Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

[Zuman]

View attachment 126424

You know, I understand and appreciate the point, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy sound as well as music. I've seen many people here state that a congested or harsh-sounding reproduction interferes with their enjoyment of a well-regarded composition and/or performance, so the honest position is that we need both for maximum fulfillment.
Do I enjoy a "audiophile" sound? Actually, yes, I do. I like to hear separation between voices (instrumental and human), and I like a carefully-curated balance between a pristine, hi-def sound and a smooth, gestalt presentation. Too often I don't get that in a concert hall, a club, or a stadium.
So yes, I like what my equipment does in partnership with a recording, and if that makes me a Philistine, so be it!

 

[christoph]

true, but some cuts are used to death as demotracks.....this is one of them

Add to that one "Keith don't go"

 

[christoph]

About a year ago I heard “Keith don’t go“ for the first time and thought that might make a good demo track. Then I learned it was exactly that, played over and over again and every audio show everywhere. I can’t listen to it now.

Haha, see my comment above

 

[DasguteOhr]

In my circle of friends and I always use this song. sigi schwab& percussion academia -(song machu picchú.) All that ever heard that song buys this lp/cd promise

 

[morricab]

Hugh Masekela coal train......ha ha

Although that track is heavily overplayed, the rest of the album is pretty darn good and sounds good too!

 

[morricab]

About a year ago I heard “Keith don’t go“ for the first time and thought that might make a good demo track. Then I learned it was exactly that, played over and over again and every audio show everywhere. I can’t listen to it now.

Yes, I leave when I hear it.

 

[morricab]

Add to that one "Keith don't go"

I am always begging Keith to just go already!

 

[thomask]

How about "Take 2 Kitchko" for demonstration of bass, dynamics and soundstage.

I enjoy tuneful and unlimited bass out of Altec basshorn, Sceana 18 inch subwoofers and Rel 31s.

 

[Audiohertz2]

Which speaker is playing ..??

 

[tima]

lot of that stuff was later sold in 2:nd hand market and effectively turned out to be bribes

Established publications have pretty strict rules about that. If it happens it is on the individual, not the magazine. Not withstanding whatever else you think of them, it's rare. Of course nowadays anyone with decal and a pickup truck can call himself an audio magazine

 

[mtemur]

Big Western Electric speakers from Munich 2010. This one sounded ok but not great IMHO. Unfortunately I couldn't find the video.


These are from Munich 2012. I liked 555 driver + horn the most among those WE speakers. It has tube power supply for electro magnets. Listening Led Zeppelin over those was great. There was also speakers with GIP drivers in that room.


Here are the videos:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mnQ3xRsux9RFTi4a5OqjE4wbAbSbAO8Q/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZPojwSAUot8AHcEYmT29e99mvld2jl0i/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V_3MnbgbGdlD1MNTJuHu5aNOVefVfB3Y/view?usp=sharing

You can see a big black box close to the door on one of the videos. It's the bass unit.

 

[tima]

I don’t think that was his point. His point is that reviewers picked a part the sound and put it into bits and pieces by identifying sonic attributes in gear they were reviewing. This was then highlighted by certain recordings, so then if you bought those recordings, you would tend to hear those thing, pre-condition by what you read, then agree with the reviewer and then buy that gear. It was a convenient symbiotic relationship that worked well for the industry and got people all talking the same language and listening for the same sonic attributes, The same bits and pieces, and buying the same stuff. And then cables and footers and accessories enhanced this.

I used to read the reviews and chose my gear for sounds rather than for the holistic listening experience that reminded me of real music.

Excellent point. That 'picking apart' led to the creation of the audiophile language used today, which forms for some the basis for choosing gear. The vocabulary is a 'sound vocabulary' or 'stereo vocabulary' not a music vocabulary' , often focused on what is happening in our head rather than what we hear.

 

[tima]

Wow, European Plaid.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Why vinyl recordings from the golden era do you find go down to 20hz? This makes sense if you are playing digital or playing modern vinyl that goes that deep

That was the point i was (clumsily) trying to make. I predominantly listen to modern music.

 

[MarcelNL]

I listen both to digital music and vintage mono, hearing a well recorded violin, a well recorded female voice and some complex electronic music usually is enough to assess a system. Many of the 'usual demo' tracks were IMHO picked because they sound good even on a USB speaker....

 

[mtemur]

I listen both to digital music and vintage mono, hearing a well recorded violin, a well recorded female voice and some complex electronic music usually is enough to assess a system. Many of the 'usual demo' tracks were IMHO picked because they sound good even on a USB speaker....

I agree and do a similar kind of evaluation. I try records with piano, drums, double bass and vocal to assess a system. Sometimes I additionally play 12” maxi pop singles to reveal if the system is capable of full frequency spectrum with impact.

Since almost all recorded music is mix down of multi channel mono I skip vague audiophile terms like black background, transparency, depth etc and concentrate on how realistic the instruments sound.

 

[Ron Resnick]

How do you use female voice (assuming it's not a singer you know personally*) to assess a system?

How do you use complex electronic music (which obviously has no live, acoustic, unamplified reference counterpart) to assess a system?

*In a unique situation for an audiophile Joseph Cali is married to the extremely talented and totally delightful Lori Lieberman. Joe gets to hear Lori's voice every day, and he gets to hear her perform live, and he records her performances, so he has a literally unparalleled reference for judging the vocal reproduction of audio systems.

For those of us with tape machines maybe we should record our significant other's speaking voice, even if he/she is not a singer, and take that tape around with us as a test track?

 

[morricab]

How do you use female voice (assuming it's not a singer you know personally*) to assess a system?

How do you use complex electronic music (which obviously has no live, acoustic, unamplified reference counterpart) to assess a system?

*In a unique situation for an audiophile Joseph Cali is married to the extremely talented and totally delightful Lori Lieberman. Joe gets to hear Lori's voice every day, and he gets to hear her perform live, and he records her performances, so he has a literally unparalleled reference for judging the vocal reproduction of audio systems.

For those of us with tape machines maybe we should record our significant other's speaking voice, even if he/she is not a singer, and take that tape around with us as a test track?

If you want to record your significant others voice, then you need to get a record cutting lathe. You will be disappointed with anything else…

 

[PeterA]

How do you use female voice (assuming it's not a singer you know personally*) to assess a system?

How do you use complex electronic music (which obviously has no live, acoustic, unamplified reference counterpart) to assess a system?

*In a unique situation for an audiophile Joseph Cali is married to the extremely talented and totally delightful Lori Lieberman. Joe gets to hear Lori's voice every day, and he gets to hear her perform live, and he records her performances, so he has a literally unparalleled reference for judging the vocal reproduction of audio systems.

For those of us with tape machines maybe we should record our significant other's speaking voice, even if he/she is not a singer, and take that tape around with us as a test track?

Ron, Surely you have had a lifetime of exposure to natural sounds and recorded music. Assessment of a system is based on comparisons to that which you have been exposed. I use live music (voices too). Some reference other systems and perhaps other things. You wear many hats in this hobby now and have much experience.

You are a dealer with people potentially coming to visit you to audition a specific speaker in the context of your system and room. You might find it interesting to ask them the criteria they will use to judge your new speakers. Make note of the records or tapes they bring or request or choose on your tablet and ask them these questions posed above.

I have the sense that you will be the type of dealer that allows your visitors to play with the system in a relaxed atmosphere and not the type of dealer who plays a specific set of demo tracks to convince someone to buy his gear.

I think you will learn a lot from this additional role as a dealer while navigating your existing roles of reviewer, interviewer, reporter, and website owner. Together, these will give you a very comprehensive view of the hobby and you will be living it fully.

 

[Lagonda]

How do you use female voice (assuming it's not a singer you know personally*) to assess a system?

How do you use complex electronic music (which obviously has no live, acoustic, unamplified reference counterpart) to assess a system?

*In a unique situation for an audiophile Joseph Cali is married to the extremely talented and totally delightful Lori Lieberman. Joe gets to hear Lori's voice every day, and he gets to hear her perform live, and he records her performances, so he has a literally unparalleled reference for judging the vocal reproduction of audio systems.

For those of us with tape machines maybe we should record our significant other's speaking voice, even if he/she is not a singer, and take that tape around with us as a test track?

This is a post that nightmares are made from, i will be dreaming of my ex-wifes squeaky voice recorded for the purpose of future self flagellation !