CD, minidisc, etc)? (If yes also answer a-c)

Portable CD player.

a. Where and under what circumstances do you use it? (i.e. while at the gym, or when your roommate is sleeping)

Very limited use. Sometimes I'll use it when I go for a walk/jog.

b. Do you listen to the same music on your portable device as your main system?

Yes

c. What bitrate do you rip tracks at and what type of headphones do you use?

Headphones that came with it.

11. What are your opinions about the "loudness war," and has it affected your listening/purchasing habits? (if you've never heard of it I want to know hat too)

Never heard of it.

Thank you very much!
Dan Guberman

 

[mazersteven]

Not exactly a C1 or a grand like yours. But I can tell you it is the most fun I've ever had with a musical instrument. It is like a toy but it can make some serious music and can accompany me as though I had a band in the same room.

Dude, that's an awesome instrument.

Now that I know about these instruments. These are two I would love to own one day. O, and play of course.

Shigeru Kawai
http://www.shigerukawai.com/Pages/sk6.html

Bösendorfer
Model 290 Imperial
http://www.boesendorfer.com/index.php?menu=8&lang=en

 

[fmw]

Not only would a six figure 9' concert grand be impressive but simply having enough room to put one in your home would be impressive enough. Actually, home acoustics don't do justice to a concert grand like that. I can understand how a professional soloist might want one at home to practice on what he would play in concert but, frankly, you are better off with what you have at home. It doesn't seem likely you will be soloing with the New York Philharmonic any time soon.

Bosendorfer and Kawai pianos are both top shelf brands ranking up there with the best of them.

The Yamaha CVP is my favorite of the digitals. It has pro level samples and an amazing accompaniment system that is pretty easy and intuitive to use. I can play Bach on a harpsichord or Jimmy Smith on a Hammond B3 organ or Duke Ellington on a broad choice of pianos ranging from a 9' Yamaha concert grand to a honky tonk upright to an early Rhodes electric. It has key weighting and touch that is amazingly close to an acoustic grand. I use it more than any of my other keyboard instruments. One clear advantage is that I can practice with headphones and not disturb my wife. She likes to hear me play but not practice. It isn't quite the same as playing a fine acoustic piano but it is close enough and is a ton of fun to use.

 

[mazersteven]

Yes the Bosendorfer is just a dream. Starting at a mear $150,000 it's not likely I will be getting one any time soon.

But the Shigeru Kawai

 

[jostenmeat]

I offer as an example the saxophone playing of Eric Dolphy. Perhaps you are familiar with him. He was a post Bop progressive player that was very challenging to listen to. I'm not criticizing his talent or his music but he was very difficult to listen to. He was fond of making sounds with the saxophone which the saxophone wasn't designed to make. His riffs sometimes got lost completely from the structure of the tune he was playing.

On the other hand Miles Davis was also challenging to listen to. His playing was complex to say the least. But he didn't take a trip to Europe every time he fingered another valve. His work was always coherent and true to the structure of the music he was playing, even if it travelled beyond where most horn players went. Davis is an icon in jazz history and Dolphy is an interesting side note in comparison.

I guess I'm rambling. I think this is a good time to stop.

Well, this thread might grow into a multi-headed monster. Heh. At first I tried to resist in posting, but whatever. I really disagree with your views on Dolphy. He integrated himself very well, while maintaining his voice if you will, with some amazing ensembles. He died sooooo young, and yet his music was as influential to jazz as any. I am not familiar enough with Miles, though I've listened, studied, and owned his stuff a bit, but Dolphy is IMO on the Shorter/Monk/Mingus/Coltrane/Duke/Miles type of level of influence. To me, what you say is akin to something like "Mozart is an icon in classical history, and Haydn is a side note". Ok, Haydn might not be on the same level to the eyes of the world population as a whole, but side note? FWIW, if I only had the choice of Mozart and Haydn, it would be tough, but I think I'd choose Haydn. And just as it would be tough for me to choose between Davis an Dolphy, I think I might choose the latter. I will say though having sat with transcriptions/scores of Davis solos in my jazz studies while listening, the harmonic and/or modal implications (temporally past or present) with a melodic instrument was extremely impressive to say the least. I once attended a sort of exclusive 30 person masterclass with Dave Holland at the Monk Institute, and I swear a large portion of it was his story of how his jazz career began in the most insane manner, pretty much to blame/thank Davis for. Fun story.

If you think Dolphy is difficult to understand, you should try John Coltrane, particularly the stuff after he sobered up. Or maybe you dislike Coltrane even more. His earlier stuff almost seemed to have even less cohesion, because the stuff in between the head/chorus was really being pushed. Latter stuff in a way seemed to be more integrated or pervasive/consistent in language/style, but a lot more acerbic IMO.

 

[mudrummer99]

Just picked up a couple Oscar Peterson discs, gonna check them out, ill let you know what i think about em, fmw. Got one of them for $5, can't beat that.

 

[fmw]

I have no idea where the Haydn/Mozart thing came from. I'll just let that go. Dolphy is a side note in Jazz history compared to Davis. That's simply a fact. It isn't a matter of style preference on my part. It doesn't denigrate his contributions to music. It doesn't take away from his talent. It's just true. I shouldn't have to defend a straightforward fact.

I'm not particularly fond of Coltrane either but his music has more structure than Dolphy's. There isn't anything wrong with liking Dolphy. I think I was clear about saying that I wasn't criticizing his music or his talent. I certainly wasn't criticizing Miles Davis. I was just saying that when improvisation veers far enough off the track (breaks more rules) it starts losing listeners. That's why Dolphy didn't have as many listeners as Davis (or Coltrane) in my opinion. You or Dolphy or Coltrane or anyone else can veer anywhere you like and as far as you like. Music doesn't prevent that. It's wide open. But if it goes too far, the public won't follow.

All this came from your apparent belief that there aren't any rules to jazz improvisation. My point is that there is a structure and "rules" to jazz as there are to any other form of music. Here's a simple one. If the ensemble is playing in G and you play in A flat, your music won't appeal to great number of listeners. You don't have to follow the rules. You can play in A flat if that's what you want to do. But there are consequences to doing that. I'm surprised I even have to defend this point of view.

 

[fmw]

Just picked up a couple Oscar Peterson discs, gonna check them out, ill let you know what i think about em, fmw. Got one of them for $5, can't beat that.

Super. Which ones did you get?

 

[jostenmeat]

It wouldn't surprise me AT ALL, if more famous jazz musicians would cite Dolphy as a greater inspiration than Miles. Im not talking about neophytes that like to cite Kind of Blue. Birth of the Cool? More like Birth of the Hot. And probably no one championed Jelly Roll as much as Mingus did anyways.

A flat in the key of G? I personally really enjoy the Phrygian mode. or the Neopolitan sixth. whatever.

 

[mudrummer99]

Oscar Peterson Trio + 1 (Clark Terry) (2007, Vever)
Oscar Peterson (2005, United Audio Ent.)

I also picked up a CD/DVD combo of Music for Two with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. I saw them when they did this tour and it was awesome, Meyer is an astonishing bass player, and for $15 for the set I couldn't say no. That's probably why I'm broke a lot.

Mike

 

[fmw]

Okay, Josten. I appreciate the chuckle. I can't think of anything I play in A flat but I'll find something and work on it.

You could be right, though. It is possible that more jazz players would view Dolphy as a stronger influence than Davis. I don't know. But the public has never felt that way. Not even close. That was my point.

 

[fmw]

Oscar Peterson Trio + 1 (Clark Terry) (2007, Vever)
Oscar Peterson (2005, United Audio Ent.)

I also picked up a CD/DVD combo of Music for Two with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. I saw them when they did this tour and it was awesome, Meyer is an astonishing bass player, and for $15 for the set I couldn't say no. That's probably why I'm broke a lot.

Mike

I have the Clark Terry album. I'm not sure which one the other one is. I have perhaps 60 or 70 of his recordings. You might find it interesting to note that he was the most prolific recording artist ever in the jazz world. He made over 400 albums. It would be hard to find a jazz standard that he hasn't recorded at some point in time. If you ever find "Night Train" or "We Get Requests" buy them. Those were recorded in the 60's when Oscar was in his prime. His technique will dazzle you.

 

[DanG]

Thanks for all of the responses so far. I am still happy to collect even more, it will never be too late.

Also, for a general question that perhaps someone can answer fairly simply, in computer based systems, does one use a normal sound card or does that get passed up for a hdmi motherboard or video card (do hdmi video cards process sound?).

 

[fmw]

Thanks for all of the responses so far. I am still happy to collect even more, it will never be too late.

Also, for a general question that perhaps someone can answer fairly simply, in computer based systems, does one use a normal sound card or does that get passed up for a hdmi motherboard or video card (do hdmi video cards process sound?).

HDMI in a video card must be something new. I'm only aware of DVI video cards. They don't do sound. You would need a sound card as well.