Videos of Acoustically-Coupled Audio Recordings

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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(...) I also would never have bought my SME 3012R were it not for online opinions and reviews. (...)

Well, I got the SME3012R because of three reasons - David (DDK) advice, the separate headshell and it was inexpensive. Nothing else ...
 

PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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Sure, Peter, but meeting people on forums, then in person and listening to their systems is very different from basing purchases of unheard expensive gear on forum opinions.



Absolutely, I also bought my Yggdrasil DAC based on reviews and forum opinions only. Yet this was, just like the 3012R arm, compared to other gear expenses, not a high dollar and thus high risk purchase. I also bought my rather expensive speakers unheard, but that was based on my previous extensive experience with the lower monitor model of Reference 3A, established trust in the brand as great value for money, and importantly, backed by a return option. Just like for the Yggdrasil DAC.

Al, I didn't catch those qualifications in your earlier post. I thought you were too absolute and rather boldly telling others what they should and should not do. So it seems we both are putting a lot of stock into online opinions and reviews, at least for $2-3K purchases. And I still think people are free to watch these "silly" videos, as you call them, if they want to. It is their choice, and yours, but no one should be making that choice for them. Just my opinion.:)
 

PeterA

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Well, I got the SME3012R because of three reasons - David (DDK) advice, the separate headshell and it was inexpensive. Nothing else ...

Well, nothing but online opinions and reviews for me; those of ddk, Tango, Rockitman, and others. And the desire to do an actual comparison with my V-12. The long 3012R thread on WBF was fairly influential too. During the interim while I searched for a good sample, I was also able to hear one in Madfloyd's and Jeffrey_T's systems. Those auditions did not dissuade me.
 

ack

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May 6, 2010
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Can I inject some interesting information into this thread?

years – Scale of an estimated Poincaré recurrence time for the quantum state of a hypothetical box containing a black hole with the estimated mass of the entire Universe, observable or not, assuming Linde's chaotic inflationary model with an inflaton whose mass is 10?6 Planck masses
 

the sound of Tao

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Jul 18, 2014
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Can I inject some interesting information into this thread?

^ Sure I understand this completely Ack... uhhmmmm just one kinda awkward question, is an inflaton something I’ll then actually need to go ahead and inflate...curious minds etc.

Edit - just looked it up, apparently my Chord m scaler does all my inflaton for me :eek:
 
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ack

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4.134 105 × 1028 years – The time period equivalent to the value of 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0 in the Mesoamerican Long Count, a date discovered on a stela at the Coba Maya site, believed by archaeologist Linda Schele to be the absolute value for the length of one cycle of the universe
 

ack

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May 6, 2010
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^ Sure I understand this completely Ack... uhhmmmm just one kinda awkward question, is an inflaton something I’ll then actually need to go ahead and inflate...curious minds etc.

Edit - just looked it up, apparently my Chord m scaler does all my inflaton for me :eek:

"inflaton" is also related to "ego enlargement"; see also "audio inflaton"
 
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the sound of Tao

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"inflaton" is also related to "ego enlargement"; see also "audio inflaton"
Lol audio inflaton.. as if THAT would ever happen ;)

PS I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to go out with an inflaton...but perhaps that’s a story for another day.
 
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cjfrbw

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Apr 20, 2010
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When I get back to Pleasanton next week, I will try playing some of the YouTube audio-videos with Airplay through my main system, just for yucks. That will have to be the soul of audio futility and perversity, but might be fun for a few minutes. I have never tried that yet.
 
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cjfrbw

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I hope inflatons don't require Viagra.
 
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the sound of Tao

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NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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Yes, I have a few, but I have not shared them. For now, they are for my own use and edification.

You're like me Peter, I only share what I want to share...the rest in time perhaps, if time allows it before death. If not I'll share with the dead instead of the living. I have great respect for the dead.
 

PeterA

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Bob, some people have long virtual system threads and share a lot of information about upgrades, progress, and the journey. Others don't even list their system details in their signature. Everybody is different. I don't think the expanding universe or the enlarging of one's ego has much to do with it. Now, the possibility of sharing with the dead does expand the imagination.
 

NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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I like people who share their home made music videos on You Tube.
True we share what we like to share, that's what I like about people, dead or alive.

In death we often learn more from our mistakes ...
I know it sounds strange but just think how much more I know now about the departed members of my family and circle of friends and all the innocent victims whose lives were cut short because of tragedies, accidents, wars, etc.

This musician/singer/songwriter; he lived shortly in the same house I'm living now.
He's still alive (my age) and lives nearby (Salt Spring Island), ... I like his music, and voice.

 
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bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
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I thought I would put this to keep the thread relevant, as compared to the State of the industry thread

I think it is an interesting point raised earlier about whether horns sound better when recorded for you tube

I purposefully sidestepped this that day and linked good videos of cones, because micro brought out that point against the spirit of what videos are to be used for. I now have a more detailed reply.

How does it matter, if horns sound better when recorded for youtube? Does that it mean it does A and B well, and hides aspects of C and D which might be audible in person compared to cones on mobile videos? If so, it does not change anything - if one likes A and B in the video, check it out, just like you would if you hear something positive at a show. The attitude here seems to be, ignore good videos, attack the video, not check it out, and provide rationale for why it might not be correct. No benefit of doubt, only benefit of skepticism and criticism. There are other ways too...you can PM the poster of the video and ask him what were the negatives, and is it worth checking out, if he has not already specified in his forum description accompanying the video. Of course, those who do not want to learn choose the easier path of assuming why there could be negatives that they cannot hear, and why their own videos will only show negatives, not the positives.

Now, for the specifics related to the question. Yes, horns usually have richer tone and timbre, because of their amp-driver combination which when combined with the directional aspect make it better to listen on video. Also, the difference of analog and digital is far higher on video than in person, making digital almost unlistenable on video as compared to in room. Cones with SS start with a tonal disadvantage that sounds quite shrieky on video, like at shows. In reality, this is often the case, but when ameliorated/improved to some extent and combined with proper layering, adds more to the suspension of disbelief in person, that is not easily captured on video. However, the directional aspect is also what makes horns easier to set up/live with in a room, as compared to cones ,and the tone richness being there is an advantage too. I think dipole videos get it worst

Have I heard videos of horns that sound great on video and have issues in person? Yes. I have also heard the reverse with a horn. Like the General's system was multiple times superior to what the video shows. There so many micronuances that just could not be captured.

I have heard cone systems often where the ambience is not well captured on the phone. The playback we do from the phone, even if streamed to a small speaker, is directional, which possibly gives the directional aspect benefit.

The other issue with this is how videos are analysed. Some try to listen for it holistically, if the end sound is good or not. Some look for attributes within the video, like do you hear a disconnect between high and low, some other imbalance, etc. I think the latter is required. Imbalances make less impact on video and this heightened in person. Phone playback is more coherent than it will be in person, so any incoherence you hear will be magnified in person, and any coherence like with a dual woofer FLH will have less positive impact on video than in person.

Videos also don't cover well transparency to recordings unless you post a lot of them and the listener follows regularly. Even my regulars seem to nitpick that this video was bad, this was good, when the fact that a system sometimes sounds good and bad on video is actually a positive. Listen to how different Tang's videos have been. Listen to how different the Universum sounds with all valve and all CH, and two different recordings of Starker bach played through it with digital. In person, such different concerts of the same classical piece are such a huge pleasure to experience.

And yes, even the regulars often ignore the accompanying text and caveats that go with the video, which is actually the key issue that stops those whose video does not sound good from posting it. They know that the text will be ignored, and people are going to judge purely by tapping play and judging if the video sound to them is sh*t or not.
 
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awsmone

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2014
1,616
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435
Canberra Australia
I thought I would put this to keep the thread relevant, as compared to the State of the industry thread



I purposefully sidestepped this that day and linked good videos of cones, because micro brought out that point against the spirit of what videos are to be used for. I now have a more detailed reply.

How does it matter, if horns sound better when recorded for youtube? Does that it mean it does A and B well, and hides aspects of C and D which might be audible in person compared to cones on mobile videos? If so, it does not change anything - if one likes A and B in the video, check it out, just like you would if you hear something positive at a show. The attitude here seems to be, ignore good videos, attack the video, not check it out, and provide rationale for why it might not be correct. No benefit of doubt, only benefit of skepticism and criticism. There are other ways too...you can PM the poster of the video and ask him what were the negatives, and is it worth checking out, if he has not already specified in his forum description accompanying the video. Of course, those who do not want to learn choose the easier path of assuming why there could be negatives that they cannot hear, and why their own videos will only show negatives, not the positives.

Now, for the specifics related to the question. Yes, horns usually have richer tone and timbre, because of their amp-driver combination which when combined with the directional aspect make it better to listen on video. Also, the difference of analog and digital is far higher on video than in person, making digital almost unlistenable on video as compared to in room. Cones with SS start with a tonal disadvantage that sounds quite shrieky on video, like at shows. In reality, this is often the case, but when ameliorated/improved to some extent and combined with proper layering, adds more to the suspension of disbelief in person, that is not easily captured on video. However, the directional aspect is also what makes horns easier to set up/live with in a room, as compared to cones ,and the tone richness being there is an advantage too. I think dipole videos get it worst

Have I heard videos of horns that sound great on video and have issues in person? Yes. I have also heard the reverse with a horn. Like the General's system was multiple times superior to what the video shows. There so many micronuances that just could not be captured.

I have heard cone systems often where the ambience is not well captured on the phone. The playback we do from the phone, even if streamed to a small speaker, is directional, which possibly gives the directional aspect benefit.

The other issue with this is how videos are analysed. Some try to listen for it holistically, if the end sound is good or not. Some look for attributes within the video, like do you hear a disconnect between high and low, some other imbalance, etc. I think the latter is required. Imbalances make less impact on video and this heightened in person. Phone playback is more coherent than it will be in person, so any incoherence you hear will be magnified in person, and any coherence like with a dual woofer FLH will have less positive impact on video than in person.

Videos also don't cover well transparency to recordings unless you post a lot of them and the listener follows regularly. Even my regulars seem to nitpick that this video was bad, this was good, when the fact that a system sometimes sounds good and bad on video is actually a positive. Listen to how different Tang's videos have been. Listen to how different the Universum sounds with all valve and all CH, and two different recordings of Starker bach played through it with digital. In person, such different concerts of the same classical piece are such a huge pleasure to experience.

And yes, even the regulars often ignore the accompanying text and caveats that go with the video, which is actually the key issue that stops those whose video does not sound good from posting it. They know that the text will be ignored, and people are going to judge purely by tapping play and judging if the video sound to them is sh*t or not.
Thanks Ked for your thoughtful reply
I agree Variability of reproduction of different recording is a hallmark of a high resolution system
I wish with some of your videos you would put more information to allow judgement of other factors, this would increase my own understanding of what I am listening to …
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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I noticed today what I consider to be a new high in absurdity regarding cellphone videos of audio systems:

Thinking that one can compare accurately or meaningfully in a completely unfamiliar system in a completely unfamiliar room the sound of analog tape playback of an original analog recording to the sound of analog vinyl playback of an original analog recording by recording digitally a video of both of them to a generic ADC in a cellphone and then playing back digitally the video through a generic DAC on a computer.
 
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