[infiniti driver]

Here are some notes for those who just want a tad bit of insight about this product and my useage of them.

As an engineer, I use them as tools. As funny as it may seem, when doing mastering, it is work. Hard work. Painstaking. Microscopic. When reefus came down to listen to them it was really a big breath of fresh air. The reasons I explain this are simple to me, perhaps complex for many people. As an audio arts engineer, work is really WORK. I do not go out and purchase new music because what I am working on IS new music. I simply do not get the time to sit back and enjoy these speakers. I usually and simply listen for things that people do not listen for. I listen for problem areas in the source. Only when all the pieces of the puzzle are put together do I actually get to "hear" the final product and then, their is the rush to get the product in the mail and begin working on the next one. Something so simple as sitting back with a nice glass of wine and listening with no time line/deadline issues is pretty rare for me. Again, hearing music as it is bought has gotten foreign to me! Even hearing MY work from the actually CD after pressing is something I rarely get to enjoy. Even when listening to storebought music, I am trained to find fault, seek the solution and do any needed improvements. Sitting back without a worry in the world is something that happens rarely. It is a real treat to hear something I have never heard, never worked on and be in total approval mode and actually get thrilled by listening to the music. I know this sounds rather sad but the life of a recording/mixing/mastering engineer involves litterally over 10 hours per day, every day to "work". Can you relate at all?

So, this said, here are some things that strike me from our listening session. Even as a previous reviewer (I am no longer employed in that way, unless some other company wants to hire me) I am listening and working. Working and writing. Kinda sucks if you really want the truth. When is a good time to actually listen to music besides going to live concerts(?) (which I am usually recording them and working as well) and riding in the car listening to the factory audio system it came with?

Well all this said, their are many things to note. I was an "audiophile" long before I started in the recording arts. I also designed loudspeakers for fun and profit. I built many different types and actually did not limit myself to any favorite design. I built every type of loudspeaker system basically to get to know that particular art and what people like, don't like, can afford and cannot afford..and how they work in the recording arts of the thousands of engineers behind the mixing consoles. It all is education.

Well one thing that I want to write about is that their has been no mention of loudspeaker break-in with the SP timepieces. No one yet has mentioned anything about tweaking new type cables, changing things out to seek better performance, waiting around for break in, changing out the amp, moving them all over the house to get them to work and so forth. Preamps on the otherhand are critical and if it were not for the gain stage I master around, un-needed. The speakers simply will kick your can with full pleasure right out of the box. Very versatile in placement (within reason), east load for an amplifier (provided you have the power if you desire to listen at live levels) and very very easy to mate with a variety of equipment choices.  These loudspeakers simply do so well from the very start and no matter what demands you place on them (within common sense) they will simply continue delivering time and time again.

So, in retrospect, you may find it hilarious for me to say...WOW, I actually got to hear them...but really, when listening with someone else and not making your paycheck with them, listening takes on a whole new meaning. I feel confident that it would take a set of extreamly poor judgements to ever set these speakers up by using the printed guidelines and not achieve audio nirvana.  Even speaking to Bob, he freaks out sometimes at how good them can sound. You know, Bob himself at this stage of the game does not even own a pair of either of his loudspeakers!!! This just speaks how they are..he can't at this time even make himself a pair or have time to sit back and enjoy them. It is his job to make these things. After all day doing certain phases of their build and construction, it is time for him to spend time with his family. I can relate to that. After 10 to 12 hours (sometimes 16 to 20) of marathon mastering, I don't get the time either. The state of mind of actually being able to sit back and enjoy them is a major blessing.

These thoughts were building in my mind and I simply wanted to share them, let them out. Again, thank you Steve for coming to listen. I had just as much fun as you had. I needed it and I also have a deeper appreciation for this product.

More good notes on "music you love to listen to" should be shared here in this post. I really find that I need to take a day off, to simply enjoy listening to them without being on a deadline to get my products out.

This all said, I want to share some of my work for music lovers. If you are tired of the same old grind, (same old shit) and want to hear some really fine music that was maticulously gone over and is a sheer pleasure to listen to, both artistically and sonically, get this CD. You will be very glad you did. I really enjoy it..even though it once was "work"

http://www.brothers3.us/journey/


Samples here:

http://www.brothers3.us/journey/manifest.htm

[reefrus]

I'll second to this wonderful CD,it's instant reference quality in my book!

It was my privileged to meet Infinity Dreiver on our listening session.An engineer like him in the recording/mixing/mastering industry is a real gem and rare.It took years of experience and hardwork to achive.Also Bob's painstaking work at SP Tech. making TP2.0 into reality.

I can only see even better from here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Listening!

[infiniti driver]

Another link

http://www.kalimbass.com/

And all the Bands Martin plays with (bros 3 master percussionist)

Be sure to induldge in all the sound samples at each of these links..

(no wonder I don't buy CD's anymore)

http://www.martinmccall.com/links.htm

Martin has played with Sting /Police, Edgar Winter, many killer musicians. Great to strive to surround yourself with excellence. He is a humble soul as well. I got a seriously nice vibe from him in person.

[SP Junior]

hello. let me first introduce myself. i am one of bob's sons, namely, britton.

now, even though i am bob's son, recording engineering has not been my forte`, and im somewhat ignorent of all the ins and outs of the business. i just like great music.

so, if you will, bill, please forgive my ignorence if i say something or request something that is not possible, or sounds stupid from your point of view, as an engineer. i am not knowlegeble as to what exactly you do or what your capabilities are.

so, that said, i certainly have no lack of listening time to the time pieces to evaluate their performance. my mind is made up. i will never own anything else, once i get the $$ to be able to pay for the associating equipment.   (actually, i cant wait to have my own pair of continuums, in walnut    alas, you wonderful customers must come first.)

over the years, i have had ample time to listen to the music that everyone else enjoyed, espeacially when it came time to test some new modification, or new design feature. we would spend many hours some nights over at mike's house, listening to how well the improvement performed. the problem though, is that i am a classical music fan, not a rock fan. (sorry you had to hear i dont like you music like this dad.   )

i think there may be more than one person out there that feels the same way.

my question is this, do you have any experience with remixing classical recordings? i read your remark that had something to do with taking store bought CD's and finding the things wrong with them that others could not. i think a great addition to any SP TECH owner's library would be a GREAT mix of some of the best pieces from beethoven, mozart, and bach. i could name more, but there are just too many great ones!

might i suggest, that the next CD you come out with, (if you come out with a next CD) be a classical recording for all us classical fans?
i'd like to hear some relaxing music for a change.  

[infiniti driver]

Hi Britton!

Classical/symphonic/chamber/opera...all of the above, I have dealt with for decades. Most of the time, classical music is usually done with the minimalist approach of 3 to 5 channels (mics) and then mixed later to proper perspective (dynamically playable). The problems I have are the royalities. Being a little guy, I have to pay the composers, the artists, the consortum, the organization and everyone else you would not even think of before I can produce a project for resale. The way the record companies do it is a gamble that they will sell XXX amount of product in order to break even or maybe profit a little. In many cases, if 10,000 pieces are not sold, the project is a loss for the producer or executive producer. In short runs, usually less than 100 pieces, I can "buy the rights" to make available the product for educational or evaluation (demonstration) purposes. One thing I would have to do is go into the archives that I can get legal with. I sign a contract upon production that I will have the right to produce some for these purposes or even resale..or I shall NOT have the right to any reproduction or manufacturing. I am strict about not letting things out until my archival period has expired and even then, I have to separate which archives are "dead" and which ones I cannot touch. (The W Turbinton and the Bros.3 are in agreement so if you like the music, it is a form of advertising for the perpective artists, go buy their CD's!!) I will make an effort to look through what I have (I do not toss out classical masters but I do liquidate the edit copies or the sample mastering copies) and I can look at the master ledger and see what can be done for upcoming projects. I do have 8 CD's now that I am in the process of getting licensing for that I can make available. It is a difficult process and it is not cheap..but it is rewarding and really, folks that are into music deeply (us all) need to hear what can be done when you are funding your own projects and are not under someone elses rules as to how it "needs to sound" Unfortunantly, a good modern production can cost anywhere from 10 to 30 thousand dollars to pull off. Since I am funding these myself with no outside underwriting, it takes a lot of time to put togeather something meaningful and enjoyable that is totally legal.


I am not saying it can't be done and dont get dissapointed. one angle is to hang out at the local University and recruit students and build a small orchestra. I can buy the scores and I can direct the sessions and the recordings. This way, I pay the musicians a talent fee, I pay for the useage of the score, I also pay a performers rights guild (of the many) and then I pay for the production in time and materials, not to mention logistics. I have done it..it is fun..but it is not cheap. At 20 bucks a CD retail (meaning I would get about 4 dollars and pay 6 each for them) it would take about 500 to be sold to break even if I were VERY effiecient in my directing, logistics and recording/producing skills. Then I would need photography and artwork, then manufacturing and packaging. A usual 20 piece self directed project takes about 135 hours minimum and about 5 grand in cash. Remember, I am not making anything while this is happening and the bills keep coming in!

Typically, my next production is budgeted at 165K! Everyone else gets theirs before I can begin to get mine...AND guess what?? I can bill them for all my production time and my facilities use and all the travel for a 3 month product, hotels and all..but the real money is being the executive producer and getting 10 points on the back end sales. Sell a million, I make several million. Sell none, I would owe out the butt for everything except billable commodities and my skills.


I figure the next project will break even for me at about the 42,000 sales level..but it is for a major label. If not, I still get credit for life.

So far, here is the established creditials that are on the web. Many many many many albums I have worked with, I did for cash, no accreditment.
Very incomplete..but there, none have been losers. All of them, I was in the producers chair. These are all that matters for a credit for me.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB040404082258382575&sql=Btr5a8qppbtx4

It is unadultrated loan sharking and gambling that this business is based on. I would not be involved if I did not love music and find my time to be "slightly expendable"

Believe it or not, loudspeaker design and implementation is really my first love, but without the music, none of it matters!

This last CD...if it were done as they are done by major labels would be in the order of a 1 million dollar expendature...(No joke). Litterally, all the time it took from organizing the recordings, moving the equipment, the logistics of it all, (hundreds of people were involved) many hours in mixdown and mastering and all the legal hassles make me wonder sometimes, why do this?? Well, I love good music and this is why. Sometimes..just sometimes, I even get paid to do this!!!!

[SP Junior]

bill, i had no idea the CD you were offering was on such a large scale. that is very impressive. i thought it was just something you did for SP TECH owners in your home recording studio.

i am in college, and unfortunately, as a result, i am not kept in the loop on hardly anything.

anyways, it was just a thought. if it is possible, like i said, that would be AWESOME.