How close is your system to the "real" sound?

Rclark · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 04:07 pm »

http://www.bsgt.com/technology-information/qol-the-dna-of-sound/

click on the demo.

"oscilloscope view"

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 06:07 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 25 Mar 2012, 04:07 pm

http://www.bsgt.com/technology-information/qol-the-dna-of-sound/

click on the demo.

"oscilloscope view"

Curious: Try listening to that demo without gawking into the o-scope depiction - do you find that the impact is lessened or is it just me?

D.D.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 08:16 pm »

Iam fascinatec by this song. Someone knows the name of this song or the vocal group??
Thanks

Rclark · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 Mar 2012, 10:37 pm »

Nope, I hear the change loud and clear... Here on my laptop speakers. Fwiw.

Tyson · « **Reply #24 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 12:38 am »

I think going active with SS amps is a big step up over passive, but going active with tube amps is an even bigger step up - mainly because the tube amps seem to work more of their "magic" when directly coupled to the drivers, particularly the midrange and high frequency drivers. I use SS amps on the bass, of course!

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #25 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 01:09 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 25 Mar 2012, 10:37 pm

Nope, I hear the change loud and clear... Here on my laptop speakers. Fwiw.

I hear it too, but without the visual cue it seems less pronounced to me and my bad brain...

D.D.

Tyson · « **Reply #26 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 02:03 am »

All changes are less pronounced without visual cues.

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #27 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 02:07 am »

Quote from: Tyson on 26 Mar 2012, 02:03 am

All changes are less pronounced without visual cues.

My bad brain thanks you, sir.

D.D.

Tyson · « **Reply #28 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 02:34 am »

Sometimes I lament the fact that I can't afford Macallan 21 as my daily dram, so I just hide the label on the 12 year old to minimize the difference!

Rclark · « **Reply #29 on:** 26 Mar 2012, 06:36 am »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 25 Mar 2012, 08:16 pm

Iam fascinatec by this song. Someone knows the name of this song or the vocal group??
Thanks

Reminds me of the demon's favorite song in the movie Insidious.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #30 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 01:20 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 26 Mar 2012, 06:36 am

Reminds me of the demon's favorite song in the movie Insidious.

Thanks Clark for the heads up.
Charles have just inform me the song is from the Fairfiled Four, a gospel vocal quartet worth a listen.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=fairfield+four

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #31 on:** 27 Mar 2012, 01:39 am »

Quote from: django11 on 25 Mar 2012, 03:57 pm

Not an issue with me.

What is a BSG Qol?

W

It is a Digital Sound Processor for enhance the music and even old recordings, looks great for studio, to mastering old recordings;

P.S.:>Hi, I will correct the info about the Qol equip.: It is a analogue device, not Digital(DSP), ''It corrects phase as it was before the music went into the mike. Basically retrives info that was always there just not available before Qol.''

katzer · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 05:14 pm »

It is really hard to tell what was the real sound because the havoc some recording studios through into the mix (take DG recordings from the earliy 80's for example).

For a real comparison to take place one needs to listen to the live performance and then the recording of the very same performance. And have a perfect memory... and even then it is quite subjective.

Celibidache objected to recordings alltogether. His son however, in an introduction notes to one of the EMI Bruckner recordings that were released after his father's death wrote: A recording is in impression. I think his son had a good deal of sense (not to mention business acumen).

I had the chance to attend a few concerts that were recorded. I can say that I am satisfied, enough, with the impression my system regenerates.

I also accepted an inevitable compromise into the mix as my wife, while setting no real objection to equipment, did set very specific requirements to how our living room looks like (no visible wiring, location of speakers etc). It was a good thing because at one point comparing equipment started to border with obsession. My point is, there is never enough - once I reached a certain point I needed to find some peace.

[My setup: rega dac, nad m3 and proac studio 1. I am set].

coke · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Mar 2012, 05:41 pm »

My system does well with vocals. A while ago I was listening at night in a dark room. When I was ready to stop listening I began to ask the woman to stop signing, but then remembered that it was a stereo

django11 · « **Reply #34 on:** 30 Mar 2012, 01:26 am »

Quote from: katzer on 29 Mar 2012, 05:14 pm

I also accepted an inevitable compromise into the mix as my wife, while setting no real objection to equipment, did set very specific requirements to how our living room looks like (no visible wiring, location of speakers etc). It was a good thing because at one point comparing equipment started to border with obsession. My point is, there is never enough - once I reached a certain point I needed to find some peace.

I enjoyed your post and I think a lot of us can identify with the "bordering on obsession" thing. "Once I reached a certain point I needed to find some peace", it is hard to decide when that "certain point" is. My feelings about this kind of remind me of St Augustine's "give me chastity and continence, but not yet"...

SET Man · « **Reply #35 on:** 31 Mar 2012, 03:23 am »

Hey!

I don't think any stereo system in this world can faithfully reproduce piano or any other sound for that matter.... well, at least measurement accurately wise. I'll explain why below...

Anyway, as for my system. Well, nothing fancy here. As for SPL and measurement wise I don't think is close. But "emotionally" wise I think it is damn close.

I mean, have you ever heard very expensive system that just can't make you feel the music, lack the goose bump factor like you get when you hear live music?

I'm pretty lucky to live in big city like NYC and have been to a few lives event from classical to operas. There is something about live music that is hard to reproduce and that is the emotional feel of it.

Anyway, that is just me. When I listen to a stereo system I tend to listen with my heart to the overall sound of it and see if it can make me feel the music in the emotionally level. Well, not that measurement is not important but that is secondary for me.

Please I hope that this won't open up a worm can of measurement vs what you hear.

Take care,
Buddy

speakerman19422 · « **Reply #36 on:** 24 Apr 2012, 02:48 am »

Rollo which version of the Fried 10" do you have? I have built a few pairs of the O4 Model.

CYoung234 · « **Reply #37 on:** 1 May 2012, 02:13 pm »

I have never heard a sound system or recording that can really reproduce the sheer dynamic range of a major symphony orchestra. A quick example from my past career as a musician. I took a trumpet lesson from Adolph Herseth once at Ravinia in Chicago. We were in one of the backstage practice studios, working on Bruckner Sym. Nr. 4, 1st movement. There is a little 1st trumpet call between measures 510 and 520 that is marked pp for dynamics. When Mr. Herseth played it for me, I could barely hear it and I was standing right next to him! It was probably 3 or 4 times a soft as I was able to play it. I asked him if that was the volume he actually played it at in live performances with the CSO, and the answer was yes. That gives you some sense of just how soft soft really is and how loud loud really is. I do not believe that either recording or playback technology really exists to replicate that.

Bottom line for me - if you really want to hear "real", you are probably better off investing in season tickets than in audio equipment.

jerryleefish · « **Reply #38 on:** 1 Jun 2012, 04:53 am »

I feel the realism of reproduced music is best achieved in choosing components that are devoid of coloration. I have heard cartridges with astonishing vividness
especially with strings but it is bigger than life and not what you hear in live performances. Getting accustomed to the real sound and then purchasing a similar sounding device is the trick.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #39 on:** 1 Jun 2012, 06:34 am »

Quote from: Elizabeth on 25 Mar 2012, 04:28 am

I would rephrase that question to: How close is my system to 'real' with certain superior recordings?

Just tonight i was listening to a live recording and was pleasantly suprised how natural the drum kit sounded. The drums were clear, the cymbals perfect. Unusual.
Joshua Redman Quartet Spirit of the Moment Live at the Village Vanguard.
The best part is I paid $2 for the two disc CD set.

I'm sitting at a hotel bar one afternoon in Santa Fe, NM. It was real quiet at the time, I was the only patron. The evening's drummer walked in and after taking the wraps off his kit tore into it to loosen it up, I presume. It was a large room with hard surfaces. I've never heard a system that could do the scale, dynamics and room sound dimensions on display. At the time I remember thinking that you would have to have some really big and highly efficient speakers to replicate that convincingly at home. Duke's Planetarium Beta's are the only speaker system that this fool has heard that could light up a room like that. Any of my systems, past and present, couldn't come close. They have other charms, thankfully.