Does anybody hear difference with a coffee table in place?

[Priaptor]

Why - are mixing and mastering engineers any less demanding of the results they get in their rooms than audiophiles?

My point - as expressed above - remains the same: Individual preferences, then, will remain the arbiter of what one finds major, and what one finds minor.

Best,

853guy

You’re kiddinq me with this analogy?

 

[853guy]

Totally agree that what a studio does has nothing to do with a great listening room.

Putting objects of any kind in the way of the signal path just makes no sense at all to me.
I have experienced numerous times issues in the room based on objects that were in the room for decoration or convenience creating issues with the end result. In fact a good client had a major issue recently with a guitar amp that his son leaves in the room and it created a major issue with the bass until they figured it out and removed it from the room. The amp was even placed behind the listening chair.

To reiterate what I’ve already attempted to articulate, the common denominator of the mixing/mastering studio and the audiophile’s listening room is that both are frequented with human beings with preferences and biases, in which what is considered major and what is considered minor will be determined by those same preferences and biases.

Mixing and mastering engineers are often no less demanding of the results they achieve in their rooms, even ones in which there is a large, highly-reflective surface smack-bang in the middle. What one chooses to ignore will remain the domain of the individual’s free will, not determined by whether one is a mixing/mastering engineer or audiophile.

Best,

853guy

 

[853guy]

You’re kiddinq me with this analogy?

I’m not trying to change your mind, Priaptor. I’m simply sharing my perspective.

If that perspective happens not to align with yours, I’ll be more than happy to accept that.

Best,

853guy

 

[Priaptor]

I’m not trying to change your mind, Priaptor. I’m simply sharing my perspective.

If that perspective happens not to align with yours, I’ll be more than happy to accept that.

Best,

853guy

It’s an absurd comparison. Trust me you aren’t changing my mind. I get DDK and jeffrey_t points, although there my “preferences” are different from theirs. Your comparison and analogy by contrast has no basis.

 

[853guy]

It’s an absurd comparison. Trust me you aren’t changing my mind. I get DDK and jeffrey_t points, although there my “preferences” are different from theirs. Your comparison and analogy by contrast has no basis.

Perhaps what one considers “absurd” and “(without) basis” will also be determined by ones’ individual preferences.

Over and out.

853guy

 

[Elliot G.]

To reiterate what I’ve already attempted to articulate, the common denominator of the mixing/mastering studio and the audiophile’s listening room is that both are frequented with human beings with preferences and biases, in which what is considered major and what is considered minor will be determined by those same preferences and biases.

Mixing and mastering engineers are often no less demanding of the results they achieve in their rooms, even ones in which there is a large, highly-reflective surface smack-bang in the middle. What one chooses to ignore will remain the domain of the individual’s free will, not determined by whether one is a mixing/mastering engineer or audiophile.

Best,

853guy

Preferences and bias have nothing to do with reality and what actually happens in a listening space. You can like whatever you want. You can put a car in the middle of your speakers that does not make it correct and it does not mean there is no effect of having it there.
Taste and preference seem to be an "excuse" on this site to make up for something that just does not make sense. I understand what happens in a studio and have been in many and personally know some really good engineers. The ones I know would never put "stuff" in the way of the audio signal in there home listening areas.

 

[853guy]

Preferences and bias have nothing to do with reality and what actually happens in a listening space. You can like whatever you want. You can put a car in the middle of your speakers that does not make it correct and it does not mean there is no effect of having it there.
Taste and preference seem to be an "excuse" on this site to make up for something that just does not make sense. I understand what happens in a studio and have been in many and personally know some really good engineers. The ones I know would never put "stuff" in the way of the audio signal in there home listening areas.

Hello Elliot,

Despite my best efforts, it seems that the more I write, the more opaque I make this thread. Last one from me, then.

Irrespective of whether I was tracking, mixing, or at home listening, I was not using “reality” to evaluate what I was hearing - I was using my perception. And my perception is defined by my preferences and biases. Therefore, I’m never not using my perception to evaluate reality, and therefore, seldom free from my preferences and biases.

Whether I was tracking, mixing or listening at home, it was always my perception perceiving reality, and it was that perception that allowed me to choose what it was I considered major or minor, and what it was I could choose to ignore - including the mixing desk in front of me, the odd shaped room and indeed, the steep roll off of my ATCs. These were the “realities” of my specific circumstances - and came with their own set of compromises. This is possibly true of anyone who assembles a real-world system (or indeed, chooses which component lines to represent for resale), rather than one solely on paper - we each need to choose what we're willing to live with and what we are not, given the perfect system does not exist except to the one whom perceives it to be so.

I would love to live in reality as defined by theory or pure objectivity, Elliot, but unfortunately I must make do with reality as filtered and defined by the limits of my subjectivized and finite perception.

Best,

853guy

 

[Elliot G.]

Hello Elliot,

Despite my best efforts, it seems that the more I write, the more opaque I make this thread. Last one from me, then.

Irrespective of whether I was tracking, mixing, or at home listening, I was not using “reality” to evaluate what I was hearing - I was using my perception. And my perception is defined by my preferences and biases. Therefore, I’m never not using my perception to evaluate reality, and therefore, seldom free from my preferences and biases.

Whether I was tracking, mixing or listening at home, it was always my perception perceiving reality, and it was that perception that allowed me to choose what it was I considered major or minor, and what it was I could choose to ignore - including the mixing desk in front of me, the odd shaped room and indeed, the steep roll off of my ATCs. These were the “realities” of my specific circumstances - and came with their own set of compromises. This is possibly true of anyone who assembles a real-world system (or indeed, chooses which component lines to represent for resale), rather than one solely on paper - we each need to choose what we're willing to live with and what we are not, given the perfect system does not exist except to the one whom perceives it to be so.

I would love to live in reality as defined by theory or pure objectivity, Elliot, but unfortunately I must make do with reality as filtered and defined by the limits of my subjectivized and finite perception.

Best,

853guy

As I said you can listen however you like and you can state your preferences. You can spend your money the way you choose just don't tell me it doesn't make a difference and that it is the correct way to do it.

 

[thedudeabides]

What if your cross your legs while listening?

Any impact?

PS: I have a coffee table in front and put my feet on the edge of the table while listening. Have heard no apparent impact.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Sorry, it was in zest.

No worries Bob, it was directed more directed at Priaptors acoustically treated Sushi. Brought the thread to a close as far as I am concerned.

 

[NorthStar]

No worries Bob, it was directed more directed at Priaptors acoustically treated Sushi. Brought the thread to a close as far as I am concerned.

I wasn't worry Mike, I was humorous.
___

This: In regards to putting a friendly decor elegant practical coffee table in front of our comfy listening relaxing chair/loveseat/couch; say we love jazz music, and that album (LP, CD, audio file, tape, ...) was recorded in a studio with different boots for each musician... Do we really think that our lovely coffee table is going to take away from the music recorded in various studio boots?

Say we love new age, alternative, electronica, rock&roll, ...music; our coffee table is going to make our music more reflective, less accurate to the point of distraction? ...Just no way, in my solid wood opinion.

About full orchestral symphonies with tenor opera singers recorded live in grandiose classical concert halls?

...Small trio and quatuor classical chamber music from the best music record labels, or small high quality jazz ensemble (Channel Classics, ECM, all that good classic and jazz music) perfect for music listening rooms with cachet and some art works (paintings) on the walls and a beautiful sculpture of the virgin lady Costello nicely positioned on our coffee table made of our favorite wood from Argentina, and our favorite book opened @ the most recent page also on our coffee table by the art sculpture.

There are two types of listening rooms in the world; the professional ones and those with a coffee table.

 

[NorthStar]

Totally agree that what a studio does has nothing to do with a great listening room.

Putting objects of any kind in the way of the signal path just makes no sense at all to me.
I have experienced numerous times issues in the room based on objects that were in the room for decoration or convenience creating issues with the end result. In fact a good client had a major issue recently with a guitar amp that his son leaves in the room and it created a major issue with the bass until they figured it out and removed it from the room. The amp was even placed behind the listening chair.

Interesting about that guitar amp behind the listening chair affecting the room's overall bass response. Yeah, the speaker's driver in that amp can do that.

A highly reflective surface in front of the listening chair can alter the high frequencies.
For serious music listening from the best appropriate and best high quality recorded music from the best music record labels, putting a nice decorative silk/velvet/cotton material from Morocco, during those special occasions is part of an audiophile process. IMO

 

[NorthStar]

You’re kiddinq me with this analogy?

It’s an absurd comparison. Trust me you aren’t changing my mind. I get DDK and jeffrey_t points, although there my “preferences” are different from theirs. Your comparison and analogy by contrast has no basis.

853 brought a very intelligent point, and far away from absurdity.
The entire chain in the music process, from the recording venue to the recording mixing and music listening is not in totality perfect and accurate. Everything is a reproduction, including the reproducing mechanical loudspeakers with their drivers and wiring inside them.

* The OP provided a nice picture of his listening room; I 100% agree with the member who mentioned that for serious music listening those windows part of the front wall (soundstage), and I'm sure they are, require covering them with nice thick decorative adaptation fabric drapes.

Simply put, it's a beautiful listening room and coffee table.
It is not a professionally acoustically tuned music listening room.

** If it was my room, the coffee table would remain, uncovered because I love the Brazilian wood, and I will show the drapes for my windows. My enjoyment for life and music listening wouldn't diminished whatsoever. I am realistic; I marry decor friendly taste with comfort and easy relaxation in the balance of the music I love, just as I would be walking through the door of a live jazz band from a New Orleans jazz hotel club.

 

[NorthStar]

I love World music, Brazilian dance music and Tango; my coffee table stays. :b

 

[PeterA]

I remember an early conversation about whether or not a pair of glasses on one's face alters what the wearer hears. Pretty soon, people were removing their glasses when listening. I turn down the lights and cover the glowing meters on my Pass amps. I agree with 853guy in the sense that what one does regarding any of this stuff, depends on his biases, past experiences, and priorities. Who really cares? Priaptor does not.

Whether or not any of this makes a sonic difference is another matter for discussion. It reminds me of a long thread discussing if we listen to our systems in a dedicated way, or if we multitask while listening.

 

[ack]

Years ago I was forced to use a coffee table in our living room, but at least it's a high end table. Peter, beyond glasses, do some people also worry about puffy hair and go skinhead, or is that too reflective?

 

[PeterA]

Years ago I was forced to use a coffee table in our living room, but at least it's a high end table. Peter, beyond glasses, do some people also worry about puffy hair and go skinhead, or is that too reflective?

Ack, have you ever tried Jim Smith's suggestion of putting a towel over your glass topped coffee table, at least for when you listen critically for the effect of your equipment modifications?

I have no idea if some people worry about puffy hear effecting sound. If it does, perhaps it is a good thing that I am losing mine because it might compensate for the slow deterioration of my hearing.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Years ago I was forced to use a coffee table in our living room, but at least it's a high end table. Peter, beyond glasses, do some people also worry about puffy hair and go skinhead, or is that too reflective?

I have heard of people being so "everything matters" they listen to music in the buff...

 

[ack]

Peter, it sounds like we may need audiophile wigs. And as you know, I don't care to sacrifice my room decor for nothing.

 

[KeithR]

I'm going with a Nelson Bench when I move later this year after seeing Jeffrey_T's

Looks good and super functional compared to my square veneered mdf table now.