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  1. #26
    Mutant from table 9
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    Back in the 1980's I saw alot of hip-hop, freestyle, and metal being "referenced" on boom-boxes on cassette while in studio. Alot of producers and engineers would take recordings out to the parking lot to hear it on a factory system. When DAT took over, with its portability, they would find the most wack systems to play stuff back on. Which stands to reason. The first time I heard "Straight Outta Compton" (Easy!) was on a crappy boombox in my friends bed room. It still flipped my wig hearing it and we played it over and over.

    Which leads me to what's holding me back: the wonderment of youth. There is no "first time" anymore. No more first AC/DC or Priest record. No more not "getting" the Cure in the eighth grade, but suddenly thinking Robert Smith was brilliant by the nineth grade. No more snearing at some poseur that never heard of Stiff Little Fingers or Billy Bragg (or being labled a poseur myself). Now every new record seems dirivative of something else. Stacy's Mom was a great song, but you can tell they were really, really big Cars fans. I have to go really far afield to find something that blows my mind, which I'm ashamed to admit, has recently taken me to the classic country racks.

    Yeah, the wonderment of youth, that's what's holding me back. That and no twin 15" subs.

  2. #27
    Forum Regular
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    Quote- Stacy's Mom was a great song, but you can tell they were really, really big Cars fans. QUOTE]

    I have actually briefly met the guy who wrote that song. I got to hang out in his studio for a week. In his defense he did have a lot of gold albums on the wall.
    A neat fact- He wrote all the music to the movie Josie and the Pussycats

  3. #28
    luvs2jam60
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    Very good question.

    1. Like almost everybody else, I would have to go with recording quality, ESPECIALLY those DVD-Audio and SACDs that are only remastered in true 5.1 and not digitally rerecorded in that format. Also, some ordinary listening CDs really get on my nerves, one that comes to mind is Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If you've never heard this CD, do yourself a favor and DON'T LISTEN TO IT! I'm not sure if they had recording problems or what, but it seems that every high on that CD is distorted beyond belief.
    2. Definitely HT environment. I live in a dorm room and I cringe everytime I hear a DVD or DVD-Audio. The surrounds are barely audible with my setup. And plus, if you are in a position to hear them well enough that they sound good, that is right next to my sub in which case the base is unbareable.
    3. $$$. I'm sure there's ALWAYS something in everybody's HT that they would want to improve or replace. And I am definitely one of them. College is a nice kick in the pants when it comes to budgeting your finances, and my HT is a perfect example. Sure, all the freshys say I have the best setup on the floor, but it could be so much better. I would have to say on the top of my list would be to replace the 24in CRT, probably with a DLP or small plasma when the time is right.

  4. #29
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Video and HT is another matter for me

    Quote Originally Posted by luvs2jam60
    1...
    I would have to say on the top of my list would be to replace the 24in CRT, probably with a DLP or small plasma when the time is right.
    I certainly would like nice big-screen TV. For me a 50" LCD or DPL projection would be plenty good enough. The audio portion of my HT setup needs work too. Actually, I have a DIY project in mind that would give me complementary fronts for the center I've already built: see it here ...http://gallery.audioreview.com/showp...cat=500&page=1

    And that's where money comes into the picture. My son and daughter are both in college and I'm helping them out for fees and residence. That really sucks the bucks, so I don't have much left for upgrades!

  5. #30
    Forum Regular thepogue's Avatar
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    I hope your feeling better!!

    Sorry to hear your backs in the dumps me friend....me prayers to ya!!! Get well soon!!!

    Peace, Pogue


    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin
    1. Lumbar surgery a month ago (l4,l5)
    2. A two level cervical fusion next week

    I've got a lot of the pieces downstairs waiting for me...but they've got just a bit longer to go. So I suppose I need a little more time. Soon though...soon

    take care all>>>
    dan
    • Mark Levinson No. 27
    • Musical Fidelity 308cr
    • Martin Logan Prodigy's
    • Ariel Acoustics 10-T
    • Rega Planet CD
    • CJ Premier 9 DAC
    • Linn LP12 - Basik Plus - Valhalla
    • Benz Micro Cart.
    • Akai GX 747 Reel to Reel
    • Straight Wire Virtuoso Interconnects

  6. #31
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Ok...let me try this again...

    What's holding me back?

    • Adding more room treatments before making any other measurments/adjustments/additions
    • Next would be a new tweeter amp...then it will be time to take more measurments...with new adjustments to follow
    • after that...I've got two woofers that I won't be able to use in their current cabinet (too large) but they also work in a small ported design. This sub would be for my DIY area for testing and tuning
    • Then a new set of speakers to go with them...just something smallish
    • after that a pair of back-loaded fostex speakers basically for looks...and maybe in the bedroom.
    • that's about it for now





    On a good note: I'm going to go see the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra in October at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I simply can't wait. I'll be there neck brace and all with probably one of the biggest smiles you've ever seen. The last concert I missed there was Wynton Marsalis's Charity event which was simply just too much money for me to spend. Actually, the only two places I'll go for concerts anymore are the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Auditorium that's just around the corner. These und good. The Auditorium has some nice blues acts there too


    But this is going to be one heck of a good time...can't wait!


    take care all>>>>>>>>>
    __________________
    I found the spoon
    __________________


    enjoy the music!

  7. #32
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Glad to see you're back in action.

    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin
    Ok...let me try this again...

    What's holding me back?
    • Adding more room treatments before making any other measurments/adjustments/additions
    • Next would be a new tweeter amp...then it will be time to take more measurments...with new adjustments to follow
    • after that...I've got two woofers that I won't be able to use in their current cabinet (too large) but they also work in a small ported design. This sub would be for my DIY area for testing and tuning
    • Then a new set of speakers to go with them...just something smallish
    • after that a pair of back-loaded fostex speakers basically for looks...and maybe in the bedroom.
    • that's about it for now
    On a good note: I'm going to go see the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra in October at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I simply can't wait. I'll be there neck brace and all with probably one of the biggest smiles you've ever seen. The last concert I missed there was Wynton Marsalis's Charity event which was simply just too much money for me to spend. Actually, the only two places I'll go for concerts anymore are the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Auditorium that's just around the corner. These und good. The Auditorium has some nice blues acts there too

    But this is going to be one heck of a good time...can't wait!

    take care all>>>>>>>>>
    Sounds you've got lots of good stuff to look forward to.

  8. #33
    Stereo value > car value texlle's Avatar
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    I know I have some issues holding me back. My new room is one, with it's astoundingly bad acoustics. It's a 10x12' box with paper thin walls. It sucks. I need to go by and at least get some big towels to put on the walls since I'm way too cheap for pro sound treatment.

    I also get the impression that my upgraded power tubes on my amp are making a lot less power than the stock tubes. The only reason I upgraded them is because the stock tubes had a brown base...plus everyone said it was worth it to upgrade them. I got some Sovtek EL34 tubes and while, IMPO, the sound did seemingly improve, I noticed power output to be now lacking. My friend has the same amp as I do, only older, and with the original tubes, and his seems to make a decent amount of power. Unless the B&W 602s2's are just exceptionally easy to drive.

    Other than those two grievances...recording quality on really really bad cd's.
    Dynaudio Audience 42
    Conrad-Johnson PV14
    Sonographe SA-250
    Music Hall CD 25.2
    Musical Fidelity V3 series- X-LPS phono preamp, X-DAC, X-PSU
    Rega RP1 w/ performance pack
    Pure i-20 iPod dock
    -----------------------------
    B&W DM603s2- B&W LCR60s3- B&W DM302
    Velodyne CT-120 12" sub
    Rotel RSX-1055
    Arcam CD73T
    Samsung LN46C630 46" LCD
    Denon DBP-1611 bluray
    -----------------------------
    KEF K120- Jolida JD202a- Cambridge Audio D300 cdp- T500 tuner

    Photo gallery

  9. #34
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    almost forgot...I'm going to add a set of infinite baffle subwoofers to my system as well.


    that should keep me busy for a while


    dan
    __________________
    I found the spoon
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    enjoy the music!

  10. #35
    nightflier
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    Time

    I used to have no time at all, regularly coming home 7-8pm at night and working weekends. Then I (ahem, we) had a baby and everything changed. We now have daily listening sessions together after work. It's not two hours, but it's the best time of the day. Music appreciation (and by extention the appreciation for quality equipment) is something we also have a responsibility to pass on.

    My limiting factors are:

    1. When listening to the radio and TV, commercials and lack of publicly accessible variety in programming (Sirius is fine, but it's expensive and still not commercial-free)

    2. Diaper changes and feedings

    3. The nagging feeling that a yet undiscovered but simple & inexpensive tweak could substancially improve the sound in my system

    4. The fear that all my favorite quality recordings will go the way of the Dodo and be converted to compressed-low-quality-made-for-background-listening-online-only sound files (If Mappleshade sells out to iTunes, someone will have to shoot me)

  11. #36
    Galactic Patrol Lensman's Avatar
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    After a little perspective - nothing

    For about a year, the major thing holding me back was my hearing. Out of the blue one evening, my right ear began hurting - beginning a voyage involving an emergency room visit, several ENTs, X-rays, two CT scans, various medicines, and even an MRI. The cause? I'd ruptured my eardrum, possibly due to sinus pressure. Seems eardrum injuries either heal properly or they don't. There's little in the way of treatment that can be done and If things don't heal right, there's no surgical fix that'll get them back to normal.

    During this time my ear felt like it always had something in it distorting sounds. I also constantly heard a high-pitched whine in my head, and reasonably loud noises (such as kids yelling or the stereo from a car stopped with me at a light) caused pain. As an enthusiast, not knowing whether I'd ever be able to hear well again also caused me a lot more mental anguish than most folks would probably feel. If any might have wondered, this is why I haven't posted here in some time.

    Fortunately, my eardrum healed fine, with no scarring of the tissue of any consequence. Tests now show my hearing is normal in the ear and the equal of my other ear. It was quite pleasing when the ENT gave me verification that my anal attitude toward sound wasn't just a mental thing by informing me the test results were significantly better than that of most adults. I do still have sporadic trouble with the ear but the problem doesn't appear to have anything to do with the ear itself. While the exact cause of the problem is still not known, it's beginning to look like surgery to correct a deviated septum might be a fix.

    This experience has put a whole new perspective on the world of audio for me. Over the years, I've spent a considerable amount of time fixating on flaws, dreaming of better gear, and tweaking my rooms and systems when I could have spent more of that time doing the thing for which all my gear was intended - dedicated listening. Though my system's still far from the elusive perfect, I now realize how fortunate a thing it is just to be able to hear well. And the joy I've felt lately just sitting and listening to what I have has been beyond compare.

  12. #37
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Lensman, glad to hear you've mended

    And glad to hear you intend to get back into the hobby.

    Your experience should remind us all that life and pleasures are tenuous things: we need to enjoy them while we may, but not take them too seriously.

  13. #38
    Forum Regular thepogue's Avatar
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    Ditto Lensman

    very happy to hear your back in the game...take care me friend!!!


    Pogue
    • Mark Levinson No. 27
    • Musical Fidelity 308cr
    • Martin Logan Prodigy's
    • Ariel Acoustics 10-T
    • Rega Planet CD
    • CJ Premier 9 DAC
    • Linn LP12 - Basik Plus - Valhalla
    • Benz Micro Cart.
    • Akai GX 747 Reel to Reel
    • Straight Wire Virtuoso Interconnects

  14. #39
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    I've been getting pretty furious....

    ...With classical recordings of late. After dropping 6 grand or so on my stereo over the past couple of weeks I went to the store in search some quality classical discs to replace/compliment my collection of alot of low grade, bargain-priced repackaged classic recordings. I picked up a recent recording of Mendelsohn and Dvorak by the Beaux Arts trio and a fairly recent Pollini recording of Beethoven sonatas. I was expecting that at least I'd get to hear just how great my new system could sound.

    How'd I do? Well, first off, the playing was especially sloppy on the Beaux Arts disc -- especially unacceptable given the esteem in which these folks are held.Pollini's Chopin Etudes are probably the best the world has ever or will ever hear but I'll take Brendel or Kempf's Beethoven over ole Maurizio's anyday. But worse than this was just how poor the production/engineering quality was in both recordings. Of course, these aren't the only egregious offendors I've come across in the recorded world of classical music --I'd say 40% of the classical recordings I've heard have sounded truly awful from a production standpoint. (This has always struck me as unacceptable given the perfectionism inherent in the classical world.) But here we are, late 2005, the classical music scene reportedly in a world of hurt, and these recordings are deemed fit to print? #$^#%%#^$%^ The analogue re-release of Glenn Gould's 2nd Goldberg Variations from 1981 sounds better than Pollini's 2003 Beethoven!!!

    Sorry for the rant

    Quote Originally Posted by Feanor
    I am curious to know what other people feel are the two or three factors that most hindering their enjoyment of reproduced sound???

    To be sure, there is lots of discussion of equipment and media. And for me there have been time when these things have been my biggest irritant. (Still is with my HT set-up where speaker quality awaits my time & money for a DIY project I have in mind). But where my main system is concerned they have cease to be the big thing (for now).

    My list follow; let's see yours:
    1. A distant first for me is recording quality. To be clear I'm not talking about medium, (vinyl vs. CD vs. high-res); good and bad recording exist on each. As a mainly classical listener, I'm looking for a realistic semblance of an actual ensemble performing in a good performance venue. Is this too much to ask? It isn't; and I can say the obviously because such recordings to exist. Just last night I listen to a good Naxos recording: Witold Lutoslawski's Symphony No. 3 and other works, 8.553423, (Antoni Witt/Polish National Radio Sym.Orch). This is an unexceptional recording in some ways; it is a standard Red Book CD that was recorded ten years ago and its reproduction of, e.g., string sound isn't as almost perfect as some SACDs I own. However it has the essential quality I mention above, plus more than decent performance I would say: recommend. By contrast, last night I also listened to Elgar's Enigma Variations and Pomp & Circumstance Marches on Sony Essential Classics, SBK-48 265, (Barenboim/LPO): murky, airless, and lacking in dynamics -- a disgraceful reproduction that does not do justice to these colorful works. (IMO, a second rate performance too especially of the Pomp & Circumstance.)
    2. Second for me is my general listening environment. My main system is located where too much general household noise intrudes. Improvements will be difficult and costly.
    3. Third is listening area itself. There are bass resonances and, I suspect, secondary reflects that are significantly detracting from idea frequency response.
    You can see that my equipment is nothing special, barely beyond entry level, but I have no serious problem with it. The tube versus solid state and digital versus vinyl debates are farcical from my perspective. My SS equipment can reproduce the best CDs almost ideally -- apart from the factors I mention above.

  15. #40
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    I agree regarding quality of production

    Quote Originally Posted by magno@mac.com
    ...
    .... Of course, these aren't the only egregious offendors I've come across in the recorded world of classical music --I'd say 40% of the classical recordings I've heard have sounded truly awful from a production standpoint. (This has always struck me as unacceptable given the perfectionism inherent in the classical world.) But here we are, late 2005, the classical music scene reportedly in a world of hurt, and these recordings are deemed fit to print? #$^#%%#^$%^ The analogue re-release of Glenn Gould's 2nd Goldberg Variations from 1981 sounds better than Pollini's 2003 Beethoven!!!

    Sorry for the rant
    I feel that in a purely technical sense recordings have improved quite a bit over the last 20 years. I mean engineers seem to balance the frequency spectrum more reliably that a generation ago, and digital harshness and hash are much less typical. On the other hand, the ability to capture a valid sense of a real ensemble playing in a real space hasn't consistently improved. A couple of recordings exemplify the opposite ends of this spectrum -- that just happen to come to my mind at the moment -- both SACDs, are:
    • Really great: Jennifer Higdon: City Scape; Concerto for Orchestra. Robert Spano/Atlanta SO. Telarc SACD-60620 -- magnificent, modern engineer that really puts you in the concert hall.
    • Really, (really), bad: Beethoven: String Quartets, Op.130 & 133, 'Grosse Fuge'. The Lindsays. ASV CD DCA 9117 -- the epitome of misguided engineering that puts you head inside the instruments.

  16. #41
    Only 2
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    So much unhappy.
    I listened to everything I owned before I bought it and think it sounds wounderful and feel like there is nothing that hampers a persons ability to enjoy listening to the music but the person themselves.... hey thats good, maybe a new sig line LOL
    There's a solution for that problem,
    Its called 2 channels

  17. #42
    Grandpa Registered Member
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    Consider the source.

    Quote Originally Posted by Feanor
    Seriously, though ...
    1. You don't actually need a "reference" system. My pile of crud is sufficient for the purpose;
    2. Generally, newer recordings are better, at least in the classical genre.
    Point 1 really gets to the root of the issue for me. Basically I can enjoy good recordings pretty much to their potential with what I've got; it's the good records that are too scarce.
    You owe it to yourself to audition some of Chesky's CD's and SACD's. These are truly awe inpiring recordings by a studio that pays attention to details. I've also had good luck with Mobile Fidelity.

  18. #43
    Forum Regular hifitommy's Avatar
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    quality

    is important but not as much as the music. now and then the equipment enables the music. kraftwerks 'autobahn' never did much for me until i played it on my former vpi19/smeIV/virtuoso vdh player. THEN it made more sense.

    david chesky just made a point for recording quality in stereophile and while i agree to a point, the music performance has to be worthy too. dont you old farts remember how good music sounded on mono am radios? just TRY and take those memories away.

    yeah, a good system is a nice pathway to enjoyment and i have been honing all along. heres mine, recently added the bellari phono which is pretty nice:

    http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/588.html

    still honing. my fried sub needs a new b200 so i am listening to a friends sunfire true super junior. flight of the cosmic hippo is alive and well here.
    Last edited by hifitommy; 10-10-2005 at 05:24 AM. Reason: correction
    ...regards...tr

  19. #44
    AUTOBOT BRANDONH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by magno@mac.com
    ...With classical recordings of late. After dropping 6 grand or so on my stereo over the past couple of weeks I went to the store in search some quality classical discs to replace/compliment my collection of alot of low grade, bargain-priced repackaged classic recordings. I picked up a recent recording of Mendelsohn and Dvorak by the Beaux Arts trio and a fairly recent Pollini recording of Beethoven sonatas. I was expecting that at least I'd get to hear just how great my new system could sound.

    How'd I do? Well, first off, the playing was especially sloppy on the Beaux Arts disc -- especially unacceptable given the esteem in which these folks are held.Pollini's Chopin Etudes are probably the best the world has ever or will ever hear but I'll take Brendel or Kempf's Beethoven over ole Maurizio's anyday. But worse than this was just how poor the production/engineering quality was in both recordings. Of course, these aren't the only egregious offendors I've come across in the recorded world of classical music --I'd say 40% of the classical recordings I've heard have sounded truly awful from a production standpoint. (This has always struck me as unacceptable given the perfectionism inherent in the classical world.) But here we are, late 2005, the classical music scene reportedly in a world of hurt, and these recordings are deemed fit to print? #$^#%%#^$%^ The analogue re-release of Glenn Gould's 2nd Goldberg Variations from 1981 sounds better than Pollini's 2003 Beethoven!!!

    Sorry for the rant
    This website has a lot of audiophile quality recordings:
    http://store.acousticsounds.com/
    my system
    Technics SL-1210M5G
    OC9/MLII
    Marantz AV8003
    Oppo BD-83
    Yamaha C-70
    Crown MA-12000i
    Emotiva XPA-5

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