Also exigent about the sound quality of the music you listen to?

[Demetrio]

I didn’t use to care that much about high quality recordings until some time ago, but just after I got a better audio equipment I became quite more exigent about the technical quality of the music I listen to. For instance, nowadays I usually look for better quality cd's (XRCD, SHM-CD, etc.) when buying new music – or replacing some recordigs I already own (right now, for example, I started replacing some CAMEL cd’s of my collection for the recent japanese MLPS – SHM-CD versions, that are said to sound incredible). I also tend to listen to better sounding recordings nowadays, which has helped me expand my musical horizons a lot, by the way.

Some of the most incredible sounding recordings I discovered recently were these:


JAMES NEWTON HOWARD & FRIENDS (XRCD – 24 bit)




DADAWA – Sister Drum (XRCD)




MOONBABIES – The Orange Billboard



And how about you? Have you also become more exigent with the music you listen to over the years?

Cheers,
Demetrio.

[3LB]

Well...I ain't gonna lie, I had to look up 'exigent'

And for me, I went through the audiophile thing decades or so ago. I'd rather listen to music that moved me than music just because it sounds good on my system.

But since you asked:

You seem to like that XRCD thing. Here's a link to a website that specializes in that format:
http://www.firstimpressionmusic.com/

I have two titles from them (won them as 1st prize in a speaker design contest). They do sound rather good and FIM specialize in the reissue of obscure, but fine, older recordings and performances.

[Demetrio]

Well...I ain't gonna lie, I had to look up 'exigent'

3LB, my dear friend, sorry for my very poor English...... (embarassed)

But since you asked:

You seem to like that XRCD thing. Here's a link to a website that specializes in that format:
http://www.firstimpressionmusic.com/

Thanks a lot, I check it out.

Demetrio.

P.S. - but that's really so enbarassing...................... :-(((

[Demetrio]

Mr Moderator, please feel free to substitute the incorrect word for the correct one.

Thanks, and sorry for the mistake once again.
Demetrio.

[ForeverAutumn]

3LB, my dear friend, sorry for my very poor English...... (embarassed)

Hey D, don't apologize for 3LB's ignorance. It's not your fault that he doesn't understand basic English. I'll bet that on your worst day your English is better than his Portuguese (I'm making an assumption about your language of preference).

I'm just kidding 3LB. I had to look it up too.

I think that the word that you are looking for is demanding or discerning.

I love to have good sound quality. Unfortunately, I'm only going to get so good on my budget. But I do what I can to maximize the best sound with the equipment that I have.

[Hyfi]

I didn’t use to care that much about high quality recordings until some time ago, but just after I got a better audio equipment I became quite more exigent about the technical quality of the music I listen to. For instance, nowadays I usually look for better quality cd's (XRCD, SHM-CD, etc.) when buying new music – or replacing some recordigs I already own (right now, for example, I started replacing some CAMEL cd’s of my collection for the recent japanese MLPS – SHM-CD versions, that are said to sound incredible). I also tend to listen to better sounding recordings nowadays, which has helped me expand my musical horizons a lot, by the way.



And how about you? Have you also become more exigent with the music you listen to over the years?

Cheers,
Demetrio.

What new gear did you get?

[Demetrio]

I think that the word that you are looking for is demanding or discerning

Hey FA, thanks a lot for the lesson. ;-)

What new gear did you get?

I don’t have exactly a high-end gear (far from the one you own, for instance), just a mid-fi system featuring Rotel & Marantz electronics and B&W floor standing speakers (model 603-S3). I like my system a lot though and think it sounds great, considering it’s price range.

Cheers,
Demetrio.

[3LB]

Hey, no sweat D...the word you used is perfectly good english...just shows how limited some of us english speaking types are within the confines of our own language.

If you can speak two languages, you are bi-lingual
If you can speak three or more languages, you are multi-lingual
If you can only speak one language, you're American.





What kind of marantz?

[markw]

Avoiding the semantics fiasco this thread has become, I'll answer the intended question as best I can.

Yes and no. I guess it all depends on why we're into this hobby.

Years ago I would buy for the sound. Somehow, over the years, I've become more enamored with the musical content than the sound. Now, given the choice of two recordings of the same rendition of the same piece of music by the same artist, I'll go for the one with the better sound. A good example would be DSOTM on the original Capitol version vs the Mobile Fidelity version. Initially, I had both. Now I only have the Mo-Fi version.

But, things being what they are and many of the artists I currently favor are long gone, I have to settle for what there is.

For instance, Benny Goodman's 1938 Concert at Carnegie Hall is what it is. Musically a treat but it was made from transcription recordings and a lot of the shellac shortcomings are audible on the CD.

Now, could refuse to buy this based on sound but I would be depriving myself of a historic piece of music.

Likewise, other artists who passed on whe n stereo as either over the horizon or stil new like Louie Jordan, Louis Prima, Cab Calloway, and the list goes on and on. Some recordings are as good as they can be (Sony Legacy, anyone?) but sometimes you have to settle for what is.

[Finch Platte]

Mr Moderator, please feel free to substitute the incorrect word for the correct one.

Thanks, and sorry for the mistake once again.
Demetrio.

Uh, so what is the correct word?

I have a Dredg DVD you may have, if you want it. Some sort of promo thing.

[Demetrio]

Uh, so what is the correct word?

According to other folks, it would be "demanding", "selective"... ;-)

I have a Dredg DVD you may have, if you want it. Some sort of promo thing.

No, Finch, unfortunately I don't have that one. I didn't even know there was one already available from this great band...

Best regards,
Demetrio.

[3LB]

Avoiding the semantics fiasco this thread has become,

gee lighten up Francis


don't let our low post counts fool you, me and D go way back here at RR and he knows his English whoops the hell outta my Portuguese any old day.


its all good, and I learned a new word today

[markw]

gee lighten up Francis D

I wasn't raggin' on yer bud. I knew what he meant. It was more geared to everyone else who made a big issue of it.

[Swish]

Many 'good' records, or perhaps I should say records that had many good songs, have been rendered nearly unlistenable due to such poor recording quality. That's how I felt about 'Perfect From Now On' by Built to Spill. I liked some of the songs but I think the sound quality was less than acceptable. I'm glad their more recent recordings are much better.

I would agree that a good quality recording makes the music more enjoyable, but I don't buy records for that reason alone.

[3LB]

but I don't buy records for that reason alone.

when I was an audiophiliac, I did just that, and missed out on a lot of good music

[Hyfi]

when I was an audiophiliac, I did just that, and missed out on a lot of good music

Shhhh, I've secretly downloaded some MP3s and burned them back to CD to listen to. But, I have plenty of purchased CDs that sound worse

[Hyfi]

I don’t have exactly a high-end gear (far from the one you own, for instance), just a mid-fi system featuring Rotel & Marantz electronics and B&W floor standing speakers (model 603-S3). I like my system a lot though and think it sounds great, considering it’s price range.

Cheers,
Demetrio.

I liked the 603s when I heard them. Your stuff sounds like a nice setup. I recently lucked into some of the gear on my list.

[Demetrio]

What kind of marantz?

SR7500 A/V receiver. I use it's amplification section to drive center and surrounds only. For the main L-R channels I use a Rotel power amplifier.

Cheers,
Demetrio.

[Davey]

And how about you? Have you also become more exigent with the music you listen to over the years?

Love that CD, it does sound really nice for a modern recording, very good production and they didn't use too much compression, just enough to make it somewhat compatible with current practices circa 2004, and give it a lush sound with solid bass foundation. Gives it kind of a mid 90s sound quality, before pop recording and mastering took the big dive to the state we've been the last decade with massive compression as a means to loud constant volume being the rule.

[Mr MidFi]

I recently upgraded my surround receiver, and spent some quality time calibrating it and making a few other system tweaks. I'm fairly pleased with the results, too.

(For those curious, I got the Onkyo 607 which comes with Audyssey Technologies calibration software and mike. Fairly easy set-up, BTW.)

So I've been inspired to play some of my surround mixes that haven't seen the light of day in a while, and some others newly acquired. And I have to say I'm liking the new Steven Wilson solo album (Insurgentes) a lot more, now that I'm hearing it the way it was meant to be played. Anyone else have this?

[Demetrio]

So I've been inspired to play some of my surround mixes that haven't seen the light of day in a while, and some others newly acquired. And I have to say I'm liking the new Steven Wilson solo album (Insurgentes) a lot more, now that I'm hearing it the way it was meant to be played. Anyone else have this?

Yes, I love that 5.1 mix of Steven Wilson's Insurgentes too. In fact I think it's maybe the best surround mix I have heard in an album to date...

Demetrio.

[Mr MidFi]

In fact I think it's maybe the best surround mix I have heard in an album to date...

That's a bold statement. But I might be inclined to agree. Mr. Wilson seems to know what he's doing with a 5.1 soundstage. Cool stuff.

[MasterCylinder]

exigent (adjective)

demanding: demanding, crying, crying out for, calling for, imperative, urgent, instant, exigent, pressing, pinching
oppressive: exigent, exacting, grasping, griping, extortionate, exploitive, predatory
discontented: difficult, hard to please, hard to satisfy, never satisfied, exigent, exacting, fastidious

The Original Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases (Americanized Version) is licensed from Longman Group UK Limited. Copyright © 1994 by Longman Group UK Limited. All rights reserved.