Videos of Acoustically-Coupled Audio Recordings
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
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If you have a subscription to Tidal or Qobuz, that would be better than streaming from YT, but we’ll take that if that is what you have as a source for the track.
Thanks for posting the video. I can hear what you mean by “flat” and thinness. These probably have more to do with the fact that you are streaming from YT than with the sound of your system. The videos of the tape playback on your system are definitely fuller and have more body, magnetic tape always does.
Sorry, I don't have a Horizon & Taiko Extreme combo or Wadax dac & server - just a Raspberry!
Nevertheless, here's a recording I just made of that track ("Truly") - just for fun (and to see how it sounded - I also have an upgrade coming to my system and it will be interesting for me to compare before and after).
My room is probably 1/4 the size of Ron Resnick's (the speakers are roughly 3m apart, and my living room is a little over 4m deep...), I don't have subs (full range TangBang speakers in open baffle, limited in sub-bass), and the whole system costs about 6000€...
I recorded it with a portable Tascam portable recorder and Superlux S502 microphones. My android phone has very poor audio recording!
The recording level is noticeably lower than when you listen to the Qobuz version.
This recording cannot compete with Ron Resnick's system/room, but I don't think digital versus analog is the issue
Comparing Qobuz with Ron’s video, it seems to me that Ron’s system may be a bit bass heavy ? Mine is on the opposite side of the spectrum, bass light. The dynamics in Ron’s system are impressive.
Nevertheless, here's a recording I just made of that track ("Truly") - just for fun (and to see how it sounded - I also have an upgrade coming to my system and it will be interesting for me to compare before and after).
My room is probably 1/4 the size of Ron Resnick's (the speakers are roughly 3m apart, and my living room is a little over 4m deep...), I don't have subs (full range TangBang speakers in open baffle, limited in sub-bass), and the whole system costs about 6000€...
I recorded it with a portable Tascam portable recorder and Superlux S502 microphones. My android phone has very poor audio recording!
The recording level is noticeably lower than when you listen to the Qobuz version.
This recording cannot compete with Ron Resnick's system/room, but I don't think digital versus analog is the issue
Comparing Qobuz with Ron’s video, it seems to me that Ron’s system may be a bit bass heavy ? Mine is on the opposite side of the spectrum, bass light. The dynamics in Ron’s system are impressive.
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On your version the e. guitar player* didn’t phone in his solo - nice stuff, hopkins! Get the midrange right and all that, cheersSorry, I don't have a Horizon & Taiko Extreme combo or Wadax dac & server - just a Raspberry!
Nevertheless, here's a recording I just made of that track ("Truly") - just for fun (and to see how it sounded - I also have an upgrade coming to my system and it will be interesting for me to compare before and after).
My room is probably 1/4 the size of Ron Resnick's (the speakers are roughly 3m apart, and my living room is a little over 4m deep...), I don't have subs (full range TangBang speakers in open baffle, limited in sub-bass), and the whole system costs about 6000€...
I recorded it with a portable Tascam portable recorder and Superlux S502 microphones. My android phone has very poor audio recording!
The recording level is noticeably lower than when you listen to the Qobuz version.
This recording cannot compete with Ron Resnick's system/room, but I don't think digital versus analog is the issue
Comparing Qobuz with Ron’s video, it seems to me that Ron’s system may be a bit bass heavy ? Mine is on the opposite side of the spectrum, bass light. The dynamics in Ron’s system are impressive.
*Lyle Workman. Formidable
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Hopkins, your piano intro is the most natural sounding I have heard so far from all of the videos of this discussion of this song.
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You re cheating
I think the rest of us incl M fremer are all using a crappy phone .
May be you can record one more time and then with the android phone just for comparison sake
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You re cheating
I think the rest of us incl M fremer are all using a crappy phone .
May be you can record one more time and then with the android phone just for comparison sake
Yes I'm cheating!
Here is the piano intro taken from a tablet (not even sure the microphones were facing the speakers...). I don't find that the overall sound signature changes.
The phone is not as quiet, and there is more distortion.
The recorded level seems to be higher in the video.
It is interesting to watch the other 3 videos posted. There is more bass in all 3 other systems, that's obvious, but the quality of the bass varies as well - is it "tight", does it have good definition ? In spite of a phone's lower quality, you can still get a sense of this. Commenting on Ron's video, for example, I would say that the bass has a nice quality, but maybe simply the level is a little high ?
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Yes I'm cheating!
Here is the piano intro taken from a tablet (not even sure the microphones were facing the speakers...). I don't find that the overall sound signature changes.
The phone is not as quiet, and there is more distortion.
The recorded level seems to be higher in the video.
It is interesting to watch the other 3 videos posted. There is more bass in all 3 other systems, that's obvious, but the quality of the bass varies as well - is it "tight", does it have good definition ? In spite of a phone's lower quality, you can still get a sense of this. Commenting on Ron's video, for example, I would say that the bass has a nice quality, but maybe simply the level is a little high ?
Those Superlux S502 microphones that you used in your wav file require phantom power, what Tascam recorder did you use to make the recording? And did you run the recording through a sound editor or DAW, digital audio workstation, before uploading? You also sidestepped the YouTube processing and compression on both the Wave file and subsequent iPad video clip.
The point of a video comparison is to keep as many variables consistent between the videos so that they are at least on equal terms.
It would be interesting if you made an honest recording of your system and upload it to YouTube so that all the final steps are equal between the videos.
True, but it still sounds good, and many would consider the system modest by WBF standards. For that, it is revealing. Ron's videos are not on YouTube either. I presume Ron uses an iPhone, but not certain about the mic. I agree that a standard is useful for these kinds of comparisons.
The Tascam is a portable DR-100 and it does have phantom power, which I use. I am no expert, so I am not sure I am optimizing the recording settings and mic placement.
As for the video, I uploaded it directly so did no manipulations whatsoever. YouTube does some compression, but I don't think that is so important. Don't know. Anyone can upload a video to both to find out.
Thanks for the clarification. As Peter noted it is a good sounding recording. The YouTube processing and compression does handicap the sound somewhat.
You will be surprised how many well thought out and modest systems challenge and even outshine the “Uber” world class systems. I’m still waiting for all the Horizon/Taiko-Extreme and Wadax dac/server owners to step up to the plate with their videos but so far no one has stepped up. I would have thought that the elite would have welcomed this opportunity to show off and showcase their mighty systems, but I guess not, at least so far.
But lori Lieberman aint much of a system challenge , its audiophile show music afaik
Lets do a digital Organ recording comparison for a full system work out
For example :
Lets do a digital Organ recording comparison for a full system work out
For example :
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Actually Carlos, I am not surprised at all. It happens, and I suspect these systems are all over the place. I helped set up a system for a good friend last week with a pair of speakers that are the price of a used SME 3012R tonearm and a 15 year old CD player that no one has ever heard of. The wires are non-audio file and dirt cheap. But the electronics are all LAMM. That system produced one of the best listening experiences I have had. All from a pair super cheap 40 year old efficient cone speakers and digital disks. And this was after a few hours of playing around with speaker position and listening seat location. Zero room treatments. It is well selected gear in a decent room and fairly well set up. Next week he adds a classic vintage turntable and will fine-tune the sound further.
Every comparison must have a datum, or reference point. In this case we have a video of Michael Fremer’s system playing the Lori Lieberman track and he has stated that the video is representative of the sound of his system in his room.
Get Michael Fremer to submit a video of his system playing a digital organ recording and get him to state that it is representative of his system, in his room, and we will go from there.
For me, people don’t need to use the same recording. Someone to minimize the number of variables to do a system comparison. This just compares one system to another system. I am much more interested in learning how a particular system sounds compared to my memory of live music. All I need for that is a piece of orchestral music or string Quartet or solo piano may be a couple voices.
I don’t view this as a competition. It is information that supplements what someone writes about his own system and gives a sense of what it sounds like with simple and standard recording techniques over YouTube.
if you want to share some Oregon music over your system please do. Tell us if you think the recording represents what you hear live in the room and why.
Perhaps both approaches are interesting: a video with a phone, and a video with better microphones to better capture the system's strengths - and weaknesses. For example, if a system's strength is in its ability to convey nuances, then it defeats the purpose to use very poor recording equipment.
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