Thunder and Rain

[Kingrex]

I was in a Black Sabbath mood. Cranking music. My wife came in and I had to turn it down. But I wanted to hear the rain and thunder. I then looked up some track on rain and thunder. Anyone who thinks their stereo is able to recreate "Like You Are There". I challenge you to play some thunder and rain. I am surprised how far off mine is. My thought is, if you can trick me into thinking its a real strom and rain is falling "over there", then you have a world class stereo.

 

[stehno]

I'd be more than happy to, Kingrex. But if you're appointing yourself judge, I think it only fair that you first offer up evidence that you possess at least some ability to discern/interpret various sounds of inclimate weather, right?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

"Riders on the Storm", Doors......15ips 1/4" tape....spooky good rain. a little thunder too.....i think. helps to have truly deep bass extension for full effect. not real....but real enough that it can raise the hairs on your skin. subconscious fight or flight reaction.

one of my top choices for late night end of session cuts to bring the house down. everyone leaves with a big grin.

not done it yet with the ATR--MR-70. the 45 pressing is good, but not quite in the same league.

 

[Another Johnson]

The first Mobile Fidelity record I remember buying was entitled The Power and The Majesty.

The Power and the Majesty – U.S. Mobile Fidelity sound effects audiophile LP

I still have it and I’m pretty sure it’s still sealed.

Reviewers used to make fun of audiophiles who listened to thunderstorms and locomotives instead of music. But everyone recognizes these sounds as serious “limits of your system” tests.

Like David Wilson’s desire to get the Apollo 13 launch sound track right. He came up with the humongous XS subwoofers for this purpose.

 

[Kingrex]

I agree, bass is a big factor on thunder. Rain is more about soundstage and depth. I was playing a bunch of track from Qbuz last night. Some are better than others. With my system, non have the depth or atmosphere to make me feel its real. It's pretty, but not real.
@stehno . I will stop by soon to judge your setup for you.

 

[Kingrex]

I bet the BACCH would really bring the rain alive. Even placement of the thunder. I find my stereo very pleasing and natural, to a degree. I know my soundstage is not the best as its in my living room and I push the speakers all over the place.

I also have no room for subwoofers. Not unless one becomes a coffee table and the other can sit in the back of my room. The front is prett crowded. I am not allowed to keep the rack by the window. And I don't want it there as every criminal in my neighborhood would see it.

 

[Steve Williams]

"Riders on the Storm", Doors......15ips 1/4" tape....spooky good rain. a little thunder too.....i think. helps to have truly deep bass extension for full effect. not real....but real enough that it can raise the hairs on your skin. subconscious fight or flight reaction.

one of my top choices for late night end of session cuts to bring the house down. everyone leaves with a big grin.

not done it yet with the ATR--MR-70. the 45 pressing is good, but not quite in the same league.

you took the words out of my mouth as IMO that is the classic go to track for this. Spot on Mike

 

[stehno]

I agree, bass is a big factor on thunder. Rain is more about soundstage and depth. I was playing a bunch of track from Qbuz last night. Some are better than others. With my system, non have the depth or atmosphere to make me feel its real. It's pretty, but not real.
@stehno . I will stop by soon to judge your setup for you.

I'll leave the light on for ya.

 

[Kingrex]

Gawd, when I look at my setup with rack in the middle, it just looks all wrong.

 

[Kingrex]

Floyd is also good. Roger Watters uses a lot of unusual sounds. I hear cars and car doors are also good. Just a different way to understand what your stereo is doing.

 

[Another Johnson]

The thunderstorm used on the Doors “Riders on the Storm” was sampled from a Jac Holzman Sound Effects record. Holzman had founded Elektra and was the guy who signed the Doors.

I’ve listened to various versions this afternoon. The best of the lot in my system was the 24/192 FLAC file on Qobuz. The original CD and vinyl were not as realistic here.

Listening specifically to the rain and thunder, I don’t think you need a sub for this. The recording sounds to me like the microphone was indoors and the lightning that created the thunder was not close. There is no super low infrasonic rumble, and transient snap is just not there. The fact that it was sampled from Holzman’s tape (not known for super audiophile quality) could also account for the less than hair raising thunder.

 

[2fastdriving]

Now I have to listen to Riders on the storm tonight.

 

[Another Johnson]

According to the data imported by Roon, Riders on the Storm was the last recording before Jim Morrison died, so it has some historical significance too. It’s worth a listen.

 

[astrotoy]

Fourth movement of Beethoven's 6th symphony. Also a few minutes into Rossini's William Tell Overture (before the Lone Ranger Theme). Neither has sound effects, only the instruments of the orchestra mimicking the thunder and lightning as the storm comes and goes. Larry

 

[Another Johnson]

Fourth movement of Beethoven's 6th symphony. Also a few minutes into Rossini's William Tell Overture (before the Lone Ranger Theme). Neither has sound effects, only the instruments of the orchestra mimicking the thunder and lightning as the storm comes and goes. Larry

I love these. Wagner mimics thunderstorms too. I first thought of Wagner and then Rossini, but there are many examples, especially in opera.

 

[Another Johnson]

Amazon has several additional masters and files.
The one that brings the storm forward most effectively in my system is a 24/48 version of “take 10.” It is slightly longer due to banter at the beginning about wanting to add Thunder to the mix. It may have been, Jac, but someone answered that he had some thunder at home. In this version there is more low frequency content and a sub might be a plus.
A second brings the storm forward but to a lesser extent in my view. It is a 16/44.1 version called “new stereo mix.”

I wonder what master the 15 ips 1/4” was based on. Perhaps it brings the storm into even greater prominence.

Of the many I’ve listened to today, the one I like least is the original CD. The three I like best are 24/192 2021 Remaster, the 24/48 so called take 10, and the 16/44.1 new stereo mix.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

you took the words out of my mouth as IMO that is the classic go to track for this. Spot on Mike

Nothing beats Riders on tape, everything else non dimensional and flat.
Interesting their last song together, interesting story from Jac.

 

[astrotoy]

Nothing beats Riders on tape, everything else non dimensional and flat.
Interesting their last song together, interesting story from Jac.

When I bought my large collection of safety masters, in the collection was one Doors album, L.A. Woman. I really didn't know much about the Doors except for "Light My Fire" and that Jim Morrison died young. I did recognize Riders when I first played the tape. Larry

 

[Another Johnson]

Nothing beats Riders on tape, everything else non dimensional and flat.
Interesting their last song together, interesting story from Jac.

I’m sure the tape must be really great … but the other versions that I have access to would not generally be dismissed as nondimensional or flat. There is a decent sense of space in the mix for the session. There is sparkle and they convey a sense of both despair and urgency.

The differences I hear from mix to mix are many. But focusing on the thunderstorm, the original release presents a storm that’s “cool”, but not endangering. It sounds like it was added as a layer. It is unconvincing as a part of the session. No real transient snap. No real room shaking rumble. Maybe these are present on the tape.
As you move through the historical sequence of mixes, the thunderstorm tends to become more real, though I would not describe it as real. I’m sure I’ve not heard them all, and I have not heard the tape, but the best Riders on the Storm thunderstorm I’ve heard is the one I mentioned above on Amazon Prime. There is more crack to the lightening and there is more rumble to the thunder in that mix. But it still sounds like the storm is not on top of the session. It still sounds removed.

 

[bonzo75]

Riders on the storm tape